'Helipad Has Always Been Hovering,' Former Councilman Says

Dear Editor,

Our Zoning Board rendered an excellent decision on the Overlook Helipad in 2010.  Everyone involved in the issue knew this would not be the end. I introduced an ordinance to make it more difficult for anyone to build a helipad here. My original draft contained many more restrictions but for reasons unknown to me, Council passed a watered down version. Overlook appealed and lost the decision. There was still a serious concern that Overlook would be back and the citizens opposing the helipad remained active. Then, in a 2012 Colt’s Neck decision, the applicant, who had been denied and then failed in an appeal exactly like ours appealed to the DOT and was granted approval. There have been two other similar cases. And now Overlook has appealed to the DOT as many of us anticipated.

This past May, the “Citizens Against The Helipad” predicted Overlook would be back and re-energized their efforts, efforts which I supported. I begin addressing this in the campaign. I wrote on Op Ed piece in which I proposed strengthening my original ordinance. I engaged our residents, particularly those on Oak Ridge, on this issue. My opponent, S. Lizza said nothing. When I pointed this out in a campaign piece, she and L. Allen, local GOP Chair demonstrated not only their complete ignorance of this important subject but also their arrogance by launching a despicable personal attack on me, which can best be summarized by the Groucho Marx line, “Are you going to believe me or your own lying eyes.”  

Shouldn’t candidates should at least know the issues? These disgraceful attacks were no surprise – it is a pattern. The format of the Speak-Up Summit/LOW debate was questions submitted by the audience. Lizza & Allen stacked the room with their supporters. I sat next to Ms. Lizza. She put out in front of her a stack of typed paper. I thought this unusual until I realized what was happening. Her supporters had planted questions and she was actually reading the answers to the planted questions.  

The local GOP leaders like to banter about words like honesty and integrity when what they practice is “deny” and “distort” and “smear and slander.”

Partisan personal attacks may be good politics, but it makes for lousy government. The good news is that there are always more elections, which means more opportunities to honestly educate the public. The best government is not chosen by party leaders but by an informed public. 

Sincerely,

Mike Vernotico