As president of the New Jersey Coalition of Lake Associations (NJCOLA), I am writing in response to a letter from Kathleen Gorman. The legislation she refers to, Senate Bill S908, recently became law in New Jersey with conditional veto language suggested by Governor Murphy. The new law is clear on its face, but I recognize that it may be debated and challenged.
However, I take issue with Ms. Gorman’s allegations regarding NJCOLA and its member associations. These associations are made up of volunteers who put the best interests of the lake community and its members first and foremost. These volunteers maintain the common properties, make sure the lake is in optimal condition for the use of its members, support the natural resources of their community, and dedicate their time to making sure their association does all that it can do to keep their lake community a beautiful and sustainable community, while at the same time addressing the need for constant expenditures required to ensure compliance with ever-demanding state and federal regulations.
I have personally witnessed the dedication of these tireless volunteers for lake communities. Ms. Gorman’s criticism of these volunteers is completely unfounded. Without these volunteers, our lakes would suffer from mismanagement, our dams would fall into disrepair, putting our communities at risk, and the individual property values of the people who live in lake communities, like Ms. Gorman, would suffer.
I will continue to proudly represent the interest of NJCOLA and its member lake associations.
Ernie Hofer, President
New Jersey Coalition of Lake Associations