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Planning Board Asked to Reconsider Doubling Arts Council Building Size

MILDRED T. TROTMAN
Witherspoon Street

Human Services Commission Director Thanks Anti-Racism Petition Signers

CYNTHIA MENDEZ
Executive Director
Princeton Human Services Commission

Postal Union Official Announces Benefit for Stricken Letter Carrier

RAY McDONALD
Princeton Post Office

Candidate for Vacant Council Seat Invites Dialogue at Upcoming Forum

ANDREW KOONTZ
Spruce Street

New "Subscriber" Bricks Will Enhance Recognition Walk in Palmer Square

HERB HOBLER
Treasurer
Spirit of Princeto

Planning Board Asked to Reconsider Doubling Arts Council Building Size

To the Editor:

This is a copy of a letter sent to the Princeton Regional Planning Board.

Regarding the Arts Council application, I have difficulty understanding why the concerns relating to the increased size and overall bulk of this application can't be understood and addressed in a realistic manner. The additional traffic, the additional use by the Arts Council itself, and outside groups who rent this space, will mean major changes to this residential neighborhood. It seems to me that current zoning should dictate the use of this site because this is such a densely populated neighborhood; there are one-way streets throughout; it already has businesses that utilize parking on the neighborhood streets; and any variances for this application make it that much more difficult to refuse future applications requesting zoning variances in this neighborhood.

I do believe that the Arts Council has tried to address the parking, traffic, and drop-off concerns–not to the satisfaction of many, but they tried. I don't think too many improvements could be made in those areas because of the location itself. But, that should tell us that this might not be the best site for this particular application when you take into consideration the overall increase in size and bulk that is being requested.

I don't think the neighborhood objects to the Arts Council being at that location; it understands that code violations must be abated; that there must be Department of Community Affairs compliance, etc. The neighborhood does object to the application in its current form, which runs counter to the best interests of the neighborhood. Meetings promised to the neighborhood by the Arts Council with specificity to myriad questions that have been asked over the years have yet to be held. There have been many meetings, but answers to specific questions have not come from any of those meetings.

The issue is NOT the service that the Arts Council provides to the Princeton community and beyond; the issue is NOT the need for the Arts Council to grow and expand; the issue is NOT that the current site is not a good location in many ways for Princeton. But let us be realistic about the size of the site upon which this massive expansion is proposed–almost double the current size in bulk. That is what this issue is about.

MILDRED T. TROTMAN
Witherspoon Street

Human Services Commission Director Thanks Anti-Racism Petition Signers

To the Editor:

Recently, the Princeton Human Services Commission held a Recommitment to Community drive to address the issue of the racist fliers that had appeared in Princeton. We had more than 1,200 signatures. In our haste to go to print, we inadvertently left out 41 members of the community who took the time to sign our petition. We sincerely apologize to those individuals and would like to acknowledge them publicly now.

They are Frank Strasburger, Sarah Unger, Margaret Hodgkins, Haskell Rhett, Donna Laessig, Judy Lowry, G.R. Bishop Jr., Jovi Tenev, S.F. Savidge, Linda Twining, Linda and Richard Werner, Elizabeth White, Jane Hesky, Don Hesky, Nancy Metcalf, James Boyd Smith, Cindy Hesterberg, Vernon Matthews, John and Verna Matthews, Katherine Tam, Leslie Smith, Jean Stephens, Susan Pickering, Lauren Laessig, Silvia Temmer, Barbara Sue White, Elizabeth Peters, Nissa Dennington, David Brown, Paul Raushenbush, James Williams, Deborah Blanks, Susan Waskow, Carey Hoover, Thomas Breidenthal, B. Keith Brewer, Laura Bennett, Dianah Barett, Melissa Clark, Joan Linsenmeier, and Bo Brinkman.

Again, we apologize for the oversight and thank all of those who signed our petition and joined with the Commission in celebrating the wonderful diversity of Princeton.

