Sewers

The following reply was received from Rep. Scott Garrett in response to our request for assistance in funding a Wyckoff sewer project:

Congress of the United States
House of Representatives
SCOTT GARRETT

April 10th, 2007

Mr. Douglas Feick
President, Wyckoff Home Owners Alliance
P.O. Box 466
Wyckoff, New Jersey 07481

Dear Mr. Feick:

Thank you for contacting me to express your support for Federal funds for the replacement or repair of sewer systems, such as those in Wyckoff. Like you, I recognize the difficulties facing so many North Jersey municipalities with their aging wastewater treatment systems.' In fact, throughout my tenure, I have worked with a number of those municipalities to secure Federal financial assistance to rebuild, replace, or improve their wastewater treatment systems using the State and Tribal Grant program, commonly known as STAG funding.

You may be interested to know that I am currently working with the Township of Wyckoff to s ecure STAG funding to extend sanitary sewer availability to residential homes. As you noted, nearly half of the homes in Wyckoff use septic systems for their wastewater treatment and the unique mixture of rock and clay land in North Jersey make these septic systems vulnerable to malfunction. I am hopeful that the $2 million appropriations request I have made on the
Township's behalf will help Wyckoff to advance its plans for sewer hook-up for many of those residences in need of assistance.

I was unable to support H.R. 569, the bill which was referenced in the Bergen Record editorial you mentioned in your letter, because two sources of Federal funding already exist for these projects and creation of yet another program could needlessly drain funds from these tested
and true sources. Specifically, sewer projects are already funded through Clean Water State Revolving Fund financing, which equaled nearly $890 million in Fiscal Year 2006, as well as through individual STAG funding. Rest assured I will continue to work with Wyckoff and with other municipal authorities to improve their wastewater treatment systems and, therefore, improve the quality of life for all North Jersey residents. Again, I appreciate your sharing your thoughts on this matter and I hope you will share my response with your neighbors in the Wyckoff Home Owners Alliance. But, please feel free to continue to share your thoughts on this matter. My Legislative Assistant Andrew Wimer can be reached at 202-225-4465.

Sincerely,

Scott Garrett
Member of Congress

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School Related

NEWS April 26, 2007

WHOA has filed three complaints with The School Ethics Commission, New Jersey State Department of Education. The basis of the complaints is the misuse of Wyckoff's Reverse 911 system. The Wyckoff Board of Education and the Ramapo-Indian Hills Board of Education repeatedly have used the calling features to influence parents with children to vote. The Swift Reach system's purpose is for emergencies and school closings. Since Wyckoff taxpayers fund the system, the aforementioned boards of education have behaved in a discriminatory manner by targeting a portion of the electorate sympathetic to their political views and eliminating the rest of the voting population.

In September of 2004 The Wyckoff Board of Education was successful in influencing the passage of a highly controversial $35 Million bond issue by a narrow margin. WHOA can't help but feel that the passage of the bond issue was influenced by the last minute "reminder calling" to parents. Wyckoff taxpayers will be paying dearly for many years to come for the excessive spending based on false information.

In April 2006 the Ramapo-Indian Hills Board of Education and the Wyckoff Board of Education used the system to remind parents of their "responsibility" to vote.

On April 15th and 17th, 2007 the Ramapo Association of Parents & Students (APTS) used the system to target parents again, reminding them of their "responsibility" to vote in local and regional school issues.

WHOA feels the exclusion of "other citizens" by the taxpayer-funded telephone system is an overt act of discrimination against the Wyckoff taxpayer.