From a Boom to Boards
At Fort Hancock, an osprey nest that has been the subject of plenty of talk and interest, lots of money, and changes in expensive drawings and plans is gone. One day it was there, the next … BOOM! it had mysteriously disappeared.
The day after that, a huge boom, bright blue against the drab brown buildings on the historic former army base, appeared on the side of the building. The purpose of such an expensive piece of construction equipment is to enable workers to get to the top, presumably to see what’s going on.
Certainly things that have drawn the attention of so many who are eagerly awaiting the day MAST cadets can do their drills and practice their skills indoors any time, but especially in inclement weather, rather than out on Pershing Field or on the roads as they have been doing for years.
MAST, the Marine Academy of Science and Technology, is one of the five highly acclaimed specialty high schools in the Monmouth County Vocational School District. Each year, its students consistently receive numerous college scholarships to the highest ranked colleges and universities in the nation. Each year, one or more students earn acceptances to any or all of the nation’s military academies. Each year, every graduate leaves that school armed with an education deemed one of the absolute best in the state. Each year, every students gets an education on what it means to be an American, and how much pride each can take in the history of the nation. And Monmouth County taxpayers and the United States Navy pay for all that education, experience and professionalism.
So why is there so much secrecy surrounding so many things about restoring another building to make an outstanding program even better?
Why are there so many who do not feel the public has the right to know what’s going on?
The business administrator for the school district is an intelligent, hardworking, personable and very adept woman certainly capable of all the many duties of her position. She does her job well.
However, when asked why a huge boom is being financed to stand up against a wall where once an osprey nest rested, or what it’s costing to have it there, or how the nest got taken down, her response is “I am unable to answer some of your questions.”
So the same questions were put to the National Park Service Superintendent. That response has not yet arrived.
And then it was presented to the Monmouth County Business Administrator, another very bright woman so adept at her job. That answer has also not yet arrived.
When will personnel who work for Monmouth County, or any other governmental agency recognize that they are in reality, working for the taxpayer?
When will governmental leaders at all levels realize, accept and practice that the public indeed does have the right to know what is going on with their resources, their taxes, and their ideas?
The employees, including brilliant business administrators, take their orders from the leaders the people elect. It doesn’t appear that the elected officials care whether their employees respond to those who pay their salaries, the taxpayers.
The matter at MAST is just one incident. While boards of education are notorious for making it difficult to know what’s going on, municipal and county leaders also are so often reluctant to keep the public informed.
All this is going to get worse. This week, the state legislature is zooming through a bill which will make it more difficult and more expensive for the public to practice their right to know. The new OPRA bill, most likely gaining broad approval by our elected leaders, gives them and their employees more ways to hide things they do not want, or think, the public has the right to know.
We in Monmouth County, in New Jersey, in the United States, and in every municipality with government being paid by the people, need to be more aware, ask more questions and take more action to protect what our forefathers fought so long and hard for.
The people have the right to know.
