Your Turn
Time for bipartisan council in East Brunswick
Frank Coury
Guest Column

What does it take to realize that East Brunswick residents need a bipartisan Township Council, if for no other reason than to reduce wasteful spending?

Let's look at the record of the Neary administration.

+ The wasteful spending of $1.4 million to build an unnecessary pistol range to train police officers. It was built on misinformation.

+ The Suburban/Academy bus fiasco that cost the taxpayers more than $300,000 in unnecessary litigation fees. The judge ruled that the paperwork prepared by the township was so poorly designed that it could not serve its intended purpose. Who in the administration prepared such a faulty document? Shouldn't that person be held responsible for such inadequacy in his or her position?

+ The thousands of dollars wasted in legal fees when a respected police officer sued the township in order to obtain a deserved promotion. The officer won the case and the promotion.

+ The thousands of dollars in legal fees when farmers sued the township over the 6-acre zoning that was affecting them. The farmers won the suit.

+ The cost of hiring for two new positions, industrial developer and special assistant to the mayor, which the township never had before Neary took office.

There are other actions by the administration that should be given consideration as a reason for a change in council members.

+ The location of a used-car lot in a zone that bans used-car lots. In fact, the administration allowed the location on an undersized lot and extended the lot 80 feet into the residential area between two houses. Used-car lots are one of the least returnable tax properties.

+ The administration turned a deaf ear dozens of times to the pleas of the residents who complained that trucking operations in the planned industrial park were causing them loss of sleep, etc. Three trucking companies were located in a zone that prohibits trucking companies. Only when the residents hired lawyers were the trucking companies removed. Why didn't the administration act fairly?

+ The adoption of the 6-acre zoning was a benefit to the large landowners and developers and a disaster for the small farmer and landowner.

+ The contract to develop the Golden Triangle was given to Toll Brothers over the other six proposals presented by developers. The reason given for awarding the contract to Toll Brothers was that the firm was suggesting only 210 senior condos. After awarding the contract, negotiations between Toll Brothers and the township resulted in abandoning the senior condos and going to 400 nonage-restricted housing. What will the impact be upon the school system and the traffic on Route 18? Who asked for the change? Why make the change?

It is interesting to note that all of the actions mentioned took place without a single voice of question by members of the council, except in one instance when Councilwoman Meryle Asaro asked to table the vote, to no avail, on the Suburban-Academy issue. It appears that decisions are made beforehand and everyone agrees, without question.

I, for one, would like to see more discussion on issues before decisions are made. That can only be achieved when two parties are adequately represented on the council. That change can be achieved if enough taxpayers who agree with me vote for Suzanne Leblon Blum, Dr. Gene DeMarzo and Bob Tagliente for East Brunswick Township Council in the Nov. 7 election.

Frank Coury is a resident of East Brunswick