Dear Editor:
I enjoyed reading the letter from the former head of the Weehawken Environment Committee about Dr. Ben Goldman, who is running for Council At-Large. Dr. Goldman has volunteered thousands of hours attending public hearings at town hall, reviewing technical documents associated with town activities, advising leaders of local civic organizations, negotiating with local officials, and testifying as both an expert and as a member of the local public. I know the Weehawken Environment Committee should be as grateful for Dr. Goldman’s generous contributions as I have been as the head of Friends of the Weehawken Waterfront. Both the WEC and the FWW have solicited Dr. Goldman’s advice for years. The Turner administration had once thought so highly of Dr. Goldman expertise to offer him a contract to be the Town’s environmental consultant.
But as soon as Dr. Goldman began volunteering his efforts to change what he saw as ill-conceived plans regarding our waterfront, the Turner administration turned a deaf ear to not only his advice, but also to the concerns of thousands of other residents who want to stop over-development in Weehawken. So I am not at all surprised that Dr. Goldman is not attending recent public hearings in town. Why should he waste his time when he knows his concerns will be ignored?
Instead, Dr. Goldman has been out ever night and every weekend meeting registered voters in Weehawken to find out what they want for Weehawken’s future. The rest of the courageous slate of WIN candidates — Ari Laszlo, Rob Terhune, Karen Brady, and John Hubbard — have been doing the same, and I should note for the purpose of full disclosure that none of these other four candidates are or have ever been members of FWW. The response is overwhelmingly supportive of WIN’s goals to stop overdevelopment, open our government to new voices, and get economic development where people need it most.
In short, there’s only one way for anyone to see Dr. Goldman’s input reflected in decisions at Town Hall — or the input of any of the other fine WIN candidates who are determined to represent our views. That’s to vote for them on May 14.
Doug Harmon
President
Friends of the Weehawken Waterfront