Majority Of Letters Opposes Artificial Turf Bonds, Wants Referendum In November

Observer Asks Referendum On Turf Bonds; Council Plan Is "End Run Around Voters"

Public Hearing Tuesday 6PM

"This is another attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of the taxpayers," said Citizens Alert leader Angelo DiGiovanni as the Dover Town Council voted on first reading for $2.5 million in bonding for artificial turf on three high school football fields.

"There is no reason for this: it's not necessary and you are buying the stuff when it's being discontinued by professional teams because many experts think it's unsafe," DiGiovanni said.

Citizens Alert Leader Angelo DiGiovanni

The public hearing and final vote on the turf bonds will be held at 6pm Tuesday (May 10th) at the town hall.

Most Public Comment Negative On Turf $$

Most public comment has been negative about the $2.5 million artificial turf bonds; letter writers said the local government should not pay for artificial turf for school athletic fields.

Some commentators noted the mayor and council that "broke every campaign pledge, enacted the biggest spending increase in history and gave taxpayers a big tax increase," is up to more of the same with the turf bonds.

Commentators Cite Big Spending, Tax Increases

"In addition to the spending increase, tax hike, hiring of useless attorneys and new crony jobs, the mayor and council floated a $30 million bond issue early last year, of which $18 million was not used immediately," said Joseph Haelig, a director of the Toms River Area Reform Republican Organization.

"So, why are Dover Taxpayers being asked to pay the interest on a new bond issue if we are still paying long term interest charges on $18 million in bond money, much of which is still sitting in the bank," Haelig asked?

Garvey Says Turf $$ Needed For Recreation

Joseph Garvey, head of the township recreation committee, said the turf is needed for recreation programs, and township taxpayers benefit if the money comes from local government, but the facts appear to contradict Garvey's assessment.

 "Will any of the money come from the school system? Toms River Regional reneged on a three way partnership agreement with Dover Township and the DMUA. to purchase $20 million in open space," Haelig pointed out.

Garvey's Wife, Linda, Re-Elected To School Board,
Observer Says Turf Plan Should Be On The Ballot

Garvey's wife, Linda, was re-elected in April to her fourth three year term on the Toms River Regional School Board.

A Sunday editorial in the Ocean County Observer noted "the council, instead of running interference for the school board, should have insisted the proposal be placed on the school election ballot."

Council Has 'Til August 26th To Schedule Referendum

The Observer noted the council "has until August 26th to put the question of the turf bonds on the ballot in the Nov. 8th municipal election."

There have been several demands for referendum questions on contentious public issues, including open space spending, but the new Mayor and Council has ignored every one of them.

A letter from the Citizens Alert Committee noted that other towns in the Toms River Regional school system would not be asked to pay part of the cost for the new turf, although they would benefit from using the fields.

Lypowy Says Cost "Savings" Misleading

Commentator Joseph Lypowy said that claimed savings of $100,000 a year on maintenance costs for the turf would be offset by a $100,000 interest cost on the bonds.

"Then you have other costs on top of that, such as principal payments and legal fees," Lypowy said.

Polifroni Says It's A Charade

Ortley Beach civic leader Dan Polifroni said "the whole thing is a charade to cover up the big tax increase and the damage Superintendent Mike Ritacco's ego carnival will do to the football fields."

"The $2.5 million turf fraud is another step in a sequence of two-party betrayal where common sense is abandoned in favor of the latest bedtime story." Polifroni said.

Baldaccini Says New Turf Is Softer, Safer

Mark Baldacinni, Democrat council candidate in the 2nd Ward, who made a career out of demanding a $75,000 salary for mayor Paul Brush, said "the improvements in artificial turf has made for a softer, safer surface for athletes to perform on."

Baldaccinni, Brush, both Democrats, and council president Greg McGuckin, supported turf bond approval in the first vote, as did five of the six remaining  council members, all of whom are Republicans.

Lake Ridge resident William McPhail called the $2.5 million turf bond plan "another multimillion dollar rip-off."

Choltco Says Turf Is Like A "Carpet On A Parking Lot"

Dover resident William Choltco said the artificial turf "will provide a surface that would approximate placing a thin carpet over an asphalt parking lot."

Haelig and others referred to results of the 2004 Playing Surfaces Opinion Survey conducted by the National Football League Players Association which Haelig said "revealed 85% of NFL players still prefer to play on natural grass."

NFL Players Survey Cited

"In addition, there is still concern by a large majority of the 1500 players surveyed that playing on synthetic turf will shorten their careers and leave them with quality-of-life issues after their football careers are over," the survey said.