Euna Kwon Brossman’s December 17 column on the hard work going on in the Cranbury-Plainsboro Little League generated immediate criticism at the News’ website, wwpinfo.com. The comment apparently came from a parent who felt that some important contributors were overlooked:
“The quote ‘The dream of an indoor facility has been floating around for years’ is an unfortunate choice of words to me because it doesn’t do justice to the hard work and efforts of the three past CPLL presidents and the board members who have contributed to bring the indoor facility to its present state.
“The indoor facility has not just been floating around without substantial effort to keep the dream aloft. It has taken a lot of ground work to bring the facility closer to reality. There are a number of unsung individuals who have spent long hours developing architectural plans, regularly meeting with other members to plan strategies, and working with town officials to create a plan where an ethically pleasing facility can be integrated into the Plainsboro Community Park landscape.
“Not only have CPLL board members contributed but also a number of caring people have volunteered their time, efforts, and talents to the project. Please let’s celebrate the hard work of ALL of the individuals who have worked on the plans and those that continue to work on the facility to make the dream real. Truly, it does take a village to raise an indoor facility.”
Other fodder for the online grist mill:
The Arts Council railing, for which West Windsor Township has authorized $1,000 to an architect to oversee the installation process. A comment was posted by Fisher Place resident Pete Weale:
“As suggested recently during WW Council public comment, why could not the Arts Council solicit three bids from vendors and have the selected vendor to oversee the installation instead of wasting $1,000 on an architect? I am certain there are many architects in the area who might have volunteered their expertise.”
The architectural commission prompted Weale to pose some additional questions: “What is the cost of the new railings? And how did the building receive a certificate of occupancy without the railings? Why does the Town Council have to ask the Administration to do something? What happened to initiative?
“How did the Arts Council’s $60,000 fundraising program turn out? If the enterprise receives public funding or support (in the form of subsidized rent for utilities), shouldn’t there be a P&L report to the public? Revenue minus expenses?” For more on the railing, see story, page 13.
Princeton International Academy Charter School. One commenter lamented that rather than offering constructive arguments, commenters offer old articles they may not fully understand or criticize existing schools: “Why is it that every time PIACS is mentioned anywhere in the WW-P News we are bombarded with comments that either dredge up poorly understood news articles to sell their position or they denigrate the current school systems?”
The concept of West Windsor merging with another township: “I just got another mailer from my realtor that says my property value just dropped again! She said the property taxes are a real turnoff for new buyers and this is putting a damper on home values,” wrote one commenter.
Competitive bidding for trash collection. Another comment was provided by Pete Weale:
“What a shame refuse collection companies need to bid competitively but ‘professionals’ like the lawyers and countless consultants need not sully their reputations by baring their costs. No-bid professional service contracts rule in West Windsor. West Windsor government operates under the ‘I think, I feel, I believe’ form of management by wandering around (MBWA). Its ‘management’ lives in other townships.
“I would request the WW Business Administrator and Mayor provide the full information (tonnage, costs) from vendors from 1990 through the present contract in 2010. Princeton miraculously operates with a single-day pickup schedule year-round.” For more on the trash collection contract, see page 14.
