The Alternative Press

VERNON TOWNSHIP, NJ --- Vernon Township Municipal Center had its seats filled with over forty citizens who attended the August 27 meeting.

Many citizens came forward to state their disappoint in the council for a matter which occurred at the August 13 meeting when councilman Dan Kadish objected to a specific sewer agreement.

Kadish had asked the council to go into an executive session to discuss the matter and explain his reasoning for objecting, however, the council refused to do so.

A citizen who had approached the council stated, “The council should have worked together,” as another citizen was heard saying, “You need to start listening to your citizens who have been coming here for years and years.”

Mayor Victor Marotta sat quietly and listened as one citizen sat directly across from him reading her point of view on paper about current problems. “Maybe the Mayor has been making slanderous remarks about me on his Facebook page but he continues to ignore the public, and does not let citizens put what they want on the page. However, we are concerned about the issues occurring in this town, not social media or cooking hot dogs in the park. Mr. Marotta you said that a $3,000 budget for the liquor license would not make us or break us, but we as taxpayers will let you know what makes us or breaks us.”

Heloise Ruskin of the Environmental Commission approached Marotta and the council by addressing, “When people come up here they might not always have a question but they have a position.  Not once do I ever hear 'We will discuss it or look into it.’ Why don’t we answer questions and put them on the website?” 

Citizens clapped loudly after each person had spoken their feelings to the council. Many citizens had agreed that questions should be answered and posted publicly on the website for others to view in a “Frequently Asked Questions” section.

In other news:

Members of the Environmental Commission addressed the council with very important information pertaining the Tennessee Gas Line Project.

Absorbent blue pillows were deployed by the Tennessee Gas Line Project in order to prevent a water run off.  Over the past couple months, the blue pillows have developed into surface containments sitting in the citizens water ways.

To get a more in depth view of these blue pillows, the Environmental Commission showed pictures and a video clip of a worker's hands in rubber gloves.  While wearing the gloves, the worker picks up the blue pillows which resembles a thick, black oily substance looking very similar to tar.

“Whatever the contamination is, it disintegrated the workers rubber gloves after awhile,” said Craig Williams, Chair Member of the Commission. “They are ugly, they smell and they are in our streams.”

“We brought this to your attention two months ago,” said Beverly Budz, Vice Chair Member, “Mayor Marotta you have been aware of this situation and it has even been recorded in a newspaper.”

After the matter had been presented, the council members seemed to ask questions which were already addressed clearly to them.

“Has anyone identified what it is?” asked councilman Eddie Dunn.

“We are waiting on lab results. The EC does not have the money to fund another lab test, the first one we did was out of pocket,” replied Budz.

Kadish believes that if the Environmental Commission spent any money in their own budget that, “The council owes the money back. I think it is absolutely necessary that the council support the EC financially.” 

August 31 is the Township’s Day of Remembrance for Neil Armstrong. 

“Flags will be half staffed in the township to remember the first man on the moon,” said Marotta.

October 1 also starts Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the Township.  Purple ribbons will be displayed on the towns poles and trees to show support.