<![CDATA[THE ROOSEVELT BOROUGH BULLETIN - LETTERS/OPINIONS]]>Sat, 29 Jul 2023 20:18:37 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[The Storm]]>Fri, 25 Sep 2020 20:18:50 GMThttp://rooseveltboroughbulletin.org/lettersopinions/the-storm
by Councilman Joe Trammell
 
On the day of the storm I was in my back room watching as the wind started to pick up speed, then the rain came. Straight down at first, then in waves from east to west, and finally horizontal. It stayed that way for 45 minutes or so, then back to straight down for 15-20 minutes when it decided to go horizontal again, but this time from west to east.  Not quite an hour of this when the power went out. Soon the rain let up but the howling wind persisted. 

I decided to get into my car and check the town out.  Many loose branches dotted Pine Drive, and as I turned onto Tamara I met Steve Bowen at the creek.  He was removing some larger branched that had almost covered the roadway. After hellos, I proceeded to Clarksburg Road where there was a large tree sprawled across 571, but a single lane had been carved through it. A left on Spruce found a PODs truck trying to make a delivery to the Clark’s old house.

There was a tree in the driveway, and the driver was trying to figure out how to proceed. Turning around I tried South Valley and a left onto Lake where it was clear to Rochdale, then a right onto Farm.  Again, I found a large tree spread across Farm with a single lane path.  I went on to make a left on North Valley where almost immediately there was a very large tree wrapped around power lines cutting off about 100 feet of roadway.

Here is where I found members of the Millstone Fire Department wrangling chain saws, working their way through the trees.  There I also found Greg Defoe, from Roosevelt Public Works, pointing out to Mike Maloney of the MSFD Eleanor Lane. I wish to give a Big Thanks to Mike Maloney and the men and women of MSFD for being out there for us.  If not for them, the roads would have been impassable.  And thanks, Greg, for putting so much needed time and energy into this disaster. I do not know how you do it, but what you do is much appreciated.
Again, I found myself reversing course and made a right on Rochdale, then a right onto Homestead.  Not too far I found Jake offloading a generator from his truck while Becca was observing a 60-foot tree that had just missed their house.  Further up Homestead to Eleanor it was found that within 100 yards on Eleanor quite a few trees were entangled with power and cable lines. It was entirely impassable.
John Holden had called me earlier and said that Allentown looked like it had been hit by a tornado and that there was a problem with our water plant generator.  Turning into the water plant driveway I saw our generator maintenance guy leaving.  At the plant I observed Steve Bowen, Greg Defoe, and George Vassuere talking about what the repairman said.  The discussion was about the alternator which had thrown a belt and detached itself. Apparently, the tech had told them that the part was not available anymore. On the spot Greg made some calls and found a new alternator.
I must say that between John Holden, George Vasseur, Greg Defoe, and Greg Possiel we had a group of mechanics who knew how to deal with this emergency. With the added brainpower of Harry Parker and Addison they coaxed the generator into submission and kept the water tower full for the remainder of the outage.
As I continued my drive, I found trees lying on wires on 571 beyond the Mendes farm and again on Nurko Road. Roosevelt was nearly non reachable from Hightstown until Police and MSFD directed traffic until the trees were removed. The whole thing reminded me of an Alfred Hitchcock movie.
Back in town I would run into Rob Masterson who had just set a generator up for Solar Village to power their meeting room for charging stations as well as a refrigerator for medications. Ken LeCompt  had driven his tractor over to off-load the generator from John Holden’s truck.
 Rob and Greg Possiel would continue to scout the town for trouble and help where needed.
I am writing this letter to express my deep gratitude and thanks to all those mentioned in this letter.  When you see any of these gentlemen around town, be sure to give them a well-deserved THANKS.  I am sure they would appreciate it.
Respectfully submitted:
Councilman Joe Trammell
]]><![CDATA[Bee Balm]]>Fri, 25 Sep 2020 19:50:00 GMThttp://rooseveltboroughbulletin.org/lettersopinions/bee-balmDear Editor,
 
My name is Joey and I’m an Editor at   Jen Reviews. I was doing research on bee balm and just finished reading your wonderful piece: http://rooseveltboroughbulletin.org/5/post/2018/03/have-a-mint-please.html
 
In that article, I noticed that you cited a solid post that I’ve read in the past: https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=MODI
 
We just published an updated, comprehensive guide on how to grow and care for bee balm on our sister site, Happy DIY Home. It is completely free and you can find it here: https://happydiyhome.com/bee-balm/
 
If you like the piece we’d be humbled if you cited us in your article. Of course, we will also share your article with our 100k newsletter subscribers and followers across our social platforms. 
 
