f Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 8 January '86 " 39

Avalon Recall

Rachel Sloan Cannot Afford To Be Accountable in Public

To The Editor: On Dec. 5, 1985. 1 issued a press release to all area news media announcing my candidacy for the office of mayor in the borough of Avalon. As a part of that release it was stated: "I now request Rachel Sloan to meet with me in public forum to formally debate the issues at hand. The public has the need to know, and the right to know the facts surrounding these issues. Especially those which have been carefully screened from public view over the past two and one half years." On Dec. 5. when the media advised Sloan of my press release and the request for debate, she is quoted as saying "she would be happy to accept." THE AVALON CHAMBER of Commerce agreed to sponCan Public Servants Survive in Avalon? To The Editor: {? In 1981, following the introduction and recommendation by then-Councilman Jam -s Busha to the Avalon Borough Council. 1 accepted the position of risk manager for the borough. Originally, this was without compensation; later, however, a minimum fee was agreed upon, which ultimately graduated to $4,400 annually. A risk manager's position in a municipality is equal to that of a corporation and requires examination of loss producing exposures, procedures to prevent loss and the negotiation with insurance companies to produce insurance coverages at a reasonable cost. i Property and equipment values for the Borough are presently in excess of $6,000,000; legal liability imposed by law to protect the public has suggested a limit of $4,000,000. Included also is the legal requirement to protect employees from job-related injuries. Further, the borough provides medical and dental insurance for employees and elected officials. The total insurance cost to the borough for 1986 will approximate $500,000.. BY FORM At. resolution of the council during each of the past four years, my' position as risk manager was confirmed. Following my retirement as a senior executive from one of the world's largest insurance companies. I have successfully conducted an insurance consulting business in tl^e New England. New York and Delaware Valley areas. I have given up an average of three days each week and considerable potential income, to perform the duties of risk manager for Avalon. And, with dedication to the position and hard work, have saved Avalon substantial monies. NOW COME the critics who want to recall the Mayor and. failing to formulate a factual position, have redirected their efforts toward the writer. Savings to the taxpayers and service to the community notwithstanding, they prefer the practice of character assassination which is employed on repeated occasions as their only means of public communication. They have undertaken a perverted effort to discredit the mayor; they tried it with Thomas McKittrick and Rev Robert Scott; now, they are trying it with me. There will be others. In so doing, however, they overlook the intelligence and compassion of Avalon citizens. 4 Realistically, is there a place for a public servant in this environment? RICHARD B LIGHT Avalon Councilman Sloan: A One-Woman Band To The Editor: In reply to Edward P. Crippen's Dec. 25 letter, recall candidate James Redditt's claim that Mayor Rachel Sloan was personally responsible for the moratorium is, in fact, correct. Sloan was ill-advised in this matter by persons such as Crippen, Thomas McKittrick, et al, none of whom have a working knowledge of our governmental structure. IT IS CORRECT that the mayor cannot appropriate funds, but once appropriated and budgeted there is no control over how she spends these funds. * The present mayor can act, does act, and will unfortunately continue to act without approval of borough council. Crippen just seems unwilling to understand one of the basic problems with our present mayor. She is a one-lady band who has yet to strike a tuneful note. Crippen should learn the realities of how our government works before making statements based on misinformation. JOHN AND MARGE FITZPATRICK Avalon

