42 Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 26 February '86

Our Readers Write Lower Politics In ((Back Room' To The Editor: At recent political gatherings in Lower Township. I've •heard the term "Back Room Politics." Now I know what is meant by that expression I feel it is necessary for the public to be aware of how government is really being run in Lower As many are aware, there has been much discussion of late concerning the selection of board members and the selection process itself. The latest topic is the advertising for all positions and i the reviewing of applications INTEKESTINCi? Well, the secretarial position for the Incinerator Authority was never advertised. But somehow the chairman of the authority (Ronald Burgin) had four applications in his possession Talk about your hot potato! The Incinerator Authority members decided to have a closed session to discuss these applications Feb. 4. at their regularly scheduled meeting. For more than one hour, they discussed and discussed ( one is to assume that is what they were doing) and proceeded to disband at 10:15 p.m. with the issue unresolved as to whom would be the 1986 secretary, Meanu hile. their presently employed secretary < since October I984i was waiting "in the wings" to learn of her fate. This group of dedicated "servants of the public good" did not have the common courtesy to inform her that their meeting had adjourned. Perhaps they were too embarrassed. since they couldn't reach a decision. Mind you. thus BIG decision was being observed and guided under the watchful eye of the township's version of "Crazy Like a Fox." ARE WE REALLY going to let this group make a decision which involves millions of dollars and make recommendations to the council as to the feasibility of an incinerator on Sunset Boulevard0 This isn't the end of the story. Being the "polite gentlemen" they all are. they were unable to face their secretary in person, but chose instead the coward's way out. They had the chairman make a phone call on a quiet Sunday 12 days later, Feb. 16. The chairman stated at this time: "a decision has been made as to the selection of a secretary, sorry it's not you. Although I'm satisfied with your work, it was felt that since you were also the secretary for the Recreation Commission, we decided to give the job to someone else." This is where "Back Room Politics" comes in. How were there four applications for a position that had never been advertised, and at what meeting and by whom was this "decision" made'.' HERE WE GO again, we now have another person getting the job of secretary for the Incinerator Authority without benefit of advertising I think it's about time township council enforced its own resolutions and ordinances Incidently. the position Burgin filled on the authority, and is now chairman of. was a position he received without benefit of advertising. And I remind you that Burgin is a paid member of the Lower Township Municipal Utilities Authority It seems the principle of advertising only applies when it is convenient I.ET'S NOT FORGET, either, that one member of the authority is also a paid employe of Lower Township and the Board of Health. So. Burgin's explanation doesn't wash. I firmly believe that the whole issue of board appointments and secretarial positions has to be looked at. and the regulations established be enforced. I've come to the conclusion that the only consistent thing in Lower's government is its inconsistancy and lack of leadership. ROSEMARY FERRIS Cape May Beach

jtossin v ntfra* 1 Joseph R. Zelnik Editor Bonnie Reina General Manager Gary L. Rudy Advertising Director John Dunwoody Special Promotions Director Darrell Kopp Publisher S*a«o**Co«p 10S6 A* r.g*M A't p.of>«rt, i.qM, lu< -W o* rtw, pwt .ohon aon b« a*# p,op*f T of Sm*o,i Corp No port koroof ma, bo roprodwod DEADLINES News & Photos Thursday ' Advertising Friday — 3 P.M. Classified Advertising Friday — 3 P.M. 465-5055 For News or Advertising Information Mail Subscription: Yearly, $40; Six Month, $20 Call 465-5055 For News, Advertising or Subscription Information Vokrt pomopoUx •rf.-n.-" ~~ iW piUiAro *1 iW IO N ki ll AMI UVTMIN J* CAPE MAY WtM turalft-JJfspatd II Cape May CHy Etttoo of tfce Cape Nay Cooty Herald J

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Why Do We Ignore Our Local Talent? By CLARE CAMPBELL Why it is that we claim to love our area and sing its praises yet we disparage our own people? (Well. I don't and ( I hope) you don't, but most do.) I often have been part of a captive audience, obliged to listen to a VERY mediocre speaker (imported! > when a much finer one could have been secured right from among us. WHAT IS THE magic that makes so many people believe that if he's from out of town he's automatically better? It is because he commands a high fee. whereas a local person, being civic-minded, charges little or nothing? Our locality is loaded with talented folks, unsurpassed anywhere! ! ! But they're taken for granted because they live here! ! What a paradox! Admitting that our environs are so good, but negating the people who make it so. This is not a new fallacy. Remember Cicero and Socrates0 And Jesus himself observed that "a prophet is not without honor save in his own country." GROUt'HO .MARX was a comedian and also a very wise man. Once, when invited to join a club, he replied: "Well, thanks, but I wouldn't belong to any club that would have me for a member " That was. of course, a humorous response, but the more you think about it. the deeper its meaning. Anyway: Here's to my friends who live around here. Improving our hometown year after year. Often passed by. but they grin and bear it — Having a talent, but not asked to share it!

