How much money has been used for "open space preservation"???? (and i don't mean buying the house that is now called Meadow Edge Park). Please just give us a break down of the money spent. Then we will have the facts to form an opinion on if our money was spent wisely or not.

Bob, it's a valid question. See my reply on the article -- but baiscally I will look into it in a follow-up story and will do my best to give the readers the breakdown, which should be absolutely doable. Thanks again.

Wouldn’t it be important to provide statistics regarding the number of Barnegat children or other residents participating in recreational sports - those needing fields or specific facilities? How is it possible to make an educated decision regarding recreational needs if there is no published information regarding each sport/league, the number of participants, number of teams, etc.?

The Open Space Fund is nothing more than a sales tax on your property taxes that your elected officials use as a slush fund to keep those campaign/personal benefit dollars lucrative. The benefit to the public is much like a telephone sales pitch. You are led to believe you are helping a good cause, which may even be true, but 85% of the donation goes to the person/persons calling with the rest going to the good cause after expenses are deducted. And when the money is spent on open space, it is usually spent to help some politically-connected entity unload land they either can't sell at top dollar or need/want a tax break on, which is like spending tax money to increase your taxes even more. Open Space Fund = Unspent Money Available = Creative Spending Plans/Uses = A Six-to-Eight Cent Benefit Return to the Taxpayer for Every Tax Dollar Collected. The only open space for an open space fund is in your wallet.

Katia, I appreciate your efforts in attempting to provide additional information regarding recreation statistics. If the Barnegat Township recreation director cannot provide this information, I wonder what information and from what source our township administrator and committee are using to determine the township’s recreation needs?

What was the purpose of clearing such a large area beyond the sodded area of the new "Mirage" softball field at Lower Shore?
I doubt anyone in town is going to hit a ball that far past the foul poles. In fact most professional baseball players couldn't hit one that far.

At Lower Shore Rd. we have 2 softball fields and 2 other fields. One of those fields is a football/soccer field that was built in the late 70's or early 80's. The other is an unfinished football field. Neither of the softball field have an out field fence. Softball and football can not be played at the same time. very poor planning and a large waste of money.
For all the leagues named by the Rec director, none of the basketball teams, or wrestling teams will use these fields. Most of the other named teams or leagues won't use these fields either. Again, only 2 fields of the 4 at Lower Shore can be used at the same time. That's because of POOR planning and a wasted of money. YOUR MONEY.

It needs to be underscored that Barnegat taxpayers continue to fund fields, etc. at the public schools. The field behind the Brackman school is huge and affords enough space for several events to take place simultaneously.

The athletic wonderland adjacent to the high school should be opened to the general public; albeit on a reservation basis. This is Barnegat - - not the Meadowlands. With abandoned/foreclosed homes checkering the landscape of the township we simply do not have the money to cater to special interests who argue that school fields need to be closed to the public even during months when school is in recess.

The political shilling of misusing open space funds to construct fields is an assault on one's sensibilities. The town is filthy - - litter abounds. Kids do not need a plethora of fields "to play." If the fields at the schools suffice during the academic year, why, then, cannot they suffice every single day?

BTW, how are we coming on the audit of time sheets for the township committee members coming along? Got to keep those benefits flowing, guys. 35 hours each and every week!

Captain Mey, the probability of Mr. Cirulli ordering the code enforcement officer to do his/her job so close to his reelection effort is nil. Yes, Barnegat is chocked full of unkempt homes, vacant land areas and more. This did not happen overnight.

Do we not merit public service requirements that can be handed down by the town court for people convicted at the township level? I see "chain gangs" working in other places but never Barnegat. Why???

It would be nice for Patch to dispatch one of their photographers to memorialize the state-of-repair in Barnegat. It would also be smart for opposition candidates in the November township election to do the same.

I ask again, does anybody know how we are doing with the audit of the township committee's time records? "The Boys" need to put in 35 hrs. per week to keep those taxpayer funded benefits.

Ms. Raina, would make for a good investigative story if you were to ask to see those time records. The runaround you will get should make you dizzy!

Thanks, Eric. While I cannot make a commitment to every important story idea my readers are throwing at me, I will definitely consider this as something else to look into. :)

Katia, all you have to do is go down Gunning River Rd by the Baptist Church. You will see 3 homes that have been boarded up, some for over 10 years. Take pictures of them and ask the construction dept. why they haven't issued summons for code violations.

Mr. Cirulli, stood up at a Township Meeting and in a loud voice stated, "no Taxpayer money was used to build the new softball field at Lower Shore Rd." Within a short period of time, Mr. Bredeen gave a presentation and stated at that time, over $55,000.00 had been used of TAXPAYER MONEY. These statements were about a year ago. To date, over $600,000.00 has been spent on fields. That's Six Hundred Thousand Dollars. Unless it came from the tooth fairy, i'll bet Mr. Cirulli can't claim, no taxpayers money was used.

It is ironic that it was the Barnegat Patch that was used to spread the "Cirulli LIE". What ever happened to the "softball Patch blog" that was used to lie to the Barnegat taxpayer. They did their job, got their payoff, and now they are gone.

Also it is ironic that in the above question one of the choices is... "Recreation -- let the kids play!" Anyone with background on this subject knows that "kids" playing was never a factor here. The field was built for a few old men that care very little about kids playing, or the truth involving the use of our tax dollars for this field. Otherwise they would not have lied.

Rick, what you said would be true if they were "hired." However, they were elected. As such, they take what comes with the office - - benefits, stipend, pension, et al.

I am certain the members of the school board and various other boards and commissions survive quite well without picking the taxpayer's pockets. What with all the investigations one reads about in which fraud, time-padding and the like were discovered, what harm can it do to audit the TC here in Barnegat?

If they are "clean," they have nothing to worry about.

Here I go again, agreeing with "Bob Wise".
Open space preservation means leaving existing open space, whether it is an open field or a wooded area as it is.
It doesn't mean clear cutting all vegetation out of an area and creating a clearing to be used for other purposes.
Open space preservation is much like the Farmland Preservation act, where the property is deed restricted in perpetuity for agricultural use.

Rick, you just acknowledged my point and I thank you. The money payments and benefits are fixed - - not hourly.

In the case of the TC, their is a requirement that a minimum of 35 weekly hours devoted to township business be put in. There is no provision for "overtime."

Why, then, are the school board members not on equal footing? As for the appointees on the commissions and boards, their "election" comes via majority ratification of their proposed appointment done by vote of TC members only. Kind of like the sham "electing" the mayor and deputy mayor.

Let's get those time records made public and audit them. Betcha they don't exist.

If I recall correctly the 35 hour requirement has to do with the township committee members receiving their health insurance benefit through the township. Last year or possibly the year before the township switched its employees to the state health benefit plan. As such, all personnel enrolled in the plan must maintain a 35 hour week in order to be eligible. The township committee members' stipend is not based on the hours they serve.

I recall when Hartman was Mayor, the TC tried to build fields by the HS which would have cost 7 million. At that time, residents protested a a vote was taken in Nov. The TC lost, and Lower Shore Rd became an alternative. The softball field was built for the over the hill gang at the Mirage who votes for the GOP. The turf field will turn out to be a boondoggle which wil cost the town plenty in costs and lawsuits.

Since code enforcement been mentioned, does Barnegat charge all the people who park their trailered boats and jet ski's in the narrow streets. also park empty trailers in the streets . 4 which are on the street right around the corner from the Mayor's home.