sor the debate and Miriam Kauterman. president of the chamber, proceeded to organize it. Tentative dates were set, a moderator was obtained from Stockton State College and the two principals were so advised. Kauterman was advised that the tentative dates and other conditions were acceptable to me, but on Dec. 30, she was advised that Rachel Sloan has officially declined, notwithstanding her pervious public acceptance. I asked for Sloan to publically discuss the issues of government with me for one very important reason. On this election ballot the voter is asked "Shall Rachel Sloan be removed from office by recall?" In order to answer the question, it is important that the voter have an opportunity to evaluate the image she has carefully cultivated for public consumption over the past few years against the real Rachel Sloan, who has been asked to stand up and be counted. THE ONE WHO has wasted millions of taxpayers' dollars in two and one half years. The one who grants personal favors to supporters at the expense of our taxpayers. The one who compounds error with error. The one wtxyells the public what she wants them to know, then buries' the rest. The one who tells the public what she knows they want to hear, be it fact or fiction. The one who has come to the realization that she cannot afford to stand accountable in public. The one I know so well. Sloan has once again cheated the voters. Their right to know the truth and the facts of her misadministration has been denied. JAMES H. REDDITT Avalon Stand Up for Local 1983 To The Editor: Some 15 years ago. a small group of city workers in Wildwood got together and formed a local union that later would become Cape Local 1983, IBPAT (International Brotherhood of Painters and Allied Trades. J Since that time, this organization has grown to represent eight communities throughout Cape May County and some 1.000 members working in the public sector. SINCE IT'S beginning. Local 1983 has had its share of ups and downs, as does most organizations. We have seen labormanagement disputes, pickets, poor management witnin. trusteeships, contract disputes and a host of other problems that would make lesser organizations meet their demise Yet. for one reason or another, this group has withstood all of its adversities. Through it all, there has always been those caring members who have come forward to meet the problem head on and pull the rank-and-file together to work things out Here we are once again facing a crucial time. We are about to reorganize Local 1983. So come on, stand up and let every member be counted. Let 's make our local one that represents all labor in Cape May County "one for all and all for one." Remember — Cape Local 1983 is still intact. LOU GINSBIJRG Erma ft} Doris Ward BABY NEW YEAR — Mrs. Michael ( Pamela > Bronson. of Villas, holds Michael Remington Bronson. the first baby bom at Burdetle Tomlin Memorial Hospital and in the county in 1986. Michael was born I a.m. Jan. Hand weighed 8 pounds 7 ounces. He is the couple's first child.

Joyride III dt By Libby Demp Forrest \J | It's Publishers Clearing House time of year and while I could really use the $10 million. I won't be entering again this year. Yes. I know, I've seen those commercialsun TV and I 've heard from the mouths of actual winners who took the time to figure out where to paste all the stickers and mail in their entries by the appointed hour. Am I too busy to try to win $10 million dollars" Am I too lazy to try to win $10 milljon dollars" Am I too dumb to try to vyin $10 million dollars" o There have been years when I hung on to my Publishers Clearing House entry, reading and re-reading it. trying to figure out the contest rules. j THErVwERE YEARS I threw away my entry, only to fetch it from the trash a few minutes later. There were times I threw away my entry and didn't fetch it out of the trash, and I stood watching the trash truck pull away, feeljpg guilty. Of course, too. there were years when the mailman didn't bring me a Publishers Clearing House letter at all and I would really sorry for myself.. I would wonder was it me, or was there just the remotest chance my entry landed up in the dead letter office. Even a letter addressed to "occupant" would have picked up my spirits, although I probqbly wouldn't have entered the contest anyway. NO. I AND NO. 2 have stood over me as I scanned the mail, and when they observed me throw away my Publishers Clearing House entry. I've had to watch their sorrowful eyes, as I plucked away untold wealth and dream vacations from their lives. Luxury cars. ..and boats... custom-built hideaways , and shopping sprees. I would feel a little guilty about the showcase kitchen I threw into the trash, or the instant cash I could have had if I won if I taken the time to enter. It's not easy to spurn $10 million in the privacy of one's own home. AND WHILE I KNOW you don't have to order a mess of subscriptions in order to win, I would kind of feel a little guilty thinking about entering a contest when I didn't really want any more subscriptions coming to the house. One year I did enter the Publishers Clearing House contest and it created havoc in my household. No. I . No. 2 and I believed it was just a matter of time before we won. We waited day after day for the mailman's arrival, but all that ever came was the bill for the subscription we had prdered "'so il-h id^ng s h ad <» ^ ^ ^ design makes tnis carpet £ I M. A A practical as (well as J I \WA I I J* beautiful! Scotkhgard"1' I %J brand Carpet Protector Jft>«Per helps reduce stains and sq\d. static. 1 j . \ INSTALLED \ OVER/GOOD CUSHION (AT THIS ONE"LOW PRICE / itr nUtog pnees now a.siUhlt m .air M vdr c«Ul<« ; / Ask <bout Scan credit plant I. \ tMnfecnon (uoMMr \ Magnolia Dr. & S. Dennis Rd.f C.M.C.H. • 465-3141 ^ Open Daily 9:30-5 • Fri. 9:30-7 132 E. Spicer Ave., Wildwood • 522-021 1 Daily 9-5 • Fri. 9-7 1 158 Asbury Ave., Ocean City • 399-3500 Daily 9-5 « 9-8