It’s been a week for open letters to Trenton.
The Observer’s Co-owner and Advertising Director Lisa M. Feorenzo wrote a letter today to Gov. Phil Murphy and sent it to him by email via Deputy Press Secretary Matthew Saidel, with whom she “chatted” on the phone earlier today. Mind you, the discussion, which lasted about 10 minutes, was one-sided. Saidel listened but said very little.
For others who may wish to write letters, Saidel’s email address is matthew.saidel@nj.gov.
The text of the letter is below.
1 May 2019
Gov. Phil Murphy, C/O Matthew Saidel
Deputy Press Secretary
Office of the Governor
Trenton, N.J. 08608
Dear Gov. Murphy:
This letter is a follow-up to a phone call I had with your Deputy Press Secretary Matthew Saidel earlier today.
Attached is a PDF of the coverage my newspaper has given to the situation at the Keegan Landfill in Kearny. We have also done significant online broadcasting (LIVE) of the situation and have had thousands of views from all across the state. I am the owner of the newspaper as well as a resident of the Town of Kearny, which you say you’ve visited “often,” yet frankly, I am not sure when those visits have happened.
When I spoke with Matthew, I informed him of several things. There’s the young boy who at 2-days-old had to have lung surgery and whose dad was told he needs to live in a town where the air quality is good.
There are the teenagers who have been vomiting after soccer practice at Harvey Field (adjacent to the landfill.) These same children can’t play on that field when the hydrogen sulfide levels reach 15 parts per billion — and they often exceed that — which is obscene itself given that Kearny is known as Soccertown U.S.A.
I am demanding an answer — from YOU — for my community. I will go to whatever extremes I need to to make sure the voters in the eight towns I cover know you have ignored us. I will also reach out to radio stations and other media outside our coverage area to ensure they know, as well, what you have not done for us. I have never allowed my newspaper to be “political,” but I will spare no expense to ensure our communities support anyone but you in the 2021 election.
It is a disgrace that on the same day as the Keegan protest, you ran a 5K Earth Day race. Kearny residents, children, pets, had MASKS ON THEIR FACES that day as you ran in Liberty State Park. Our Mayor Alberto Santos hasn’t even heard from you! What gives? We, as a newspaper, want to hear from you. Our community deserves answers from you, Governor. Please contact me at 201-991-1600. If I am not available, Kevin Canessa could take your call. My email address is lisa@theobserver.com — and Kevin’s is kc@theobserver.com.
Hope to hear from you sooner than later.
Very Truly Yours,
Lisa M. Feorenzo
Co-Owner & Advertising Director
The Observer newspaper
Kearny, N.J.
