Middle Officers Sworn, Promoted, Waterfowl Habitat Project Quizzed

COURT HOUSE – Middle Township Committee swore in a police officer, promoted another and retired a third officer Aug. 18. A recently promoted police officer came to honor them.
First honor went to Employee of the Month William Mayerson. The public works employee beamed as Mayor Timothy Donohue presented the plaque. “Thank you for recognizing me,” he said. “I take great pride in my work.”
Clinton Stocker was promoted to sergeant. His daughter held the Bible and pinned on his sergeant’s badge. Shawn Karge was sworn in as a police officer. His father affixed his badge.
After 20-plus years Officer Richard Sittineri retired and was honored by Police Chief Christopher Leusner.
Black skimmer habitat restoration
Laura Pettigrew, supervisor, Southern Region, Fish and Wildlife began a presentation. She was joined by Fish and Wildlife agent Dave Golden and Monica Chasten of the Army Corps of Engineers. Pettigrew described the project and mentioned the non-government partners which collaborated such as the Nature Conservancy and Wetlands Institute.
Chasten said there were two areas targeted for the project known as Avalon and Fortescue. It has a threefold objective. First is salt marsh restoration. Second is a pilot project for a technique known as thin layer placement. Third is building a habitat for the endangered black skimmer, a black tern-like seabird whose habitat has shrunk.
It is the second goal that has caused the most consternation and concern among the public at large.
The black skimmer habitat was designed with the help of Dr. Lisa Ferguson of the Wetlands Institute. Their home construction project necessitates building artificial sand bar-type structures.
And therein lies the rub. Robert Taylor, county prosecutor, made clear that he was speaking as a private citizen. He emphasized that he and his neighbors support all the goals of the projects including the building of a nesting habitat for the black skimmer.
However “When my wife and I look out of our window we see the DEP destroying Ring Island.”
He used maps and surveys provided by the Army Corps. The crux of the matter, he said, was that the corps had moved the original site by a mile and a half and that was not good.
He also pointed out that what is referred to as the Avalon/Stone Harbor project is really a “Middle Township project not Stone Harbor.” He also said that the project had expanded from a 40-by-80 feet footprint to over an acre. He also called the “pilot program” an experiment and quierred if it fails who will remedy the problem by restoring the area to the status quo. Saying he had already asked this of Fish and Wildlife that the answer was “No one.”
Chasten responded by noting that all dredging was from a federally-owned channel and was being put into a state-owned area.
Committeeman Daniel Lockwood asked Taylor to narrow his statement which he called “broad.”
Taylor said, “Just before I left for this meeting my wife and I watched them pump mud.” Dave Golden of Fish and Wildlife pointed out that the project was well underway and half completed. He said the goal was to raise the area for the skimmer homes to about five feet and they were about two or better.
Another Stone Harbor Boulevard resident, Jan Lemert, echoed the sentiments of her neighbor. She stated that that residents had not received prior notification and that the entire thing was “confusing, and upsetting, it’s going to change the march.”
Golden agreed there would be “a shift in vegetation” but maintained it would be for the better. Taylor retook the floor, “You need to pick better sites and have some transparency with the public.”
Chasten responded the sites were chosen for “as the optimal place for what the birds like.” She also assured that no decisions were made lightly.
Rio Grande resident Stanley Doniger wanted to know if officials could assure taxpayers that money was being well spent and that it would insure future storms would not just revisit the coastline with future damage. Golden and Chasten said that project would be closely monitored in order to “show the public” its fiscal and ecological benefits.
Public comment
Betty McGurk revisited the Conifer project and the township’s choice of lawyers. She also commented on a story in the Herald with which she strongly disagreed.
She said when she called the paper to complain about it she was told by Herald personnel that it was a “press release” from Donohue’s campaign. Donohue denied that saying “My campaign has sent out no press releases.” The story stated that this was a release from the office of the mayor and not a campaign release.
Her other concern was the area from which prospective residents for low and affordable housing would be drawn. She addressed Solicitor Marcus Karavan to work to insure that as per COAH rules the drawing population be confined to the congressional district instead of “pulling them from all over the state.” Donohue told her that he did not foresee “a groundswell of people from around the state” seeking this low-income housing. He also stated that only 16 units would be set aside for “very-low-income residents.”
Sam Kelly of Swainton and Democrat candidate for township committee decried “name calling.”
“I stood against this project since it was conceived,” he declared. After recounting statistics of his life he ended by saying, “I would live in the woods rather than one of your projects.”
Eileen Fausey said the real issue was an “abuse of power” and reaffirmed that she and the other objectors were not “against affordable housing but opposed the township’s choice of attorneys” to carry on the legal fight.
Doniger made a plea for more diversity in those who attend public meetings. “I see the same people every meeting. I only wish we could do something to get more people to participate.”
To contact Helen McCaffrey, email hmccaffrey@cmcherald.com.