Oh Really?

As far as the other towns' reluctance to take part, [Lebanon Borough Mayor Mark] Paradis said, "we're not trying to tell them what to do."

'The Star-Ledger'

01/11/2009

I appreciate this comment, I really do, but I'll go back to the night that Greenwich Township Mayor Elaine Emiliani attended Alpha's Council Meeting to present the Route I-78 Scenic Byway Proposal.  Mayor Emiliani got defensive during my questioning and called me rude, disrespectful and antagonistic.  The way she came across that night sure made me feel that it was her way or the highway...no pun intended.  Mayor Paradis may not be trying to 'tell us what to do', but their [I-78 Corridor Historic and Scenic Byway Alliance] Warren County Contact definitely tried and it didn't work.  Mayor Emiliani stated at our meeting (and quoted in 'The Express-Times' on 09/24/2008) "You're the only town that hasn't bought into this, I didn't anticipate it would be this difficult."  Oh really?

But three other towns initially proposed as part of the byway -- Alpha, Phillipsburg and Bridgewater -- opted not to take part, reducing the 29-mile scenic swath originally envisioned to about 24 miles.  

'The Star-Ledger'

01/11/2009

Was she purposely misleading us, trying to make us feel like the odd man out?  I guess we'll never know.  Just for the record, this proposal has come up at our Council Meetings a total of four times - twice in August and twice in September.  It was voted on at three of those meetings and defeated.  I guess the first two votes didn't send a clear enough message, so Mayor Emiliani showed up to 'tell us what to do'.  I wish we spent the same amount of time on more pressing matters - like property taxes, land preservation and economic development.