Today's letters: yet another endorsement for Michele Kaish & handicapped parking spaces need to be respected
I proudly write in support of the re-election of Michele Kaish for West Windsor-Plainsboro School Board. As a parent, resident and community member, I strongly believe Michele is the best candidate for this position.
Michele and I met fifteen years ago, when her middle son and my youngest daughter attended pre-school together. I was new to town and back then, playdates for our children meant playdates for mommies too. Those afternoons afforded me the opportunity to get to know Michele and see how she ticked. I've always been struck by Michele's wit and wisdom and wasn't surprised in the least when she ran for our school board in 2012, and am thrilled to know that she is running for re-election.
Over these past fifteen years, I've watched Michele's dedication to our school district both through her involvement in her three sons' educations and activities along with serving her first term on our school board. I've witnessed her commitment to the issues and challenges facing all of our children, from Kindergarten through twelfth grade, always having the best interest of the students in mind. My children may have graduated from our district, but knowing that Michele remains vigilant to the high expectations for our students as well as staff members is what matters the most.
A mature, intelligent, motivated, confident candidate who supports a balanced, well rounded experience for ALL of our five through eighteen year olds is the person we want in the role of school board member.
Please vote Michele Kaish on November 3.
Chris Cirkus
West Windsor
People have complained to me for years about this problem and last week a client told me she's moving because even with handicapped parking she still has to move her car for sweepers twice a week that often don't come. No big deal right? Wrong. Handicapped parking is so the person can park in front of where they live. Instead this is what actually happens each week.
We have to find a parking space across the street. Could be way down the block. On blocks with row houses there are often two or three vehicles per house. Drive the car to the parking spot you find and then WALK HOME. After the specified time WALK BACK TO THE CAR and drive it home. This could be in rain, snow or worse ice.
This negates the reason we have handicapped parking in the first place. That's 32 trips in 30 days. For those using a walker, cane or crutches it's a problem in the rain, ice or snow because they slip and slide. The woman that's moving fell last winter on the ice moving her car.
I received a notice on April 18 that I didn't appear in court for a ticket for not moving my car (in my handicapped space) on February 12. The temperatue was below freezing and the street was a sheet of ice. I didn't move the car because I was afraid I'd fall on the ice and that could mean getting hurt, etc...if I fell and ended up in the hospital was the city going to pay the bill? A couple days later I went out just to start the car and there was no ticket. My windshield wipers were up because I didn't want them to freeze again. So I don't know where whomever put the ticket there was none there. I had spoken to Mr. Brown who decided when the sweepers go out and he told me they don't go out when it's below freezing, raining or snowing. He also said the Police Department was informed. I called the Police Department and a woman told me they go by the signs, not the weather when giving tickets and she said they are not notified when the sweepers do not go out. That Mr. Brown was lying.
I called the phone number on the notice for 3 days and no one answered the phone so I finally had to mail a check for $65.00 or go to court. I considered going to court about it, but obviously common sense isn't used when giving tickets out and I could have just been told the sign says move--and I'd have to pay it anyway.
In September of 2014 I spoke to someone on City Counsel about the problem and was told they would speak to the Chief of Police about the problem. Never heard anything. This spring I spoke to another member to see if I should go to one of the meetings about it and was told of course I could go to a meeting but they doubted it would help. Does it make sense to have to move a vehicle in rain, snow
ice when obviously no sweepers are going to come and get a ticket if you don't?
So now winter is coming and unless handicapped people have a nice neighbor that lets them park in their yard or driveway, it's going to be a rerun of the same thing again. It's really a problem all year long, but winter is worse. Anyone have a solution?
Adrienne Emley
Trenton
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