Community Corner

A Vanished Job, River Sensitive Area

Lake Hiawatha resident Nicholas Homyak pens Patch Letter to the Editor

Recently Mayor Barberio stood accused of offering a Job to a possible political rival; from a past article They said they were still working on a position for me but wouldn't say what it was, only that it paid $50,000," Valori said. 
This job offer somehow has vanished. What was the exact job title, its description and duties and responsibilities?

One must also ask why was the public not consulted as to the need or importance of this job? Was it really necessary for our community and what did it hope to accomplish, its exact nature of affiliation. It seems quite strange that after the mayor was not charged with any violations in offering this job, the job has not surfaced again as to its presentation to any qualified candidate.  This sudden appearance and disappearance of said job paying 50 thousand a year of taxpayer funds for a still unknown purpose is disturbing in that the public funds can be so easily misused in secret and possibly for no good cause. It is evident that the Mayor and his administration has not exculpated themselves from this controversy. What was the job, why has it not surfaced again, why was it offered to an already retired individual and not presented as an employment opportunity?

In the now  present Waterview development threat, the mayor has stated that he is concerned about providing jobs for the community and this is why he is for the re-zoning ordinance and the proposed development despite overwhelming community resistance and demonstration at public forums at the Town meetings. How has he come to this conclusion in his job title; finding work by allowing private sector influence to diminish the community in their endeavor to save Parsipanny from further sprawl and over-development; ignoring reasons why Parsipanny was chosen as a place to live and not acknowledging important geographical facts like "living in the Highlands and being part of the great aquifer and water recharge that gives the gift of water for all life, now and in the future?

Two other important elements make up our community and have been so recognized. Green Acres and River Sensitive Areas. Signs clearly mark this places; along the boundaries of the Knoll Golf Club for example. What has the Mayor done to enhance and encourage the protections and responsibilities inherit in these areas? Why have signs declaring " Rockaway River Sensitive Area" if this corridor is allowed to be constantly litter and trashed? The same with Green Acre areas. Perhaps the mayor should include these areas in the Townships duties and responsibilities as for as maintenance and public awareness. Stormwater runoff becomes an important element in the towns responsibility in such sensitive areas. This goes however ignored or clearly not deemed necessary, why? Does a sign compensate for the lack of needed additional duties and responsibilities in "river sensitive areas"? Should not the areas surrounding the Knoll Golf Course receive as much attention as the course itself. 

There seems to be a imaginary but real boundary that we set for ourselves that does not exist in nature or reality. These boundaries are an outward and visible sign of our neglect of responsibility. Its someones else's 
responsibility but not ours or yours. Simply having these areas is not enough, they must be cared for in order to play their roles as special places within the community.
  
May it be suggested that if this 50 thousand dollar a year job could of so easily been presented or suggested that another job title be so put forward. Street Cleaner Manual Pushcart, to keep North Beverwyck Road and its many sewer entrances free of litter as to minimize stormwater runoff and raise conscience of human impacts in commercial business and residential living area. Perhaps the municipal work force can be beefed up to expand or hire more workers to maintain and defend our spaces by doing additional duties in these areas of neglect.

It is along these lines that the Town administrators need concern themselves with employment responsibilities.

Sincerely,

Nicholas R Homyak
Lake Hiawatha, NJ


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