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NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR THE RESIDENTS OF SUMMIT, BERKELEY HEIGHTS AND NEW PROVIDENCE

 

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Letters to the Editor, February 2008

 

February 27, 2008

 

Editor and Reporter at the Independent Press Need to Get Their “Stories” Straight

 

Dear Editor:

 

Editor and reporter at The Independent Press need to get their “stories” straight

 

Michael Kelly has to do a better job of checking his sources; especially when one of them is his own newspaper. In his Editor’s Note of today, Feb 27, he states that, “The front page news article in the Independent Press on Feb. 20 quoted the Morris Township Administrator as saying Chief Loughman had submitted his retirement and was on terminal leave…”

 

Had Mr. Kelly taken the time to look back at his source, the front page article in the Feb.20th edition of his own Independent Press newspaper, he would have read nothing of the kind.  The words, “retirement and terminal leave” are neither written nor implied in the article. Hopefully, Kelly would also have read that Mr.Rossi was not, indeed, “quoted”.

 

Kelly’s Editor’s Note goes on to say that the Feb.20 article reports “ that an acting (Morris Township) police chief was appointed in late December (07) to assume all day- to- day responsibilities of running the Morris Township Police Department.”

 

Contradicting that, The Morris NewsBee reported on Jan 30 that “Loughman will take two months vacation owed him beginning Friday, Feb.1. On that day, Capt. Timothy Quinn of Morris Township will become acting police chief, according to the (Morris Township) committee”.  This announcement was made at their Jan. 24 meeting.

 

 Kelly continues his Editor’s Note stating that “It is normal procedure for any newspaper, when questions are raised about public officials, to look into the matter.”

 

Yes, and it was the The Morris Daily Record, not the The Independent Press, that looked into the matter when they reported on Jan 24 , “According to NJ Department of Treasury spokesman Mark Perkiss, Loughman had not submitted his retirement papers yet.”

 

On Jan.3, that same newspaper reported information from the primary source, “The chief (Loughman) said he never put in resignation papers.”

 

Kelly continues, “It’s normal procedure to talk with public officials and people on all sides of an issue.” Ah, if only The Independent Press employees would practice this normal procedure.  Someone, please correct me if I’m wrong, but I have never seen, nor heard reporter Mike Neavill talking, laughing or shaking hands with Mr. Bonacci or Mr. Nelson, as he did with Mayor David Cohen after the last township committee meeting.

 

What I have seen and heard, as Union County Prosecutor, Theodore Romankow wrote to The Independent Press, is Mr. Neavill inject himself into a discussion and then release the story printed on the front page of the Independent Press as though he were an objective source.

 

Prosecutor Romankow continued, “The public has a right to expect that the stories published in The Independent Press are objective and not filtered through the lense of self-interest.”

 

Concluding his Editor’s Note, Mr. Kelly asks the question, “How else would a newspaper report the news?” My short answer:  By not editorializing it with your biased opinion, that’s how.

 

Referring to his job as police chief, Mr. Loughman said in a Jan.24 , Star Ledger article, “….it’s time to pack it in.” If they can’t get their stories straight, (read: accurate and objective) maybe it’s time for Kelly and Neavill to do the same.

 

Long live The Alternative Press !

 

Rosemary Hazan

Berkeley Heights, NJ

 

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February 20, 2008

 

“Gladhanding”

 

Dear Editor,

 

You couldn’t make this stuff up. I wrote a letter to the editor of the Independent Press, Michael Kelly, regarding the hiring/firing of former Berkeley Heights’ Township Administrator, Michael Loughman, aka, Police Chief of Morris Township. The letter did not get printed. However, Michael Neavill, reporter for the Independent Press, used quotes, taken out of context, from my letter to Mr. Kelly, in a front page story which appeared in the February 20th edition of the Independent Press entitled “Controversy continues over administrator”.

 

In my letter to Mr. Kelly, I cited our Township Code regarding the performance of outside work by an employee of Berkeley Heights. I stated that it would be difficult for Mr. Loughman to properly perform his duties for either Berkeley Heights or Morris Township.

