Middletown Democrats

SHORT RALLIES TO SAVE
WALSH FAMILY PROPERTY

MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP (MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ): Middletown Democrat for Township Committee Patrick Short brought his defense of the Walsh property on West Front Street, Middletown, back before the freeholders on May 25.

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Publication

May 26, 2006

POC: Middletown Democrat for Committee Patrick Short
Home Telephone: (732) 796-9574

SHORT RALLIES TO SAVE
WALSH FAMILY PROPERTY

MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP (MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ): Middletown Democrat for Township Committee Patrick Short brought his defense of the Walsh property on West Front Street, Middletown, back before the freeholders on May 25.

Short attended the regular session of the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders, held in Manalapan at the county library there, along with Middletown school board member Patricia Walsh, and spoke in favor of the county not exercising eminent domain on Walsh’s family property, which is also the site of the Walsh family home.

“I asked the board to actively get involved with the project because when you talk about eminent domain those are not your typical engineering projects. So, these projects should include senior leadership from the board to ensure a thorough review is conducted and
a good decision is made,� Short said.

Short characterized the use of eminent domain as “a last resort.� “I reminded the freeholders that no action is, indeed, an action,� Short said.

Currently, the county is considering the imposition of eminent domain attendant to a planned bridge replacement involving the West Front Street Bridge, the span that joins Middletown and Red Bank in the vicinity of Red Bank’s west side.

On May 18, Short joined Walsh at her family’s home and held a press conference attended by Walsh’s neighbors and the media wherein Walsh and Short explained some of the drawbacks to the current county plan to reconstruct the bridge. “People and especially our taxpayers have got to be a prime consideration of government,� Short said. “I do not believe this project has been fully evaluated by Freeholder
Director William Barham and I cannot believe that, once reviewed, this board or this freeholder director will take this family’s property away,� he said.

Short is seeking input from area neighbors and Middletown residents at-large insofar as this issue. He is encouraging residents to call him at (732) 796-9574 with any questions or concerns.

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