when making your choice To the editor: Frank Hannan, an officer of the West Milford Republican Organization, submits weekly articles to our local newspapers that are misleading partisan political nonsense. He writes pieces of information out of context, and without doing adequate research. For example, he recently bashed the Democratic Passaic County Freeholders for nominating Freeholder Tahesha Way for a Highlands Council seat rather than Freeholder Terry Duffy. Indeed, Duffy has been an outstanding Freeholder for West Milford. Among other contributions, Duffy has worked tirelessly on getting many miles of our roads paved and on getting the “Dead Man’s Curve” area of Greenwood Lake Turnpike realigned by the county (for millions of dollars). Hannan suggests that Ms. Way was nominated for the Highlands Council because she is running for Freeholder this year, and that Duffy would be a better nominee because he lives in West Milford, in the Highlands. But, then Hannan goes on to imply that Duffy is not representing West Milford interests at the county level, saying “We need someone to start representing the interests of the taxpayers on the Freeholder Board.” However, the facts show that Ms. Way, Esq. is most qualified for a Highlands Council seat because she has a distinguished legal background, including being on the Articles Review Board for the Virginia Environmental Law Journal when she lived in that state. The major responsibility of the Highlands Council is making environmental law decisions, including zoning. Further, Ms. Way’s residency in Wayne was also relevant to her nomination, as she replaces Lois Cuccinello to hold the only Highlands Council seat out of 13 to represent the water users, as opposed to the water producers. Isn’t it nice to have a water-user representative who really cares about our West Milford environment? Shortly after Ms. Way became a freeholder, she had a meeting with officials of Highlands environmental groups, such as Skylands CLEAN, the Pequannock River Coalition, and Wanaque Reach, as well as local environmental leaders including past West Milford Democratic Councilman Andy Gargano and myself to brainstorm about Highlands issues. Ms. Way will have my vote for freeholder in November. Although the up-county environmental groups are non-partisan, I have never known of any Republican freeholders meeting with them. Republican County Freeholders have generally been pro-development. While we’re considering the environmental orientation of our officials, let’s also consider the local scene. That includes past Republican Councilman Denis Kirwan, president of the Long Pond Development Corp., who supported having Eagle Ridge developed, spoke against the Highlands Act, was largely responsible for disbanding the West Milford Open Space Committee and was against preserving our important open space parcels. Then there was past Republican Councilman Paul Bailey, who was also supportive of developing Eagle Ridge, was against the Highlands Act, and spent about $14,000 on a slick West Milford tourism newspaper, when we have few tourist activities and no lodging, other than a small bed-and-breakfast. And, Republican councilman, now council candidate Joe Smolinski, was outspoken about shifting future Open Space funds to remove stones from West Milford ball fields, when Parks and Recreation already has millions of our tax dollars for such jobs. Past Republican Councilman Joe Elcavage fought harder than any councilman to support Eagle Ridge, as he worked for Weichert Realty, which was on board to be the sales agent for Eagle Ridge. Elcavage is on the MUA Board and pushing for the Olde Milford Sewage Plant to service his dream of a future Valley Ridge development. The MUA has been seeking future sewer hook-ups from both Eagle Ridge and Valley Ridge in order to bring money to their utility. Is that why Republican Steve Sangle, chair of the West Milford Environmental Commission, and also on the MUA Board, led the commission in over an hour of bashing Councilman Warden and me for taking water samples of the polluted effluent from the Olde Milford sewage plant? Why did West Milford Republican councilmen appoint their Council Candidate Sal Schimmenti to the MUA Board? And what about Republican Planning Board appointment Steve Castronova, who provided substantial funding and office space to the West Milford Republican Organization, and who owns a commercial establishment neighboring the Valley Ridge tract? Is he the Pinecliff resident who, twice, ripped down the 40 flyers posted in the community encouraging folks to attend the Valley Ridge Planning Board hearing, as sewage and storm-water from that tract would pollute Pinecliff Lake? The MUA and the big-time developers appear to be Siamese twins. Both seek future townhouses to deplete our scarce ground water and pollute our environment with stream-discharged effluent. It is indeed refreshing to see West Milford Democratic Council candidates Jim Geist and Jim Rauth make preserving West Milford’s natural environment and rural quality of life a key-stone in their platform. They volunteered time to help Skylands CLEAN get out a mailing to alert West Milford residents about Valley Ridge problems. They have also helped to distribute flyers and to talk to West Milford residents about the legal and environmental issues covering both major townhouse developments. West Milford residents who want to preserve our beautiful environment and protect it from being replaced by hundreds of townhouses should join me in voting for Jim Rauth and Jim Geist for West Milford Council in November. Pro-environment Councilmen Nolan and Warden need these two Jim’s help and support on the council’s environmental votes. Doris Aaronson West Milford