UNofficially Winslow Receives Email

----- Original Message -----_

To: UNofficiallywinslow@comcast.net

Sent: Friday, August 26, 2005 7:51 PM

Subject: Any hope for our schools? Does anyone care?

I'm a new resident to Winslow Township, just moved here a year ago, and not up on the politics in this town. I'm very concerned about the public schools in this township. I read through some recent postings on your website but don't see complaints about the schools. I know there are other people infuriated by the high taxes (ours were just increased approx. $1,000) and the horrible schools.

My daughter will begin kindergarten next year and we've decided to send her to St. Joe's because everyone tells us how bad the Middle School and High School students behave in Winslow Township. I have heard stories from teachers, people on the Board of Education, and mothers of students in the Middle School. I understand that the police officer working in the high school had more arrests than any other police officer on the force last year. I have also heard about the large amount of children that actually live in Camden but give a relative's address to go to Winslow Township schools. Considering the amount of our tax dollars that go into the school system I should be able to send my child to a safe school with an environment conducive to learning, not a Camden away from Camden. If I wanted my kids to go to school in the inner city I could have saved a lot of money and moved to Camden myself. We don't live in Sicklerville, so when we bought the home we were satisfied with the elementary school off of Rt. 73, but unfortunately didn't research the middle school and high school.

I'm writing this website to ask, what can I do? I don't think going to a meeting is enough. From what I've seen on TV and read on your website it's a lot of hot air. Who can I talk to about this matter? Can't the township organize a program to wait at the bus stops and record/expel students who are dropped-off from out of town? I understand that Egg Harbor Township did this and got rid of 300 students from their schools. Are parents required to show Income Tax Returns showing their address and dependants as other school districts have done?

What Can I Do?

A Disgusted Mother

Blue Anchor

COMMITTEEMAN COOPER MAKES A MOTION TO PRESERVE FARM LAND IN SICKLERVILLE; 2ND BY COMMITEEWOMAN GIBISON

WINSLOW HOPES TO ACQUIRE FARM RE-PRINTED FROM THE COURIER-POST AUGUST 19, 2005

Winslow hopes to acquire farm
By ERIK SCHWARTZCourier-Post Staff

WINSLOW

Two weeks after a state appeals court ruled towns can take property through eminent domain to stop development, the township committee moved to use the threat of that power to acquire some of the last remaining farmland in the Sicklerville section.
Winslow Mayor Sue Ann Metzner hailed the measure introduced Tuesday night as "the best use of government" and one that would eliminate a proposal for 504 residential units on the 64-acre Jennings Farm, which sits just down Berlin-Cross Keys Road from the Atlantic City Expressway.
"I just am so excited because I think that all you hear about are the eminent domain decrees that are made where they take people's homes and people's businesses and displace people. And this is a real preservation of just about the last open space in Sicklerville," Metzner said.
The acquisition would enable the township to expand the adjacent 49-acre Donio Park and "keep an area green that's in a heavily built-up area," she said.
The owners of the property have a deal with a developer who wants to create a 55-and-over community and a shopping center. But the project has drawn substantial opposition in Sicklerville, which continues to grow as one of the more affordable suburban communities in South Jersey.
Opponents objected to the developer's plan to build more than triple the number of homes allowed under zoning laws.
Greg Buttari, a resident of the Wyndam Hill subdivision, helped organize opposition from among some of the 2,000 households in the area. He praised the township's plan to buy the land.
"We think it's a terrific idea," said Buttari, 54, a retired Camden County investigator. "Thank God it was principles before personalities with the local politicians this time. They really stood up and didn't act in a partisan manner and did what was right for the community."
Metzner is one of four Republicans on the township committee, which is controlled 5-4 by Democrats. "It's one of the first issues that has been bipartisan in a long time," she said.
Darlene Jennings, 60, has a different perspective. She's the widow of J. Mark Jennings, whose family has owned the farm for more than a century.
"I don't believe that the people that have moved into developments near a farm should have the right to tell the farmer, who's lived there for generations before them, who to sell it to and how much to sell it for," she said.
On Tuesday the committee unanimously approved the introduction of an ordinance declaring Winslow's intention to purchase the land, using eminent domain if necessary. Eminent domain is government's power to take private property for public use by paying for it.
A companion resolution called for the hiring of an appraiser to evaluate the property. A public hearing on the ordinance is set for Sept. 27.
An Ocean County firm, AST Development Corp., has had the farm under contract since 2003, said Harold Jennings of Washington Township, one of four brothers who co-own the land.
"Our main concern would be getting a fair value for the property," he said. "If we were going to go back in at the present time, certainly we would go in for a higher number."
Jennings declined to reveal the proposed purchase price.
"The appraisal will have a great deal to do or say about that and the actions we may have to take as a result," he said.
Edward L. Stutz, AST's acquisitions chief, declined comment.

Reach Erik Schwartz at (856) 486-2904 or eschwartz@courierpostonline.com
Published: Courier-Post August 19, 2005

cooper enomi. sale

BARRY WRIGHT RE: MR. WADE AST LAWYER

AST LAWER AND mm VILLA DELI

MEDFORD LAKES RESIDENT WRITES TO THE EDITOR OF THE COURIER-POST ABOUT MAYOR METZNER & "...HOLCOMB AND HER PIRATES...."

