Homeowners need protection

To the Editor: Troubling reports that USAG Chris Christie and his staff have already successfully indicted over 250 crooked community leaders and consultants for selling out their friends and neighbors to special-interest groups prompt the sharing of our respect and admiration for our Committeemen. Ownership of a home is an important component of most people's retirement. We take turning on the tap and the immediate flow of clean water as a given, but... if a well runs dry and another source of clean water cannot be found on your property, your property faces condemnation, and your "banking" on your home as a retirement investment has just "dried" up. We thank Wantage Committeemen, Bill DeBoer, Jeff Parrott and Parker Space for protecting Wantage citizens in denying an assault on the cleanest aquifer in Sussex County proposed by "experts", some of whose names appear as handsomely paid "advisors" to other troubled communities. Taxes are a real concern of every taxpayer, but unless a citizen is a regular attendee at Committee meetings, he cannot begin to imagine the equally challenging, intangible issues that constantly confront our Committee without making the papers, but nonetheless have an important impact on the quality of life and personal resources of Wantage citizens. As we try to drive through other municipalities, we can't help but notice the already sickening, reckless development, nor can we not wonder about the massive, questionable development proposals under consideration and the negative impact they might have on natural resources, the environment, and the health and safety of affected citizens and those of neighboring communities. Bill, Jeff and Parker preserved the health and safety of the residents they serve, have safeguarded our priceless natural resources, are doing an outstanding job of securing farmland preservation, took charge of COAH obligations that were shamefully allowed to slide dangerously (including an authoring of a proposal by Jeff Parrott to have farmland preservation count toward COAH obligations in Wantage and neighboring communities) and have given hope that Wantage Township is not up for compromise by any Board nor for sale for personal gain to any developer. Unsung heroes? We think so. Does character matter? You bet it does! Remember those names; they're few and far between. Ann Smulewicz Wantage