It has been some time now since I have written to readers of DowntownBarnegat.com and there has been a great deal of discussion about the Rose Hill Park and should we bond or should we not. Let me say that I believe the park to be a great asset to our entire town. I have struggled with the issue of bonding at this time and voted my conscience on at the Township Committee meeting on Monday when I said "no" to bonding. All of you are aware of the serious economic issues not only here in Barnegat but in the entire country. The more I read and learned of rising prices, declining home sales, foreclosures, no market for bonds, and all the many other issues in our world today - the more concerned I became about adding additional debt to our Township budget. I wrote the following message for the March 10th meeting at the high school and never did read it so I thought I would forward it to DowntownBarnegat.com. I took an oath of office on January 1, 2008 that included being fiscally responsible and I believe my decision upheld that oath. There will be a referendum question on the ballot in November when all voters will have an opportunity voice there opinions for or against bonding for Rose Hill Park.

FREDERICK WATTS PARK AT ROSE HILL
MARCH 10, 2008 MEETING
BARNEGAT HIGH SCHOOL

Proposed bonding:

Now is not the time for the Township to consider bringing our current debt level to over $15 million. The APP on March 7 ran an article in the business section that states: Credit Markets in Deeper Water - The $2.6 trillion municipal bond industry...faces a whole host of threats that could limit the way cities and school districts raise money. Another article quotes interest rates increasing in some cases up 10 to 20 percent. The housing market, according to an Associated Press article, is spiraling down with no end in sight and “foreclosures are at a record high. We are all feeling the crunch at the gas pump and when we go to the food store. The State reduced the amount of municipal aid that Barnegat can expect this year by $170,000. The threat of recession looms over the entire country. I, as a member of the Township Committee, have not even seen a proposed budget. As each day goes by, I feel even more certain that now is not the time to borrow money.

There is much that we can do with what we have - improvements to our existing parks are possible. Our Public Works employees can be called upon to install irrigation systems, work at cleaning up fields and maintaining those same fields. I support having a referendum on the ballot in November regarding the proposed park as the way to resolve this issue. Not a lot of time would be lost in following this route. Let’s take some of the energy of volunteers and work in concert with the Township to see what can be done this year. Remember two new tennis courts are to be added one at Meadowedge and one at Lower Shore. It is also possible to add yet a third at the First Avenue Park. More work can be done at Lower Shore to possibly add another softball field.

If we all work together, we can accomplish a lot of good in 2008.

An open letter to 10 year old John Michael:
I thank you for your February letter regarding the proposed new park. I believe that the park would be a wonderful addition to our town. Your soccer will not be taken away and two more tennis courts are to be completed this year. If the new park is not approved now, it may be in November when we ask the voters of Barnegat to vote on a question on the ballot.