Either way, keep up the great work!
 
Warmly,
Joey]]><![CDATA[Thanks to Volunteers]]>Sat, 11 Jan 2020 15:58:54 GMThttp://rooseveltboroughbulletin.org/lettersopinions/thanks-to-volunteers​Dear Editor and Readers,
 
I'd like to thank all the Roosveltians who have participated in our
bi-annual Sunday Litter Pick-Ups during the past eight years. It
wasn't unusual for as many as 25 people to turn out, and we
always got the job done and left the town looking clean and green.
 
The Litter Pick-Up has also evolved into a source of income
for some of the town's essential volunteer groups.  The Bulletin,
Roosevelt Arts Project (RAP), the EMT Squad and the RPS Educational
Foundation have all benefited from participating. Keeping this
bi-annual event going is important. Hopefully someone will step
forward and become the next Clean Community Coordinator.
 
I'd be happy to talk to anyone who is interested. The position
pays a small honorarium and is a fine source of exercise!
If you're interested, you can contact me at rkostar!@hotmail.com
Thanks for the many fond Litter Pick-Up Day memories!
 
Sincerely,
 
Ron Kostar
 
 

]]><![CDATA[Letter From Sharlene Ellentuck]]>Mon, 14 May 2018 18:01:11 GMThttp://rooseveltboroughbulletin.org/lettersopinions/letter-from-sharlene-ellentuck​Dear Editor and Neighbors,

In the March 2018 issue of The Roosevelt Borough Bulletin, Mayor Peggy Malkin stated that the current Council has "begun taking action to address physical plant and management issues at our Water/Sewer utility." I was stunned by her statement that "these issues have been ignored for a long time." Mr. Hamilton has said at several council meetings that the current Council is addressing issues that have been "neglected" for a long time. While I support the volunteers who serve on our local governmental agencies, I find these statements disheartening because they disregard all of the hard work and efforts of the individuals who served before them.

I have attended most of the council meetings during the past two years and I continue to do so. I recall many discussions by the prior Council regarding the steps that were being taken to address issues with the water and sewer systems. In my opinion, one of the most important steps was the hiring of an engineering firm that specializes in small water and sewer systems like ours, to review the state of our water and sewer systems and to perform a study of our sewer pipes. As I understand it, this study was undertaken because huge amounts of stormwater passes through our sewer system through broken pipes, overtaxing the system. By identifying where breaks exist, the town can fix the pipes and address this particular problem.

The prior Mayor and Council worked with the State to get a commitment for a series of low interest loans and grants to cover expenses not only related to this initial study but also necessary repairs or replacements to the sewer system. The Council also passed the first required bond ordinance, which would have qualified the Borough for a grant for a large portion of the cost of the initial study and related work. The benefit of a grant is that it is free money; it does not have to be repaid. The benefit of a bond is that the cost can be paid over a long period of time, at a very low interest rate.

Unfortunately for the Borough, a group of residents, led by some current Council members and supported by Mayor Malkin, filed a referendum to defeat the bond (and thereby our ability to get low interest loans and grants) and convinced enough residents that defeating the bond would somehow benefit them.  These same individuals challenged other efforts of the former Mayor and members of the Council to address issues in the town. These issues were not being ignored, but the efforts to address them were certainly being undermined. 

Our political system is built upon the premise that citizens should have the right to express their opinions, and that politicians should express differing opinions and engage in honest debate. However, casting aspersions on the actions of those who served before you does not elevate you to a higher position. It accomplishes nothing. So I implore the current mayor and council to stop disparaging your predecessors through these types of negative statements. You will, in due time, become a predecessor, and you will undoubtedly want to be treated with the respect your predecessors deserve. 

I encourage all of the citizens of Roosevelt to come and attend the council meetings. They are long, and they are not all that exciting, but they are very important to the future of our town.

