I can't stop thinking of why four Board Members, in a 2-hour Board meeting, would vote to replace our Attorney Firm, McLain and Winters, and actually hire a replacement without prior notice to the public and three board members - other than when it showed up as an Agenda item three days before the meeting. Then to hire a new Attorney after a few presentations but without serious deliberation or public debate, without considering the potential serious consequences? That is, they hired an attorney firm whose last action in Salem Township in 2001 was writing and submitting a "Consent Judgement" (you can view it here Salem prop judg) to the Court for approval of a 16-pump gas station, a fast food restaurant, a sit-down restaurant, and a Retail Shopping Center on Gotfredson Road near the M-14 interchange. This action was recommended as the best course of action based on their expertise. As we know, the entire case was later dismissed by the court through our now former township attorney Doug Winters intervention, when he pointed out that the developer had not completed all available administrative remedies. That's just common sense whether you're an attorney or not. Does this sound like a wise and prudent deliberation, or some kind of political pay back? The four Board Members who pushed this motion through are Supervisor Robert Heyl, Treasurer Paul Uherek, and Trustees Marcia Van Fossen and Wayne Wallazy.
Where else in the midst of highly developed communities could you find another Salem where 
we still have working dairy and horse farms, and hundreds of acres of open space for the growing of hay and corn, and produce farms growing sweet corn, tomatoes, and pumpkins instead of seeing sub-divisions or a "Retail Shopping Center"? Where else would you find so many woodlands that give us peace and quiet and is Mother Nature's showplace for spring and fall colors? Or the deer and their fawns coming out of the woods to graze in your back yard? Where else would you find wetlands where busy muskrats are building homes that the Egrets find to be a great place for sunning once the early morning mist slowly gives way to the warmth of the sun? Where hawks make lazy circles in the sky? Where we still do not have any strip malls, not even one gas station along with their traffic congestion?
Would anyone ever think that this came about by accident? We have been fortunate that during the time of extreme growth in surrounding areas that we had board members, and a Planning Commission that had a vision and dreams and took necessary action to keep those visions and dreams alive. And even more fortunate that we had an attorney Doug Winters that shared those same dreams who showed us the way, the correct way, protected from outside interests who only had self-interests in mind. An attorney that found for us another attorney John Whitman, from the Garan Lucow law firm, that was not intimidated by big name law firms and was instrumental in achieving a monumental decision against Gas Recovery Systems) (GRS - they produce gas from our landfill) that will provide Salem with financial wealth and stability for at least the next 30 years. (you can view a copy of the check here Download GRS check).
I might have gotten on my soap box a bit, but I am passionate about Salem Township. I'm grateful to all those that have helped to keep our quality of life as we know it today. And the more people that can help keep this vision and dream alive, the better off we will all be. I hope you will remember the names of the above four Board Members.
Sincerely,
Fred
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