Dear Editor:
I will not allow Frank Degillo in a letter to another paper covering Secaucus get away with his attempt to make it appear that I am against the bocce league need for a third court. I get annoyed when someone can not understand what to me was a simple question. Frank, people are different, their minds work differently, they have their personal agenda. This case is a matter of my personal opinion, not who is right and wrong, or what is right or wrong. All I did was question the cost of relocation of one bocce court. Frank places a spin on this question, accused me of going after the group of 72, “little people,” (his words not mine) who enjoy playing bocce is absolutely false. For the record, I am one of those little people. For the record. I take pride in being a member on the Paisanos, the Secaucus Bocce League Champions, 2006, 2011, and 2012. I enjoyed beating Frank’s Tortellinis Team over the years and I will enjoy it even more this year, believe me. That being said permit me to provide your readers with some of the many times I have written letters questioning how taxpayers money was being spent. Its all a matter of records.
As a concerned Secaucus resident I became involved in what I believed to be excessive monies that was reportedly being spent in the construction of the Secaucus Municipal Utilities Authority (SMUA) plant. My questioning led to the uncovering of corruption that cost Secaucus tax payers millions in construction and legal fees. It’s all a matter of record.
As an elected Board of Education trustee, (15 years) an appointed Housing Authority Commissioner (5 years) my questioning the needless way taxpayers money was being spent is also a matter of record. To list the number of resolutions, change orders, needless bussing of students, etc I questioned over the years is all a matter of record. Check the record.
With that being said, permit me to explain the purpose of this letter. I attended the 3/12/13 town council meeting. On the Consent Agenda, was a resolution to award a contract for relocation of a Bocce Court in the amount of $31,472,00 for a base bid and $8,458,30 for alternate Bid B in a total amount of $39,930.30 was passed.
Being a participant in the league, I was curious to see where the court was going to be relocated. What type of court was being constructed for $39,930.00 cost. The only thing, in my opinion that would drive up the cost was if they were going to install artificial turf surface.
At the 4/9/13 town council meeting, I expressed my opinion to the mayor and council. I believed the cost to be excessive and if I had been on the council I would have voted no on the resolution. Check the tape of that meeting.
Frank’ s claim quote, “from everything I have read and heard, grant money, which must be used is paying for this.” Frank, that does not mean “grant money” shouldn’t be used wisely?
Bottom line, want to have a memorable evening? Monday April 29, 7:30 p.m. is the start of the Secaucus bocce league. Follow the yellow brick road to Secaucus, or Munchkin Land, Do not expect to see 72 little people singing welcome to lollypop land. Only four teams, six players, not so little, on each team, 24 in total, will play that night. Do not expect the two teams that are successful sneakers to tern into little red shoes. Do not expect to see the mayor of Emerald City, the Wizard of Oz, throwing out the first bocce ball, that honor goes to Secaucus, Mayor Gonnelli. What I believe to be most memorable will be that you will be one of the spectators to see our new $39,930.30 bocce court. Secaucus must now be the envy of every bocce player in Hudson County.
Tom Troyer
Player on the Paisanos,
the team everybody loves to hate!