I read your article dated February 7, 2014, regarding the Mercer Park stage drama. It has taken a while for me to regain my composure after reading some of the rhetoric coming from Executive Director Bannon. You see I have lived on South Post Road for about 18 years, directly across from the field where that the stage will be built, so you can see the reason for my sending you this E-mail. I am also sending a copy to Council President Bryan Maher who I see from the article may be our only local advocate, as I haven’t heard from the Mayor.
Back in September, 2013, not to long after the Italian American Festival I sent certified letters to Mr. Bannon, copying Brian Hughes, Andrew Worek, John Cimino, Shing-Fu Hsueh, and George Borek. I stating my concerns and asked for some relief. To this date I have only heard back from Mr. Bannon. His response was not surprising and just bolsters my negative opinion about some elected and appointed officials. It also reduces my confidence that any of the county elected officials care about my concerns. I am but a small fish in a large county, who is not active in any political party nor am I someone who pays to play. Just someone who wants to live in peace and quiet.
Rather than go into a lengthy explanation and history I will ask that you read my letter and his response and then review the bullets below.
Were the “experts/consultants” who deemed this area the best place to put the stage, independent or, as I suspect, made up of people who are paid by the park, or the festival promoters?
Was there an independent impact study done on how the effects of noise, traffic, lights will have on the neighborhood?
How many and who from South Post Road support this construction which Mr. Bannon refers to? I know of at least four that I have talked to who don’t like it and there are only a dozen or so on the street.
Is this so important that they have to spend millions of dollars of county taxpayers money for this How can they spend this kind of dollars when there are citizens who need help, seniors, children, veterans the unemployed? Is the recession over and everyone is back working?
Who gets the contract for building it?
How much was spent on the fencing and electric that surrounds just a portion of the field where the stage is to be built?
Where is the money coming from? What part of the county budget?
Is there pay to play involved here?
Who is really is making out on this deal? The concert people?
This may not be bridgegate so what is it?
Why move the summer concert series from the marina to this area? Which means loud music many weekends including the festivals. The number of days — not events — for both is the real question.
Why does it have to be so loud? Who monitors the noise levels and how?
Why don’t the local officials enforce noise level limits?
Why does the park need this? Are they embarrassed of the portable stage?
Would any of those involved want to have this across the street from their home?
How does he know that the residents were aware of this? No one ever sent a notice around asking our opinion before they made the decision. I guess they new what the response would be. The first time I was notified was when a friend asked if we heard about the stage.
To refute Mr. Bannon’s comment about “We have never received a single complaint in my 10 years as executive direct of the Park Commission,” referring to the noise. Please refer to Mr. Bannon’s response letter to me: He refers to a letter that was sent to him five years earlier. It was actually an E-mail I sent to the council and mayor asking for relief. A council member forwarded it to the county executive, which was subsequently sent to Bannon. The E-mail was of the same sort complaining about the noise.
Maybe the township needs to review sound level regulations, the hours of operations and enforce them rather that have a dispatcher dismiss you or debate you about noise levels.
Finally but just as important as all of the rest. Who is going to pay the residents for the loss in property value because of the festival area? Mr. Bannon, the park commission, county executive, freeholders? I think it’s just a bunch chest thumping and ballyhooing people with limited vision saying look at what I’ve done. Doesn’t really help the citizens of the county now does it?
Thank you West Windsor-Plainsboro News and Council President Maher for taking an interest in this matter.
Jeff Hamer
South Post Road, Princeton Junction