Sincerely, 
Sharlene Ellentuck
]]><![CDATA[Letter from Eitan Grunwald]]>Mon, 19 Mar 2018 17:26:17 GMThttp://rooseveltboroughbulletin.org/lettersopinions/letter-from-eitan-grunwaldDear Friends and (former) Neighbors,

As many of you know, I resigned as Chair of the Environmental Commission due to my relocation in January.  Karyn and I very much loved living in Roosevelt for the past 32 years, and none of those feelings have changed.  In recent years, however, our children moved from the area, plus many of our closest friends and family live farther north in New Jersey, and so we decided to move.

I want to express my gratitude and appreciation for the fine people who served on the Environmental Commission and volunteered for its activities during my tenure.  Thanks to their involvement, the EC was able to make tangible improvements, such as reopening part of the Ron Filepp Roosevelt Woodland Trail, and creating a new pocket park at the eastern entrance to town.  I like to think our EC volunteers also made intangible contributions to the community by accomplishing something positive, such as the actions which resulted in Roosevelt being certified by Sustainable Jersey.

Perhaps more important, steps were taken to help protect the future environment of Roosevelt.  The updated Environmental Resources Inventory and first-time Community Forest Management Plan point the way for further actions.  It is my hope that the current Environmental Commission will advance the work that was begun during the past three years, and will continue to receive the support of residents, the Borough Council, and Mayor.

On that note, I confess to being baffled by the refusal to reappoint Sharyn Walz and Beth Battel to the Environmental Commission, as well as the decision to ignore the unanimous recommendation of EC members to appoint Nick Murray as Chair.  Sharyn was the driving force behind many EC activities, a real worker who gets things done in a positive, productive way.  Beth, with her many years of public service and commitment to the environment, was always a valuable resource.  And Nick, who volunteered to be Chair when no one else did, had the full support and confidence of his fellow EC Members.

These comments are no reflection on those who were appointed instead, and I hope they are successful in their respective roles on the Environmental Commission.  Nevertheless, I find it troubling that those who were already contributing to the success of the EC were effectively removed or bypassed without cause, notice, or any explanation.  They, and Roosevelt, deserve better.
​
Eitan Grunwald
]]><![CDATA[Letter from Candidate Filepp]]>Thu, 12 Oct 2017 14:21:36 GMThttp://rooseveltboroughbulletin.org/lettersopinions/letter-from-candidate-fileppDear Neighbors,

My name is Robin Middleman Filepp. I was appointed by the Governor to fill the Borough Council seat vacated by Jill Lipoti.  I am running for election to complete that term through December 2018. I applied to serve because my town was having an emergency and I wanted to help out. 

My late husband, my darling Ron, and I moved to Roosevelt in October 1989. The day that we moved in, my parents, who were to meet us and help us out, got lost and ended up stopping at a Pine Drive neighbor’s house for directions. The neighbor, Saul Ernstein, escorted my parents to our house, introduced himself, and said “You have me for a half-hour!” And helped us move in.  This is the Roosevelt I know and love. It is one of friends, families and neighbors working together. And - great characters. Inevitably, there has been discord and disagreement over the years, but we always came back together. I know we will once again.

We moved here for its unique history and design.  We could not believe our luck that we could afford to buy a house on a 1/2 acre that by design backs up to a protected greenway. And for the location. It is wonderful to be in “the woods” yet only 10 minutes to the turnpike and an hour to New York City and Philadelphia. And the beach isn't far either. I am originally from Long Island, but spent my formative years at the Jersey Shore.

I have been an active participant in the cultural life of our town over the years through serving on the board of the Roosevelt Arts Project (RAP). An example of a past RAP event that I coordinated or co-coordinated is the Roosevelt Festival of the Arts, a 2-day event in 1999 that featured an exhibition of Roosevelt artists past and present that filled the RPS gym, a series of performances by poets and musicians, and the unveiling of the newly restored aluminum repousse doors, the original school front doors, which hang on exhibition in the school lobby to this day. Over 500 people attended over the two days. Most recently through RAP, in September 2016, I invited folks to participate in a year-long project that concluded on September 9th of this year with the exhibition and the release of the  Roosevelt Artists Collaborative Book. Twenty-five Rooseveltians  participated in the creation of the book in an edition of 100.
​
I graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in Visual Arts and Cultural history.  My professional career was as an arts administrator for non-profit community organizations, including the Arts Council of Princeton, The Princeton Adult School and Artworks in Trenton.  I then moved into managing the arts education program of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State.  As Senior Program Officer, Arts Education, I managed, in partnership with NJ arts organizations, many programs, including the Artist-in-Education Residency grant program to NJ public and private schools, and the Artist/Teacher Institute.  I served on national review panels for the National Endowment on the Arts and presented at numerous conferences on the importance of arts in education. All the while, I continued my visual arts practice. I retired from the State Arts Council in June 2016. Ron and I had a studio built in our backyard and that is where I work on my art and my craft.

