AIM West Milford from Butler, New Jersey • A4

St 3 OP-ED 'Purple Haze' or Letters to the Editor 'Ball of Confusion' CM BY ROBIN O'HEARN herself to be logical and fair. She advocated for the rights of the residents and expected the large-scale developers to abide by the same rules and regulations. Unlike many other planning board members, she refused to provide these big developers with blanket exemptions and extensions. Her decisions were based on protecting our environment, our residents, and our tax base. Bettina has remained active in West Milford for so many years that I sincerely believe that we, the taxpayers, will indeed be rewarded with the same dedication she has always given to West Milford if we vote Row on Nov.

6- and elect Bettina Bieri as our mayor! I am voting for Marilyn Lichtenberg DEAR EDITOR: I have known Marilyn Lichtenberg for over 30 years. After she had her first child I had mine six months later and the same thing occurred with our second births. We have been the best of friends. She helped me in many ways. My husband left me when my daughter was only 1 month old and Marilyn was my support.

I am not the only person who she has helped. She is a dynamic person. When her first husband passed away she had to run two corporations, and raise two teenagers. Upon remarrying she had another child with an age difference of 17 and 19 years. We do not see each other often, even though we live in the same neighborhood.

Marilyn is always busy volunteering and I have a full time job, but I can pickup the phone anytime and she will brighten my day. I once told her I can't figure out how she finds the time volunteering, raising another family and working as an active realtor. She has said she is a Jill of all trades but mistress of none and "The woods would be very empty if no birds sang there except those that sang the best." I consider her to be my sister. I definitely will be voting for Marilyn Lichtenberg on Nov. 6.

If you want an honest hard working professional as our Township Council person, I hope you vote for her also. in this process. In fact, the township received a $30,000 grant from the Highlands Council to create a redevelopment plan, which they completed last year. The areas that the West Milford Planning Department identified as ripe for redevelopment were in Hewitt along Greenwood Lake Turnpike, along Marshall Hill Road and Union Valley Road where the current shopping centers and commercial sites exist, and along the Route 23 corridor near Newfoundland's small commercial strip. What these sites have in common is existing developed area with lots of impervious cover in the form of buildings, parking areas, and pavement.

Once identified, these sites will go through an approval process with the Highlands Council and DEP to become officially designated redevelopment zones. Mr. Hannan further confuses the issue with discussion of a former gas station with contamination issues as a potential brownfield redevelopment site. This site has development potential under the Act, but only if it is properly cleaned up and is suitable for further development. Again, brownfields redevelopment is in no way dependent on SEE O'HEARN, PAGE 5 Guest Contributor Frank Hannan uses the old Jimi Hen- drix song title "Purple Haze" to characterize the local debate over the Purple Blotches of the Highlands Regional Master Plan.

Unfortunately, Mr. Han-nan's critique shows a complete lack of understanding of the Purple Blotches and implies that they are necessary to redevelopment in the Highlands. His piece would have been more aptly titled, "Ball of Confusion" based on the old Temptations' hit. Redevelopment is defined clearly in the Highlands Act as being allowed on Preservation Area for parcels that are at least 70 percent impervious cover. Period.

They are not now, nor have they ever been dependent on the Purple Planned Community Zones. So to imply that removing the Purple Blotches will eliminate the possibility of redevelopment is both misleading and completely wrong. Preservation area towns will identify potential redevelopment sites that meet that 70 percent impervious standard for review and approval by the Highlands Council. West Milford has begun to identify redevelopment sites and engage Maria Harkey Former Mayor West Milford It is time to step up to the plate In response DEAR EDITOR: In another example of how brutal and shameless partisan politics can be in West Milford, embattled Planning Board Chairman Mike Tfank has been very busy late- iy- On a letter writing campaign he has taken the time to write several twisted and distorted letters in order to get an unopposed Republican Mayor and Council elected in West Milford. Attacking someone like Mayoral Candidate Bettina Bieri, who has done more for West Milford through her work at the animal shelter than Tfank could ever dream of, I believe speaks volumes about who Tfank really is.

What Tfank didn't say in his letters though, is that he has contributed $800 to the local Republican campaign, worked hard behind the scenes to promote high-density development in West Milford and left a void of leadership as Chairman of the Planning Board. His four-year tenure on the Planning Board ends this year, and he wants to guarantee his re-appointment by having an all republican mayor and council. Tfank figures that if he is successful with his smear campaign, he figures to be a shoo-in for the job for another four years. In his final days of his current term on the planning board, perhaps Tfank should be putting more effort into working for the township's best interests, instead of his own. Ruth Deinzer West Milford Bieri as mayor; a wonderful prospect DEAR EDITOR: I have known Bettina for many years and always knew she had the drive and the ability necessary to become a true leader for West Milford.

She is an exemplary mother to her son and daughter, a well-known tax accountant, and a tireless volunteer. Bettina has been honored for her dedication to helping make the West Milford Animal Shelter a nationally recognized haven for lost and unwanted animals. Furthermore, as a direct result of her commitment, the WMASS has received numerous grants over the years and has expanded its facilities multiple times, adding to the shelter's ability to provide a comfortable environment for its visitors. In the years that we served on the planning board together, Bettina proved was the fact that the township had the house designated historically on a municipal level a decade ago. However, state and federal designations are a requirement for grant eligibility.

Applications were never submitted or pursued. Past and future hopes of a rescue in any form is most unlikely. The decades of deterioration that have enabled this prize possession to fall into ruin have nearly destroyed any spark of historical restoration hope for this structure. While many important architectural elements of the site still remain, it may not be possible to save it entirely. It is truly a crime that was allowed to happen! This building bears a date of 1754 and is the oldest home in the township of West Milford.

Original owners were pensioners on the 1840 registry for the Revolutionary War, namely Joseph D. Tichenor. His cousin, Isaac Tichenor, is listed as well a graduate of Princeton who served under G. Washington and went on to become Governor of Vermont. Members of the Tichenor family are buried right here in town at the Presbyterian Church yard.

A recent newspaper article stirred the interest of our remarkable veterans: Korean War -Vietnam and the current Iraq conflict. They are angered by the total disregard and overlooldng of their brother soldier homestead. But don't take my word for SEE DUFFY, PAGE 6 BY ELAINE YOUNG DUFFY Guest Contributor Some board members may recall that I came to your office in Paterson over a year ago with the hope that we might make some progress and possibly a sincere effort to save the existing structure located at 22 Warwick Turnpike known as the AgnewTichenor House. You are aware that I represent a group known as Friends of the Tichenor House, a 501 (c) 3 corporation headquartered in Hewitt, whose mission is to save the oldest Dutch Colonial dwelling. Original goal to historically restore this building is now on the back burner, and we propose to make use of it as a center designed for early intervention for children with autism and Trisomy 21.

While our hopes were high and we were well intentioned we did not receive the slightest bit of encouragement or, for that matter, any cooperation. There was no monetary solicitation proposed at the meeting to the County of Passaic (landlord), only a request to help secure the property and house from vandals. A simple $2 lock for the door of the caretaker's house would have been a start. For those unfamiliar with the property and situation, please know that the Township of West Milford does not own the house or the 220 acres of parkland surrounding the structure. The only interest that has manifested in the past James Warden Councilman West Milford Letters Policy E-mail letters to the editor to aiminorthjersey.com, or send to AIM Newspapers, P0 Box 976, Hewitt, 07421.

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