‘Privatizing Only Shifts Taxpayers’ Burden’

To The Editor:
In Middle Township, janitorial services will now be provided just a few days a week by a private contractor. Yet at the other end of the spectrum, they hired a non-resident, politically-connected person for the highest paid salaried position in the township. So far removed from the area, this person seems to think the northern most boundary is Avalon Manor and the southern tip of our community is just outside Stone Harbor.
I watch meeting after meeting where the folks from these two neighborhoods continue their courtship with our administrator. In the same period I have seen another resident being disgracefully strung along with an issue that this governing body and their agents should be addressing without the need for public input.
In a relatively recent article in a local newspaper, I saw that Galloway Township was moving to share services of their administrator with Absecon. These communities double the size of Middle and still pay less than we do for an administrator. Better yet for Galloway is that Absecon will be picking up a proportionate amount of the cost. Even though our neighboring community of Dennis Township has announced their desire for a part-time administrator, I heard nothing from our leaders to indicate they would be interested in such an arrangement. Now we have hired a neighbor of our administrator to supervise public works. Of course the spiritless attempt to hire locally failed them once again.
A disastrous hiring in the Recreation Department ended with their long, hard sought after, non-resident, not even a U.S. citizen, being canned within a few months. But alas, we are told they might promote from within. In the past year, we have received $8,000 from the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commission to contribute to an open space plan. We spent $35,000 with Terenik land-use planning for an excellent preparation of an open space and recreation plan. Through these efforts we received over half a million dollars in grants for these projects.
At the last township meeting, Timothy Donohue, when not taking shots at me, stated there may even be more significant funding on the way. At the same meeting the mayor, in an attempt to explain some perceived shortcomings by those in attendance, stated there are many important issues on the table at this time. Still, we have no Recreation Director. I would like to think we have a full time professional in place to handle this many- faceted department.
We have the people in place and the immediate need for a Recreation Director. I would beg committee to step out of character for this one, hire a local, qualified person now, while we still have people interested in continuing employment where advancement is a neglected concept. To consistently ignore your employees for elevated positions is demoralizing. Soon enough it will be reflected in the services provided by the township.
In addition to the obvious shortcomings of committee’s hiring practices are the financial considerations to the taxpayer as well. By hiring nonresidents, a part of our property tax contributions are being used to pay for services in another community. Privatizing only shifts the taxpayers’ burden at best. Once-productive citizens are forced into the social service network where costs are very difficult to control.
Many of the employees brought in by the contractor are already in that system, that’s how the contractor keeps his costs down. Some among committee understand exactly what I’m saying and that’s what makes this so disturbing.