Ron contributed to the town in his own quiet way. He wrote a weather column for the Roosevelt Borough Bulletin, sharing each month the data he recorded on the weather and a story to go with it, for over 20 years. For years he maintained the Roosevelt Woodland Trail, on his own, without acknowledgement, the way he preferred. He cleared the innumerable trees that fell across the trail after Hurricane Sandy. He never walked the trail without a pair of trimmers in his pocket to clip back the vines and branches that blocked the way. That is why I created the Roosevelt Woodland Trail Memorial Fund. To honor his memory by maintaining the trail he so loved.
While I serve, and if I am elected to continue through December 2018:

  • I am committed to maintain and support the Roosevelt First Aid Squad.
  • The meeting schedule of the committee I currently chair, Code Enforcement/Community Affairs, will be posted to the community, and all will be encouraged to attend.
  • It can't be overstated that the ongoing issue and challenge that must be resolved is the town water and sewer system. That is the clear and present priority.


I never thought I would serve in public office, but thought I could help out during this emergency. I also see it as an opportunity to give back, in a different way, to the town I love.

I believe in the power of creativity and of the imagination to bring people together.  I know that the creativity innate in each of us can be tapped to find common ground.
​
Thank you,
Robin Middleman Filepp
25 Pine Drive]]><![CDATA[Letter From Candidate Parrott]]>Thu, 12 Oct 2017 13:55:53 GMThttp://rooseveltboroughbulletin.org/lettersopinions/letter-from-candidate-parrott​Dear Friends and Neighbors,
 
My name is Maureen Parrott.  On June 6, 2017, Joe Trammell and I won the Democratic primary and we will be running on November 7, 2017, in the Democratic column for two full term seats on the Roosevelt Borough Council.  The full term is for three years beginning on January 1, 2018, and ending on December 31, 2020.  I am hoping that you will vote for me and Joe, as well as the entire Democratic column on November 7, 2017.
 
On September 13, 2017, as a result of resignations from the Borough Council, the Governor appointed me to immediately fill the remainder of the term on the council seat for which I am running; the term of my appointment ends on December 31, 2017.  As of the writing of this letter on September 27, 2017, I have served on the Council for one council meeting on September 25.  During that meeting, the Council passed a resolution naming me as the Chair of the Council's Administration Committee and also placing me on the Utilities Committee and the Community Development Committee.  I am working with the Administration Committee, Kathleen Hart (Borough Clerk), and Ana Debevec (Borough Treasurer) to research software developers specializing in the creation and hosting of local government websites.  So far we have obtained three quotes for the design and hosting of a new Borough website.  The Administration Committee intends to recommend a software provider to the Council prior to the next meeting on October 11 and hopes to have the new website online within a few weeks of the meeting.  Once the website goes online, the Borough will implement online payment of taxes and water bills.
 
I have lived across from the triangle on Tamara Drive for the past 29 years.  I became interested in Roosevelt because I knew that several artists, as well as two highly respected urban planners, lived here, and I loved the physical beauty and historic significance of the town.  I still love the people and the beauty of our small borough and I am grateful to live here.
 
I retired in October 2016 after 20 years of public service at the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey where I worked on cases in which immigrants challenged their immigration detention, prisoners challenged their convictions and sentences, and detained persons challenged the conditions of their confinement, such as prolonged solitary confinement and lack of adequate medical care.  Before working for the court, I represented low income persons in civil cases at legal services where I represented tenants whose landlords were trying to evict them and mothers who sought to keep the custody of their children.
 
As a retiree, I now have the time for volunteer service.  I will strive to represent and to work with all residents of Roosevelt, whatever their views may have been on past issues.  I intend to do my best to make our government open and inclusive, to improve its functioning and service to the residents, to manage the Borough's finances frugally so I and all residents are able to continue to afford living here, and to work to improve the quality of our water. 
 