 

Mr. Neavill says in his article, “That the apparent conflict was explained by Morris Township Administrator Fred Rossi…” Mr. Rossi’s “explanation” is not justification for what occurred. Employees usually take vacation time or sick leave from a job at which they are currently employed. That is exactly what Mr.Loughman did. He took vacation days from his current full time job as Police Chief of Morris Township and evidently accepted another full time job as Berkeley Heights Township Administrator while on vacation. Mr. Loughman was simultaneously employed by Morris Township and Berkeley Heights.

 

.Mr. Cohen, at tonight’s Township Council meeting, jumped on the circuswagon when he implied that the issue was settled by Mr. Neavill’s journalistic detective work in securing Mr. Rossi’s “explanation.” 

 

Since I observed Mr. Neavill taking notes at tonight’s meeting, I presumed he was there in his professional capacity as a reporter for the Independent Press. That

was, until at the end of the meeting,  I observed him laughing and shaking hands with Mayor Cohen. It was then that I knew that he was not there as a professional.

We deserve better.

 

Rosemary Hazan

Berkeley Heights, New Jersey                                                                              

 

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February 17, 2008

 

Dear Editor:

 

Bruno’s Counter is Counterintuitive

 

Let me get this straight…according to the article, posted in The Alternative Press, regarding payment to Mr. Loughman, Mr.Bruno says that to his knowledge, neither the Mayor nor the Council required Mr. Loughman to end his relationship with Morris Township as their police chief. 

 

Is Mr. Bruno saying that the Mayor and/or the Council did not require Mr. Loughman to end that relationship with Morris Township because they thought that Mr. Loughman would be able to properly perform his duties as the full time township administrator of Berkeley Heights and at the same time serve as the full time police chief of Morris Township. What would make the Mayor and/or the Council think that Mr. Loughman, or anyone else for that matter, would be capable of that?

 

I guess it depends on what your definition of “properly perform” is.

 

Rosemary Hazan

Berkeley Heights, New Jersey                                                                               

 

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February 17, 2008

 

Dear Editor:

 

Although I applaud New Jersey’s chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving for asking Gov. Jon Corzine to block the posting of signs to name a highway in honor of former Rep. Robert A. Roe, a once-powerful Democratic congressman who was involved in an accident that injured a mother and her daughter, I find it a bit hypocritical in light of the decisions MADD have made in the recent past to honor politicians.

 

I contacted MADD in early March 2006 to alert them to the fact that the County of Union was inappropriately allowing third time DUI offenders go home on anklet bracelets rather than serve their time in prison. I forwarded MADD proof of my claims and soon after the New Jersey Law Journal reported on March 13, 2006 that a state law meant to keep repeat drunken drivers incarcerated for six months had been widely disregarded, despite strictures that an appeals court found clear and unambiguous.

The Law Journal reported “Two years after the enactment of Michael's Law - named after 19-year-old Michael Albano, who was killed by a drunken driver in 2001 - at least 14 counties were allowing noncustodial alternatives for drivers convicted of third-time DWI offenses. One of them, Union County, Union, was allowing drivers out as part of a satellite-tracking program.”

 

I also informed MADD that I was having difficulties obtaining information from Union County regarding just how many third time DUI prisoners were released on a satellite-tracking program to serve their time in the comfort of their own homes and attend AA meetings at their leisure as a county employee was caught doing that past summer.

 

I never was able to obtain that information from the county, as far as I know MADD did not attempt to investigate. Instead in May of 2006 MADD responded by honoring a Union County Freeholder with their  “Outstanding Service and Commitment Award”.

 

Tina Renna, President

Union County Watchdog Association, Inc.

Cranford, New Jersey

 

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February 16, 2008

 

Incumbency – Key to Republican Control of New Providence Government

 

Dear Editor:

 

Berkeley Heights has had a number of Democratic and Independent town council members in the past. Summit currently has a Democratic Mayor and has had same for at least four years. Why hasn’t New Providence had a Democrat or Independent in any office for over 40 years?

 

The answer is in the method the Republican Party has used to maintain control.  It is called “Candidate Incumbency”. All incumbents have a distinct advantage at election time due to their visibility and name recognition.  I researched New Providence’s town council history including those who resigned mid term and came up with the following:

 

  1. Councilman John Thoms resigned in 2007, mid term, and Mike Gennaro was appointed to complete his term.

 

  1. Councilman Jim Cucco resigned mid term, in 2005 and Bob Robinson was appointed to complete his term. Robinson ran next as an incumbent and was    elected.

