Tony Graham colum for Saturday Press panning WLB action blocking the MAAC
Folks, sorry I am pasting this so late...
I have just a few words for the Out of Touch Trio of the West Long Branch Zoning Board of Adjustment, Ellen Anfuso, Douglas Bostwick, and John M. Aria.
The words would be, "selfish, selfish, selfish", and "shame, shame, shame.'' These are the members of the Board who Thursday combined to stall a proposal for a multipurpose athletic center (MAAC) for Monmouth University.
While four members of the Board, Chairman Rocco W. Christopher, Board Secretary Irven Miller, and members Samuel Guidetti and James Meola voted to approve, the vote fell one shy of the required five affirmative votes needed to pass.
Even though the measure was defeated, notice my interpretation is ""stall" rather than defeat.
Said Christopher, "My personal opinion is, if the college appeals our decision, if they go to court, the courts will decide in their favor.''
The only statment issued by Monmouth Friday was, ""We are all very disappointed in the vote and the University is exploring all options at this time.''
Said Bostwick after Thursday's vote, ""I live a block away from it, and I see what is going on.'' And what, pray tell, would that be?
Contacted by the Press Friday night, Bostwick declined to comment further.
The Boro of West Long Branch Friday, at least in e-mails to me, was being vilified, portrayed as a town of heartless residents who appear willing to sacrifice the good of the University and the local area over concerns dealing with perhaps some occasional additional vehicles on their streets at nine in the evening.
Aside from the Out of Touch Trio, I doubt this to be true.
Now I understand the concern over potential parking and traffic woes for MAAC events, even though both sides have concluded that would not be an issue.
""Our traffic engineer and their traffic engineer said the same thing,'' said Chistopher. ""It (traffic associated with the MAAC) should not be a problem.''
Let's be realistic, this isn't Giants Stadium.
Christopher noted that Monmouth has done virtually everything possible to assure the MAAC, which would be located inside the campus, would be responsive to any local community concerns.
There was the matter of the Zoning Board asking the University to limit the number of crowds at the arena that might draw 4,000 or more.
Originally requested by Monmnouth at 25 such events, the University agreed to 16. ""Monmouth compromised greatly,'' said Christopher.
The fact of the matter is Monmouth has rarely come close to a crowd of 4,000 for a men's basketball game.
""I could see no reason, with all of this, of voting against it,'' said Christopher. ""I'm sure there were others and residents who disagree with me.
""But there were residents last (Thursday) night and throughout the application that agree with Monmouth.''
Aside from providing the obvious boon to Monmouth men's and women's basketball and its athletic programs overall here is a proposed facility that, from what I understand, would be made available to area and community functions. In the athletic vein it could host high school and local recreation events.
As for Monmouth, beyond athletics, the University plans to move its book store to the center, helping along with fitness facilities, to make the MAAC a campus destination.
This, in turn would free up space in the current student center for academic and student services programming.
The main arena is slated to be available for the entire undergraduate population and professors for annual events like Convocation and Founder's Day, events that today can only accommodate 700 people in Pollak Theater.
How anyone, without a specific or political agenda can oppose the MAAC, at least to me, defies logic.
Unless, of course, you're Out of Touch. If that's the case, your actions are selfish and shameful.
e-mail tonygsports@aol.com
I have just a few words for the Out of Touch Trio of the West Long Branch Zoning Board of Adjustment, Ellen Anfuso, Douglas Bostwick, and John M. Aria.
The words would be, "selfish, selfish, selfish", and "shame, shame, shame.'' These are the members of the Board who Thursday combined to stall a proposal for a multipurpose athletic center (MAAC) for Monmouth University.
While four members of the Board, Chairman Rocco W. Christopher, Board Secretary Irven Miller, and members Samuel Guidetti and James Meola voted to approve, the vote fell one shy of the required five affirmative votes needed to pass.
Even though the measure was defeated, notice my interpretation is ""stall" rather than defeat.
Said Christopher, "My personal opinion is, if the college appeals our decision, if they go to court, the courts will decide in their favor.''
The only statment issued by Monmouth Friday was, ""We are all very disappointed in the vote and the University is exploring all options at this time.''
Said Bostwick after Thursday's vote, ""I live a block away from it, and I see what is going on.'' And what, pray tell, would that be?
Contacted by the Press Friday night, Bostwick declined to comment further.
The Boro of West Long Branch Friday, at least in e-mails to me, was being vilified, portrayed as a town of heartless residents who appear willing to sacrifice the good of the University and the local area over concerns dealing with perhaps some occasional additional vehicles on their streets at nine in the evening.
Aside from the Out of Touch Trio, I doubt this to be true.
Now I understand the concern over potential parking and traffic woes for MAAC events, even though both sides have concluded that would not be an issue.
""Our traffic engineer and their traffic engineer said the same thing,'' said Chistopher. ""It (traffic associated with the MAAC) should not be a problem.''
Let's be realistic, this isn't Giants Stadium.
Christopher noted that Monmouth has done virtually everything possible to assure the MAAC, which would be located inside the campus, would be responsive to any local community concerns.
There was the matter of the Zoning Board asking the University to limit the number of crowds at the arena that might draw 4,000 or more.
Originally requested by Monmnouth at 25 such events, the University agreed to 16. ""Monmouth compromised greatly,'' said Christopher.
The fact of the matter is Monmouth has rarely come close to a crowd of 4,000 for a men's basketball game.
""I could see no reason, with all of this, of voting against it,'' said Christopher. ""I'm sure there were others and residents who disagree with me.
""But there were residents last (Thursday) night and throughout the application that agree with Monmouth.''
Aside from providing the obvious boon to Monmouth men's and women's basketball and its athletic programs overall here is a proposed facility that, from what I understand, would be made available to area and community functions. In the athletic vein it could host high school and local recreation events.
As for Monmouth, beyond athletics, the University plans to move its book store to the center, helping along with fitness facilities, to make the MAAC a campus destination.
This, in turn would free up space in the current student center for academic and student services programming.
The main arena is slated to be available for the entire undergraduate population and professors for annual events like Convocation and Founder's Day, events that today can only accommodate 700 people in Pollak Theater.
How anyone, without a specific or political agenda can oppose the MAAC, at least to me, defies logic.
Unless, of course, you're Out of Touch. If that's the case, your actions are selfish and shameful.
e-mail tonygsports@aol.com
posted by Tony Graham at 12:21 AM
4 Comments:
Great article, Tony.
I'm waiting for MU to appeal.
Tony, Thank You,now get the rest of your reporters working on the story behind the MAYOR. She is the reason for all this actions blocking MU.Get to the bottom of her agenda.
My dealings in this matter are mainly confined to the athletics sphere. Personally, I have no use for politics or politicians though, of course, they are a fact of life. You and others should e-mail our news dept. - metro editor John Schoonejongen (jschoone@app.com), Investigations Editor Paul D'Ambrosio (pmd@app.com), and Managing Editor Gary Schoening (garys@app.com) with any concerns, issues, knowledge, you feel it would be important for them to be aware of re: the government of WLB.
Great Article...Thank you for giving us a voice Tony!
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