This website
is dedicated to the Michelin Plant on Ford Avenue, the Evans Family, Dr Forney and his sons, who
they have given so much
to the town of Milltown and for playing an important role in forming the town we
love and respect. Also dedication goes to the remaining historical sites that
are remaining that we hold dear to our heart, also to the ones that we have lost
to the senseless disregard of our town history and to what makes this town so
special, the residents that live and work here. We need to stop the senseless destruction of our historical
landmarks and Milltown's history now before its to late and is lost forever.
Talking about
our Town History is one Thing- Saving it is Another
Governing body
could have done more to save Forney House
In response to Mayor Bradford's letter to the editor,
"Elected Officials Do Not Have 'Clout' to Supersede the Law"
(Sentinel, Feb. 5), I agree that elected officials should act lawfully. However,
it is not the case that the mayor and Borough Council were unable to intercede
to save the Forney House and Clinic.
It should be obvious that the voices of elected
representatives carry more weight than the citizens they represent. A large
number of Milltown citizens expressed, through various means, their wish that
the Forney House be saved. If the governing body had exercised more leadership
and vision, they could have succeeded in this goal.
For instance, in recent years, when lapse of upkeep of
the Forney House became more obvious, the mayor or other municipal officials
could have taken action to enforce Milltown's zoning code, thus halting neglect
of the property.
T he governing body could have also advocated for
fairness in the various events that took place. One example regards the Zoning
Board proceedings. But there are others.
In a teleconference hosted by the Federal Office of the
Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Councilman Eric Steeber unexpectedly appeared
and supported the bank at a time when the borough could have insisted on more
rigorous consideration of alternative sites for the bank.
At a later meeting by the OCC in July, borough officials
had the opportunity to intercede on behalf of residents' concerns that lawsuits
by Valley National Bank and the property owner against citizen advocates
threatened free public comment in the meeting; however, they chose not to.
The governing body could have asked the bank to accept
the gracious offer by "This Old House" to feature the Forney House in
its magazine in order to find anyone able to move the structure.
Facts did not support Mayor Bradford's assertion made on
NJN News that the Forney House had to come down. The State Historic Preservation
Office had inspected the house and found it sound, as stated in its Oct. 1,
2007, letter.
Even on the day of the Forney House's destruction, the
mayor and borough officials remarkably had the time to watch, while workers
moved hastily with their demolition plans on a site that was incompletely fenced
and inadequately protected residents and the environment from the billows of
dust and debris emanating from the site.
There were clearly many opportunities for the governing
body to act in a manner consistent with a commitment to preserve Milltown's
quality of life and history. The outcome we see demonstrates a different
perspective, based more upon the vision that Valley National Bank has chosen to
impose upon us.
Michael Shakarjian John C. Evans ProjectInc. Milltown
