A letter I wrote about a municipal meeting in my hometown was published today.

October 27, 2008


I saw what a meeting should be


To the Editor:

At the Oct. 20 Washington Township Committee meeting, there was discussion about some allegations in the print media that the committee's court appointments were politically motivated. The phrases "we don't have a problem," "a lot of other towns do," and "we truly want the best people for the job" came up. It sounded almost unbelievable to someone like me, who hasn't been to a town committee meeting in that building since they were talking about expanding Rock Spring Park when I was not even yet a teenager.

When Committeeman Howard Popper said, "We truly want the best people for the job," Committeeman Kevin M. Nedd lightheartedly said, "Part of me wishes that were true for the general election." Mark my words, Nedd is someone to watch in the future of Morris County politics.

Since I moved to nearby Independence Township in 2004, away from my childhood home on top of Schooley's Mountain, I have been to two other municipal meetings in the area, once in Independence in 2005 and once in Hackettstown on Oct. 14,

They were both closed almost immediately after the public comment section was over. I am not really sure what was going on at those meetings, and I graduated from college.

Maybe the phrase, "We don't have a problem" is an exaggeration, but the entire committee, with the exception of Kevin Walsh, who was absent, was well-organized and very friendly, and I thank them for showing me what a municipal meeting is supposed to be like.

ERIK B. ANDERSON

Independence Township

http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081027/OPINION02/810270304&template=printart