און וואס איז די רעספאנד צו זייער עד?

After a careful reading of the expensive full-page ad placed in the Sunday Record of Dec. 12 by the so-called Kiryas Joel Alliance, it became obvious that this splinter group has questionable authority in dealing with the issue of the proposed pipeline. As the article in the Dec. 13 issue of the Times Herald-Record indicated, the political leadership of Kiryas Joel has offered to negotiate the many outstanding issues resulting from the rapid growth of their closed community.
It appears, however, that any negotiations would consist wholly of the KJ community taking and the surrounding area giving. All available evidence appears to indicate that since its inception, the growth and development of Kiryas Joel have been permeated with duplicity and deceit. They say that they want to negotiate, but what security do they offer their neighbors? Whom in the Kiryas Joel community can you believe?
Abraham Moses Genen
Salisbury Mills

Dear Abraham Moses:

I agree with you. The "so-called Kiryas Joel Alliance" indeed has no authority to deal with the pipeline, or with any other issue for that matter. To their credit they said so themselves.

I will, however, take issue with your position that Kiryas Joel takes while the surrounding area gives. Let's use the Harriman Sewer Plant, which is run by Orange County, as an example. This plant was found to be in violation of EPA regulations on many occasions and it was forced to pay fines. Orange County was also sued by developers (outside Kiryas Joel) for not providing them sewer capacity as it was obligated to do.

Orange County had no choice but to defend those costly lawsuits when the Kiryas Joel Sewer Plant came to the rescue. By Orange County's own admission Kiryas Joel saved the County millions of dollars in legal fees.

So, for you to think of yourself, as the "giver" is simply incorrect.

And let me give you just a bit more food for thought. Your school district and the state jointly spend more than $15,000.00 to educate each child in Salisbury Mills, but less than $500 per child in Kiryas Joel. Think about it, Abraham Moses. Are you really the giver and is Kiryas Joel really the taker?

Finally, you ask what security Kiryas Joel offers its neighbors. Offers are traditionally made across a negotiating table not in the media. I can only suggest that you contact Kiryas Joel and I'm convinced you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Pinkus Jakobowitz, who works for a social services agency called the Kiryas Joel Community Council, said he was part of a group that wanted to buy the Etzel property to satisfy a pressing need for affordable housing in Kiryas Joel.

He said he thought his group had an agreement with Petruzzo, and was surprised to hear that someone else had pulled off the same maneuver.