Having grown up in a working class family, I am careful about my spending and highly sensitive to the financial constraints faced by many residents.  I am passionate about social and economic justice; I am conscientious and thorough; and I have a lifelong love of animals.  If you elect me to a three year term, I will devote my skills and time to representing you on the issues you think are important and I will work to make Roosevelt even better than it is now.  I would be delighted to speak with you and to discuss your priorities for and concerns about Roosevelt.  Thank you for reading my letter.
 
Sincerely,
Maureen Parrott 
]]><![CDATA[Letter From Candidate Murray]]>Thu, 12 Oct 2017 13:53:39 GMThttp://rooseveltboroughbulletin.org/lettersopinions/letter-from-candidate-murrayTo My Friends and Neighbors in Roosevelt; 

My name is Nicholas Murray, and I was recently appointed by the State to fill one of our Borough Council vacancies. Some of you already know me from the Environmental Commission or the Hilltop Swim Club. But for those who don’t: Hi, I’m Nick. 

I moved to Roosevelt two years ago with my wife, Katharine. After graduating from Rutgers University, we lived in Hamilton Township for four years, but our home on South Rochdale Avenue is the first we have ever owned.  We could not be happier here. Roosevelt is a beautiful town with a strong sense of community. In that way it reminds me of the small South Jersey town in which I grew up. Both of my parents were heavily involved in local government and on the various committees in town and that is where my interest for local involvement really began. 

I graduated from Rutgers New Brunswick in 2013, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources. While there, I was a part of the community service scene on campus, participating in and leading week-long volunteer trips through RU Alternative Breaks. In 2010, I began an internship at an environmental consulting company in Hillsborough, NJ. I have been working there ever since as a project scientist. Part of my job includes groundwater and soil sampling, as well as the oversight and maintenance of small water treatment systems. I’ve since brought this experience to Roosevelt as a volunteer with Roosevelt’s Environmental Commission and was appointed as a member in January of 2017. I have been active in revitalizing the Woodland Trail and the construction of the wooden platforms that make the trails more accessible.

I have been very proud to call Roosevelt my home over the past two years and I care about its future. I will confess that, outside of my involvement with the Environmental Commission, I have not had much interaction with the Borough Council. But please don’t see that as a lack of caring or understanding of the issues at hand. I am a concerned, tax-paying citizen of this town. I don’t believe I have all of the answers to our challenges, but what I do have is an open mind and a good work ethic. I do not associate myself with any faction in town or any “team.” My only concern is what is best for Roosevelt.

My appointment to the Borough Council is an interim position and will expire after the election on November 7th, 2017 unless I receive enough votes to elect me to one of the unexpired term seats. It may be too early to start campaigning, but I would like you to consider me for a write-in vote on November 7th, 2017.  Roosevelt is Katharine’s and my home and I want to be a good steward of its future. If you’ll allow me to serve you on Borough Council, I promise I will be.  


Sincerely, 
Nick Murray]]><![CDATA[Letter from Candidate Malikin]]>Thu, 12 Oct 2017 13:49:41 GMThttp://rooseveltboroughbulletin.org/lettersopinions/letter-from-candidate-malikinDear Neighbors,

It's that time of year again--election time.

I wanted to let you know that I'm running for the office of Mayor.

As you may be aware,I have been the acting mayor since August 14th. That is when the former mayor, Jeff Ellentuck, submitted his resignation. It was not something I was expecting or anticipating, so it was a little unnerving to be suddenly put in that position.

If you had asked me if I wanted to be mayor, I would have said no. And, I would have meant it. But, having acted in that capacity for the past month and a half, I've had a change of heart. I find that in many ways, it's been a continuation of the duties I have been performing as councilwoman for the past thirteen years.
I also believe that there is a benefit to continuity in government.

 I want to say that I love this town, but I've said it so many times, I think people must be tired of hearing it--but I do. We all know how fractured and divided Roosevelt has become in the last two years. This, to me, is very sad.

I've said from the beginning, for many of the issues, there was no right or wrong, just a difference of opinion. It's my hope, that if I'm elected mayor, I can help to begin to mend the town. There are many issues facing us. Old ones, such as Water/ Sewer, Infrastructure, First Aid, the Gas Station, as well as new ones, such as bringing Roosevelt into the 21st century with online bill payments, and a current updated official government website.
So much for such a small town.

 My guiding principle is that I will do my best to attend to the needs of the town and every resident who requests help. It makes no difference to me, what their party affiliation is, length of residency, or lifestyle. We all live in this beautiful tiny town together.

