ABC Board insulted concerned residents
Dear Editor:
On Jan. 31, during the ABC board meeting, the people of North Bergen were rudely attacked by town officials for having the gall to come to a public meeting and voice our concerns about issues that are important to us.
The fact that in America, 100 citizens can turn out to a meeting on snowy wintery night to calmly and proudly present their concerns to a governing body, as we did on Jan. 31 only to be met by an inquisition of derogatory questions about our purpose and legitimacy, is to me appalling. (North Bergen Reporter, Feb. 5, “NB residents fight Liquor Store”)
The town attorney hired to represent the ABC Board and the members of that board are not fit to hold office. They attacked the 100 residents who showed up in good faith to air their gripes about the overdevelopment and non-stop traffic problems and car accidents on Tonnelle Avenue. The people were simply questioning why yet another strip mall would be allowed to open and why the ABC board was considering granting an approval to a liquor operation application that is riddled with defects.
The fact that the ABC board attorney and its members chose not to deal with the residents’ concerns, but instead attacked the motives of the people who attended, is disgusting and unworthy for a town in America. Rather than acting like responsible representatives of the town, the appointees to the ABC board acted as an Inquisition. They had no interest in listening to the people – only to insult them.
The ABC board attorney and the ABC members appointed by the mayor should at the very least issue a written apology for their behavior.
Sincerely,
Michael Kreutzer