Letters
Director offers thanks to those who help town’s seniors

At the start of a new year it seems most fitting to reflect on the kindness and generosity of others. The spirit of caring and compassion that was showered throughout 2005 upon the senior citizens who live in Howell by businesses, the school community, and agencies is both heartwarming and overwhelming. Goodness abounds in our township, as is evidenced by the time, the talents and the donations that have been offered by so many.

Special thanks to the Howell PBA, Southard Fire Department No. 1, the Howell Woman’s Club, Howell Elks Lodge No. 2515, the Howell Chamber of Commerce, the Howell Optimist Club, the Howell Sports Federation, Miles of Smiles, the Howell Township Public Schools, the Freehold Regional High School District, local senior citizen clubs, the local religious organizations, the business community and the medical community for your ongoing support of and assistance with our senior center members, our Just in Thyme Senior Cupboard, and our Meals on Wheels program.

In addition, thanks must be extended to the many individuals in Howell, including our senior center members, for your volunteer hours, your donations and your endless commitment to both the older adults in our community and to the community at large. Though too numerous to list here, I hope each of you can feel the gratitude being expressed for all that you do to improve the quality of life for others.

Blessings abound right here in our township. How fortunate Howell’s senior citizens are to experience the generosity of so many and how grateful I am to be able to witness the miracles created by each of you.

Best wishes for good health and peace in 2006. May you be as fortunate as the recipients of your kindness.

Carol L. Zur

director of Senior Services

Howell

Committeeman’s achievements speak for themselves

Having been witness to the character assassination by Josh Reilly and Mark Seda of Michael Kafton at [a recent] Jackson Township Committee meeting, I am appalled to acknowledge that these are the people who, instead of doing the people’s business as they were elected to, are playing judge and jury of their fellow committeeman.

I thought that Mr. Reilly and Mr. Seda were supposed to be concerned with my taxes, overdevelopment and the general well-being of the people of Jackson.

Mr. Kafton so eloquently recalled the day of June 24 and stated that if he could take back that day he would. He went on to describe his feelings and the events of that fateful day.

Mr. Reilly must not have been paying attention when he said that Mr. Kafton did not apologize for his actions because, in fact, Mr. Kafton did ask for forgiveness. He went on to say that Mr. Kafton could be out of a job in May.

I’d like to remind Mr. Reilly that he and Mr. Seda also could be out of a job. And this election will have no coat tails. The people of Jackson will be the ultimate judge. Let Mr. Kafton’s dedication and accomplishments speak for themselves.

Roseanne Tarnofsky

Jackson

50th anniversary celebration has been great

Thank you to all who participated in celebrating the Girl Scouts of Ocean County 50th anniversary. The events all around the county were a huge success because of support from our wonderful volunteers.

A special thanks to the Ocean County Library System for the collaboration with the Girl Scouts of Ocean County to celebrate our anniversary with skits, songs and some fun activities at all branches. I would also like to thank the more than 300 Girl Scouts who walked in the Toms River Halloween parade. Special thanks to our alumnae group, the Order of the Evergreen/Ocean, who helped to underwrite the cost of our Halloween parade float and to Hecht Trailers for supplying the float trailer.

Thank you Commerce Bank, Toms River, for hosting our grand reception for Girl Scout donors, business and civic leaders who support Girl Scouts through the year. Thanks to all of the communities that recognized the 50th anniversary with proclamations.

I look forward to carrying the celebration into 2006 with the announcement of the 50th anniversary patch winning entry to be announced at the Ocean County Mall “Girl Scouts on the Mall Day,” March 4. The celebration will bridge into 2006 to celebrate 50 years of making Ocean County and the world a better place.

Thanks to our 50th anniversary committee and all of our Girl Scout leaders and volunteers’ dedication to Girl Scouts, the celebrations were all a memorable success.

JoAnn McCann

President

Girl Scouts

of Ocean County

Toms River

Howell residents deserve to have a say on important local issues

I take exception to the editorial, “Don’t Let the Public Decide” (Tri-Town News, Dec. 29, 2005), in which you state that our elected officials are entrusted to make tough decisions and the public doesn’t need to vote on major capital expenditures.

Our officials were elected to act on our behalf in the case of policy and oversight of the township manager.

However, when it comes to the replacement of the town hall or other major capital outlay, such as bonding millions for questionable land acquisition and a recreational center, it’s quite a different story. Their name on a bronze plaque at the cost of bankrupting the taxpayer was not part of the deal.

It wasn’t too long ago that a former administration cried that town hall was an environmental horror and needed to be replaced. It proved at the time that only our elected officials needed replacement.

I also recall when Howell officials wanted to build a multimillion dollar water tower because of low water pressure in the township water supply. They claimed that life and property was in jeopardy.

After several meetings during which I questioned the engineering and necessity of such a structure, the engineering firm at the time could not substantiate the need for the project. It appeared that the administration was pushing for the water tower suggesting that pay-to-play was the real underlying factor.

Guess what? Years later there is still no need for that water tower and there is no threat to life safety in Howell. Your conclusion that taxpayers will “choose to tell their elected officials to put off the inevitable” suggests that we really need to replace town hall, which as I have pointed out, may not be the case.

With all of the ethical lapses that have been revealed in Monmouth County and all of the bribes and kickbacks related to pay-to-play last year, it behooves the taxpayer to demand that they be included and vote on all major capital expenditures that affect our pockets and our children’s future.

As much as I don’t want the mayor and Township Council to pass the buck, I have seen firsthand that things aren’t always what they seem to be when it comes to a government controlled by power brokers behind the scenes.

When over $100,000 of pay-to-play money determines who our mayor will be, the taxpayer must be included in the process. Your statement that “the council is privy to details not known to the general public...” is all the more reason all major issues should be on the ballot.

Steven Morlino

Howell