I hope you agree, and vote for me.
​
Thank You,
Peggy Malkin
 
]]><![CDATA[Resignation: Jeff Ellentuck]]>Sun, 10 Sep 2017 20:21:58 GMThttp://rooseveltboroughbulletin.org/lettersopinions/resignation-jeff-ellentuckResignation of Mayor Jeff Ellentuck:
August 14, 2017
Ms. Kathleen Hart , RMC, CMR
Borough Clerk
Borough of Roosevelt
33 North Rochdale Ave.
Roosevelt, NJ 08555

​Dear Ms. Hart,
When I joined the Council in 2006 I had a list of goals for the Borough. I’m glad to say that during my tenure on the governing body I saw many of those goals achieved.
We all successfully prevented the importation of “black water” into our sewage system. We were successful in the yeshiva litigation. Along with Pat Moser, I was successful in convincing the Council to have our historic and iconic water tower refurbished at a cost of $520,000 versus replacing it at a cost of $1.3 million to $1.8 million. We obtained cut-rate financing to rebuild our water plant. The Council (not the Mayor) sets the budget. The Councils on which I served kept municipal taxes almost flat for ten years, even as the budget and surrounding towns increased. I am particularly proud of the fact that I was able to find a way to refund our ”unrefundable” 40-year high-interest utilities bonds, thereby saving us $50,000 a year in interest payments.
There were some disappointments as well. We expanded our fire department from just a few active volunteers to a full contingent of 18 fully trained firefighters over a period of ten years. I was disappointed that the voters chose to contract for outside fire services, as were the many young people who had trained to be volunteer firefighters. I had also hoped that we would sell the old gas station for use as a business to employ local residents, pay taxes, and provide useful services for the Borough. I have met with a company that is interested in purchasing property and have urged them to make a presentation to the Council. I am still hopeful that our gas station property will be put to good use.

I was immensely proud of the Borough’s response to our hurricane-then-snowstorm. Some of our employees worked around the clock, with at least one only sleeping a total 6 hours over a week’s time. Our volunteer firefighters and public works personnel cut their way through town with chainsaws so that our First Aid volunteers could get through to aid and check on residents. Volunteers operated the shelter and the required “OEM center”. Even our younger residents helped out by preparing food to share and by helping out wherever possible. This is how Roosevelt has worked and should work.

Volunteering to do the hard work and actually doing that work is how residents make Roosevelt financially sustainable. This is true whether those volunteers serve on municipal boards and commissions, serve as emergency service volunteers on the First Aid Squad or former Fire Department, plant gardens, clean our trails and woods, or perform myriad other tasks large and small. The job of the members of the governing body in a town of less than 900 residents is not just to “set policy” or sit in judgment. It is incumbent on elected officials to roll up their sleeves and work every day.

In the past, there were often disagreements among members of the Council concerning goals, priorities, and policies. The issues were discussed civilly, though certainly not always dispassionately, and were resolved by compromise, concession, or vote. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case. Borough employees did their jobs mostly without interference, insult, or harassment. This, also, is no longer the case.

It has become increasingly difficult to accomplish anything for the benefit of the town, or even to maintain the basic services upon which residents rely. Having grown up here, I know that Roosevelt has always been different from its neighbors and, often, much of the nation. Even when faced with the most contentious issues, we were able to work our way through them. We did this by assuming that each person was honest and had the best interests of the Borough at heart. When the issue was resolved, we could share a glass of wine. Unfortunately, the Council now reflects the national spirit of political divisiveness, alternate facts, incivility, and personal attacks. Proposals are rejected out of hand, not because of their virtues, but because of who proposed them. This is no way to govern a town that faces numerous difficult issues and choices. We need action to resolve issues with our buildings. The Borough Hall roof continues to leak and the Council delays. PEOSH may start fining us shortly unless action is taken with our HVAC systems and indoor air quality. The DEP will fine us heavily if we fail to complete the study of our sewer pipes soon. Our sewage is treated by chemical treatments instead of being treated the way our sewer plant was designed because the plant is old and decaying. I urge the Council to take the steps necessary to fix these issues before the costs to do so increase.

I have devoted thousands of volunteer hours over the years. I would be willing to continue to do so if I thought things would change. I am now convinced they will not. For this reason I am resigning effective tonight.

I have returned with this letter all keys and access information in my possession.

Sincerely,
Jeff Ellentuck
 
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