Burning Isn't Green or Clean To The Editor: t Lower Township Mayor Robert FothergiU's naive suggestion that "anyone withany common sense at all" would accept his pet power projec' brings into question his ability and interest in serving the community as a whole. Although it is in Lower Township proper. Sunset Beach is geographically at Cape May Point. In fact, that entire borough is within a mile or so of the proposed site. Only a handful of Lower residents live in the vicinity There really isn't a more remote tract within the township. If he gets his grant, it comes from Green Acres, which funds environmental projects. What is green about incinera-' tion? Lower's wallet? I doubt it. THERE IS NOTHING green or clean about burning trash One only has to look at the Coast Guard base when it fires up its incinerator or smell the air near a house fire. One other thing: what are we going to do with the resultant energy? Line the streets with neon lights? Fuel an industrial park? You'd better enlarge the airport and make a deep water port quick. If this cat gets out of the bag. the steel mill expansion planners are going to be knocking the door in. We have plenty of assets here on the Cape; let's capitalize on them, not destroy them. Now that sounds like common sense. j. McCarthy donovan West Cape May Do you have an opinion on this subject? Write a letter to the editor, P.O. Box 430, Cape May Court House, N.J. 08210 Plan for People's Safety To The Editor: Our fire, police and ambulances answer to all fire calls. They have great difficulty with traffic congestion, our small streets, and our large increase in visitors. Cape May was set up for horses and buggies, a smaller population and very few multi-family dwellings. I have spoken to Fire Chief Wister Dougherty about this problem; he said for me to complain to Council I do not think it is up to me. As fire chief it is his job to safeguard the people of Cape May. to make sure Council allows for proper routes that are clear for easy access to all areas in case of emergency Instead of the Planning Board constantly planning for more construction to add to the congestion, it might be more constructive to plan for the safety of the city's citizens and visitors. Please, Chief Dougherty, accept your responsibility. This problem must be resolved SIDNEY WETHERILL Cape May

r-Love in Avalon

Stop Looking for Ckarrota

By JOE ZELNIK This has been one of those weeks It would not take a whole lot of convincing for me to abandon newspapering I and try something new. like growing bananas An editor would rather see his own obituary in the paper than a CORRECTION But. if you look hard enough, you will find two in this issue. Ug. 1 In one case we had added the word "city" to Ocean when it didn't belong there, with ominous potential repercussions. In the other, we simply dropped a line and gave a 6-year-old Villas boy the wrong parenLs. Probably damaged his psyche for life. I can see him now. in mid-life crisis, asking. "Who am I?" ON THE OTHER HANI) we did not correct, and obviously should have, a mistake in a recent Dolly Stango column in which her SUPER DIET called for a half-cup of "ckarrota." You would not believe the number of people who called me — some at home — to tell me they've searched the shops unsuccessfully for ckarrota. It was supposed to say carrots, folks. Thank God that was Dolly's typing, not ours, because she has very long fingernails and is known to be into retribution. Few realize how easy it is to put hundreds of thousands of words in a newspaper and get in trouble for just a couple. ABOUT A MONTH AGO. describing our efforts to streamline our circulation department. I asked readers to go to their "favorite pickup spot" and get 20 copies of our paper A lady from Del Haven has been furious with me ever since because, she says, her husband keeps hanging around Herald's Inn. claiming he's waiting for our : deliveries. ( Depressed by all these goings-on. I sought solace last | Thursday with a night out at the Avalon Chamber of Commerce dinner meeting. I thought I wduld be comforted by i I being surrounded by friends. Instead, I was accused of "lov I ing" Mayor Rachel Sloan. i 1 THE TRUTH IS. I do not love Rachel Sloan. I have never i

€ loved Rachel Sloan. I am as appalled as the rest of you that the Avalon electorate gave her a vote of confidence despite the fact that the city hall roof leaks. I believe every person who seeks public office should have to pass a combination physical exam-vo-tech test that would require the candidate to climb to a roof and repair it. Hopefully. Guy Muziani will introduce legislation to mandate this new criterion. I DON'T KNOW WHY I feel so guilty about mistakes. Most of YOU voted for Ronald Reagan. Did you see him in Grenada for eight seconds on TV last week? Do you have any idea what that 4,192-mile round trip and four-hour. 20-minute visit cost? The "advance party" spent almost a month there in SlOO-a-night rooms. Thanks to the Wall Street Journal, we know that Reagan brought with him two presidential limousines (an extra in case one wouldn't start, I guess), three bomb-sniffing dogs, two surveillance helicopters, a cavalcade of Secret Service vans, an unbelievable amount of satellite-communications equipment (the island only has 16 long-distance phone lines), and his own drinking water, of course. Actually, the latter isn't unreasonable; a lot of knowledgeable people do that when they come to the shore. THE JOURNAL REPORTED that the Air Force's largest cargo plane ( which costs $12,769 an hour to operate) went back and forth to Grenada so many times that Americans there were joking there was a new shuttle to Washington. When you put ail that in perspective, it's hard to get upset when the county Mosquito Commission attends a convention at Disney World It may be worth mention that the presidential visit was staged primarily for the news media, which was not allowed to come when we invaded, or rescued, or whatever, the place. To be positive, it might be a good time to plan a vacation to Grenada because the roads are paved now. The Unsupported Agency for International Development plunked a few million dollars to smooth any that Reagan would ride on.