CYNTHIA MENDEZ
Executive Director
Princeton Human Services Commission

Postal Union Official Announces Benefit for Stricken Letter Carrier

To the Editor:

This is a copy of a letter mailed December 9 to Princeton Township residents served by Princeton Postal Service letter carrier Billy Aust.

I am the president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, Princeton Branch 268. Our union vice president, your letter carrier and my friend, Billy Aust, is very ill. The diagnosis was sudden, and the prognosis devastating.

We, his friends, family, and co-workers – and hopefully you – are having a benefit to help offset his medical expenses, and most of all to show Billy that we love him and that we care about him. Just as he and the other carriers of the Princeton Post Office delivered during the anthrax crisis, by working out of the back of our trucks and then in tents during November 2002, we will deliver for Billy Aust. We are asking that you do so as well.

Billy grew up in Princeton, served four years in the Navy, and has worked as a letter carrier since 1978. Most of the carriers don't live in Princeton, but we feel like part of the community. Sometimes out of tragedy, comes good. It is our hope that this tragedy will be the beginning of a great future partnership with the Princeton community to help make it even better than it already is. We have plans to start a scholarship fund for student athletes at Princeton High School in Billy's name. Specifics will follow.

Let us come together as a community once again, to show Billy that we support him and his wife Debbie. We are hosting a benefit for Billy Aust at the Hightstown American Legion in East Windsor, 685 Highway 130 North, on December 14, from noon to 5 p.m. The donation will be $20. There will be plenty of food and door prizes. Best of all, Billy will be there.

Please plan to attend, and if you can't, please buy a ticket or donate a door prize. Please send donations and ticket requests to Ray McDonald, P.O. Box 2390, Princeton 08540. For further information please call (609) 560-7268.

RAY McDONALD
Princeton Post Office

Candidate for Vacant Council Seat Invites Dialogue at Upcoming Forum

To the Editor:

Recently, I announced my intention to seek the council seat that will become vacant when Joseph O'Neill is sworn in as Mayor on January 4. I would like the opportunity to listen to and work with the people of this wonderful community on issues that impact us all: property taxes, traffic, affordable housing, and the future of the hospital.

Of course, these are not the only issues affecting our town. That's why I believe dialogue is important, and that is why I invite you to attend a forum sponsored by the Princeton Borough Democratic Committee at the Suzanne Paterson Senior Center on December 14 at 7:30 p.m. It will be a great opportunity to share your concerns and ideas, and to meet, hear from, and ask questions of all candidates interested in filling the vacancy.

I am not the only candidate interested in the Council seat. Mark Freda and Jenny Crumiller have also expressed interest, and there may be more who have not publicly stated their intentions. I encourage all to attend and make a presentation.

We are entering a new era in Princeton Borough, with a new Mayor and a new set of challenges. In choosing a new Council member, the Democratic Committee and Borough Council have an important choice to make. Please come out and participate in this decision.

ANDREW KOONTZ
Spruce Street

New "Subscriber" Bricks Will Enhance Recognition Walk in Palmer Square

To the Editor:

Over the past two years since the 20th Century Recognition Brick Walk was "sold out" and finished with 2,500 bricks in Palmer Square, numerous people have asked to have a brick. In order to accommodate such interest, we are now removing blank red border bricks and replacing them with gray subscriber bricks. Six have already been installed; 59 spaces are left. The $100 per brick cost to be part of this new downtown attraction will benefit the Spirit of Princeton to underwrite costs of the annual Memorial Day Parade, July Fireworks and other patriotic celebrations.

If you are interested in a single brick for yourself, for a relative, or to honor someone – or multiple family bricks of which there are many – please call my office at (609) 921-3800 and we will supply you a form. The remaining bricks will be installed in early spring, because it takes eight to twelve weeks for delivery.

HERB HOBLER
Treasurer
Spirit of Princeton

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