 

  1. Councilman Joe Lifrieri resigned mid term, in 2004 and Brooke Hern was appointed to complete his term. Hern ran next as an incumbent and was elected.

 

  1. Councilman Bill Schmelck resigned mid term, in 2003 and John Thoms was appointed to complete his term. Thoms ran next as an incumbent and was elected.

 

  1. Councilman Al Morgan resigned in 1999 mid term and Joe Lifreiri was appointed to complete his term.  Lifreiri ran next as an incumbent and was elected.

 

  1. Councilwoman Molly Adams resigned in 1990 mid term, and Steve Vengrow was appointed to complete her term. Vengrow ran next as an incumbent and was elected.

 

  1. Councilman John Horan resigned in 1987 mid term, and Don McMillan was appointed to complete his term. McMillian ran next as an incumbent and was elected.

 

  1. Councilwoman Mary Ellen Irwin resigned mid term in 1986 and Molly Adams was appointed to complete her term. Adams ran next as an incumbent and was elected.

 

You get the picture. These cannot all be coincidences especially those long term councilman. It is time candidates were on an even keel at election time..Many solutions come to mind. What do you 6,000 Independents and Democrats in New Providence think?

 

Norman Samodovitz

New Providence

 

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February 9, 2008

 

Mayor Cohen as Fireman

 

Dear Editor:

 

The January 30th edition of the Morris County Bee reports that “Police Chief Michael Loughman will officially step down as chief on Tuesday, April 1, 2008….Loughman has been employed with the Morris Township Police Department since1973…Loughman said he had reached the limit on his pension plan.” 

 

The February 6th edition of the Independent Press reports that Morris Police Chief Loughman was employed as Berkeley Heights’ Township Administrator for six days. (Thursday, December 27, 2007 through Tuesday, January 1, 2008.)

 

The Independent Press article also reports “that the firing of the previous administrator (Mr.Loughman)…has presented the mayor (David Cohen) with major obstacles…”

 

Indeed, one of those major obstacles may be section 2.128.070 of the Berkeley Heights’ Township Code which states, “Permanent employees of the township performing outside work or work for other employees may be required to cease such activity if, in the opinion of the department head and the township committee such outside work unduly interferes with or prevents the employees from properly performing his or her duties for the township.”

 

Mayor Cohen stated in the Independent Press, “ the administrator function is a full time job.”  I presume that the citizens of Morris consider the Police Chief function a full time job as well. It seems to me that it would be difficult for Mr.Loughman to properly perform his duties for either township. Therefore, according to the Township Code, Mr. Loughman should never have been hired in the first place.

   

Even if Mr.Loughman took vacation days during the holiday week that he was in our employ, he was, according to the Morris County Bee,  still employed by Morris Township as their Chief of Police.

 

It is my understanding that Mr. Loughman has requested $27,000, the equivalent of three months salary. Is Mr.Loughman entitled to this remuneration based on a contract he signed with Berkeley Heights?  If so, why would Mr. Cohen, contrary to our Township Code, proceed with a contract if he knew that Mr.Loughman was still employed by Morris Township?

 

Mr. Cohen has implied at several meetings that taxpayers will have to pay the $27,000 to Mr.Loughman as direct result of the vote by some council members to terminate his employment. Those council members adhered to the township code. It appears that the Mayor did not.  If taxpayers are forced to pay the $27,000 to Mr.Loughman, maybe we should file suit against the Mayor to recoup it.

 

Iin the same Independent Press article referring to his role in the absence of a township administrator, Mayor Cohen says,“ In all candor, we are just putting out fires....”

 

Every once in great while, we hear a report about a fireman who was also the arsonist.

He starts a fire, comes to the rescue, and then acts the hero. That is, of course, unless he opens a door and unleashes a backdraft.

 

Rosemary Hazan

Berkeley Heights, NJ

 

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The Alternative Press welcomes all residents to submit letters to the editor or Opinion pieces at letters@thealternativepress.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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