Applauding Winslow

I commend the residents of Winslow Township for continuing to vote for Sue Ann Metzner as mayor despite the nasty Democratic political machine led by Councilwoman Barbara Holcomb and her pirates.

I worked in Winslow from 1992 to 2003 as a nonresident, and I found out firsthand the wrath of these people. It warms my heart to see Metzner prevail. She does so because of her honesty, integrity and dedication to the township.

It appalls me to read how these nasty people deprived Metzner of her need for an assistant.
It may cost residents a little more money to accommodate Metzner, but what they save on questionable politics is a hundred-fold. They should keep up the good and smart work.

JOSEPH T. CIERVO Medford Lakes Published: Courier-Post August 19. 2005


CLICK HERE TO VIEW A PICTURE OF COMMITTEEWOMAN AND SELF-APPOINTED DEPUTY MAYOR BARBARA HOLCOMB GIVING THE PUBLIC IN ATTENDANCE THE ONE FINGER SALUTE DURING AN OPEN PUBLIC MEETING.

UNofficially Winslow Criticized During Township Committee Meeting.

Click on the link below for the complete story.

"I'm his Mayor, not his Mother."

UNofficially Winslow Receives Email

I would like to thank Assemblyman Lou Greenwald for coming to the aid of our small community of Elm in our eleven year struggle to get clean drinking water. Before he became involved we were ignored, placated and dismissed by the NJDEP and all other representatives both state and local. Because of his efforts we are now assured of the community well that was promised eleven years ago and then forgotten. He and he alone, decided that the health of our citizens was important. Before his intervention we struggled with the assurances of all that our water was "safe to drink" and that there were no health problems to worry about. During that time we watched as our neighbors came down with all kinds of diseases and conditions.

The polluter, Metec Inc. was allowed to continue on its merry way while the NJDEP simply ignored our plight. Now, Metec Inc. has paid for the installation of the well that is in the planning stage. Assemblyman Greenwald did this for us, God bless him. He deserves to be re-elected because he for cares the people that he represents. I hope that, in fairness, you will put this letter on your site.

Thank you,

E.F.W.
Elm, NJ

PLEASE HELP UNOFFICIALLY WINSLOW SUPPORT A NEW PILOT PROGRAM TO END PAY TO PLAY POLITICS IN NEW JERSEY.

As you may know, we’ll be electing a new governor as well as two members of the state Assembly for each legislative district this November. Our district, the Sixth Legislative District, has been selected for a new state pilot program known as “Free and Clean Elections,” which has been designed to remove the influence of big money, special interests, and political machines in state elections. Our district is one of only two in this year’s pilot program! We hope you will join us in taking part in this historic campaign finance initiative by sending a small $5. or $30. contribution before August 31, 2005. Please download a contribution form by clicking here and return it to us along with your contribution to Fleischner and Gurenlian, PO Box 4742, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
Thank you in advance for your support. We could not do it without you!

Marc Fleischner, Berlin
JoAnn Gurenlian, Haddonfield
Republican candidate for Assembly
Republican candidate for Assembly

P.S. If you have any questions about contributing or about the Clean and Fair Elections pilot program, please contact us at jeff@VoteMarcandJoann05.com

FLEISCHNER & GURENLIAN: NO TO HIKE IN GAS TAX
Sixth District Republican Candidates Challenge Greenwald to Reveal Position
CHERRY HILL, N.J., July 21, 2005 – Sixth District Republican Assembly candidates Marc Fleischner and JoAnn Gurenlian today challenged Assemblyman Lou Greenwald to let voters know if he will be supporting the Democrats' plan to raise the gas tax after the November election.
"Now is not the time to be thinking about increasing the gas tax. Motorists are already paying record prices for gasoline and now the Democrats just want to add fuel to the fire," said Marc Fleischner. "Instead of taxing people who can least afford it, Lou Greenwald and the Democrats should look at themselves and eliminate all the wasteful spending that is currently going on in Trenton."
read more


FLEISCHNER & GURENLIAN CALL ON GREENWALD TO RESIGN AS BUDGET CHAIRMAN
Failure to Provide Property Tax Relief, Another Legal Battle Cry Out for Action July 18, 2005 – Sixth District Republican Assembly candidates Marc Fleischner and JoAnn Gurenlian today called on Democrat Assemblyman Lou Greenwald to resign as chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee. “Lou Greenwald needs to consider stepping down as chairman of the budget committee in the Assembly. It is clear that he does not know how to author a budget that is good for the residents of New Jersey. Thanks to Lou Greenwald, another state budget looks like it is facing a lawsuit, just like last year’s McGreevey-Greenwald budget, which was declared unconstitutional,” said Marc Fleischner.
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IS THIS COMMITTEEMAN WRIGHT'S IDEA OF SMART GROWTH ?

CLICK ANYWHERE ON THE PHOTOGRAPHS TO ENLARGE.

COMMITTEEWOMAN LAWRENCE READS A LETTER FROM SENATOR JON CORZINE

Committeewoman Lawrence read a letter supposedly written by Senator Jon Corzine during an open public Township meeting. If it wasn't a public document prior to the meeting, it became one when she read it into the record in public.

A copy of this now public document was requested the following day after Marie Lawrence read the letter.

Click here to review a brief letter from the Winslow Township Clerk's Office in response to the open public records request asking for a copy of the letter written by Senator Corzine.