Email your representatives

Please use the following link to email your state representatives making them aware that this home is not welcome in our neighborhood

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/SelectRep.asp

Email Bernie Platt at the following:

[url=CherryHillMail@CHTownship.com]CherryHillMail@CHTownship.com[/url]

Here is what I sent:

Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 11:01:09 -0700 (PDT)
From: Sheri Klein <sklein5198@yahoo.com>
Subject: Group Homes in Cherry Hill
To: dcf_commissioner@dcf.state.nj.us


Dear Commissioner,

I am writing to express to you my reasons as to why I am against the placement of the two group homes in Cherry Hill (specifically Brookfield & Cherry Hill Estates).

My position revolves around the lack of ability of NJ Mentor to adequately handle 5 children aged 8-12 with the staff they have stated will be present at each home. NJ Mentor's representatives were very clear about the extensive credentials of the doctors and counselors who will be visiting the children periodically, however, they were less clear about the regular staff; those who will be responsible for maintaining the safety and appropriate behavior of the children during most of the day (the time when they are not in school or having a session with the doctor and/or counselor).

We were told that the credentials of the regular staff varies from college graduates with masters degrees to those with high school diplomas or the equivalent, as well as those with as little as a few years experience. We were not told the type of experience they posses. Also, we were told that there would be two adults awake to supervise the children over night. Regardless of day or night, two adults against five creative, troubled kids is not sufficient staffing to ensure the safety of any one. How can there possibly be 24/7 line-of-site supervision, as NJ Mentor's claims, when there are only 2 people to watch over 5 kids? It's physically impossible that all 5 children will always be in site of one of the two staff.

My position, which is shared by many others, is for the safety of all children and the belief that this for-profit company, NJ Mentor, can not adequately handle the children proposed for the group homes.

I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Sheri Klein

This is a good idea. But again, there are not enough people on this forum to make a statement. Maybe some flyers, petitions, signs???? Anything to get the word out. Our strength wil lie in numbers!!

VIA EMAIL
dcf_commissioner@dcf.state.nj.us;

September 12, 2007


Commissioner
Kevin M. Ryan, Esquire
Department of Children and Families
222 South Warren Street
PO Box 729, 3rd Floor
Trenton, NJ 08625-0729
609-984-4500


Re: Cherry Hill NJMentor Group Homes

Dear Commissioner Ryan:

It has been some time since our township meeting with regard to the above proposed group homes in Cherry Hill. Neighbors continue to meet and passionately express their fears and concerns for all. Allowing the opening of this group home will create constant fear, torment and angst.

In addition to the already named reasons for this web of issues and deceit to our community, our house lies just 24 feet from house to door and 50 feet from our front door to 1107; in addition, behind the pool on the property is Green Acres. We seriously believe it would be too difficult to keep, feel safe and rely on a shift worker or two to handle five severe behavioral/emotional children. It is not safe for all.


Please know that your decision to go forward with a group home will never be embraced/received now or in the future and our position after transcript review, fact gathering and numerous meetings with fellow Cherry Hill residents, we feel even stronger now than ever.

Sincerely,

Maureen and Bob Gornowski
1109 W. Valleybrook Road
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034-3815
856-795-1460

cc:
Mayor Berni Platt
Assemblywoman Patricia Lampitt
Assemblyman Louis Greenwald (all via email)

MayorPlatt@CHTownship.com; asmgreenwald@njleg.org; aswlampitt@njleg.org

This is the copy of the letter that we have sent, everybody should also send such letters, hopefully it will make them to realise that we are not giving up and we are still the same " angry" residents as they saw at Township meeting, and maybe they will reconsider.


September 12, 2007

Commissioner
Kevin M. Ryan, Esquire
Department of Children and Families
222 South Warren Street
PO Box 729, 3rd Floor
Trenton, NJ 08625-0729
609-984-4500


RE: Group Home Issue at 1107 West Valleybrook Rd, Cherry Hill, Nj



Dear Commissioner Ryan:

The proposed decision of opening the group home facility in the center of our neighborhood has been and will be strongly rejected by the members of our community, as you probably well aware of since the strong and unanimous reaction that has been shown at the Cherry Hill Township meeting on August 23.

We don’t feel that this house is ever be well supervised by 2 adults responsible for the safety of those 5 children and our own. The pre-teens with severe behavioral problems does not belong into such tight residential neighborhood, especially if they will be joining our kids in their classrooms. It is impossible to provide safety of the 5 kids with severe behavioral problems in 5 different classrooms with only 2 supervisors.

Another issue that will immediately arise with the idea of opening such house in the center of the neighborhood is the traffic. We don’t want to see an additional 10 – 15 cars do in and out of our neighborhood every single day and especially night around our houses.
Every single one of us in this neighborhood work hard in order to achieve the quality of life and such group home will only bring additional worries, noise and fears, which are none of us deserved or willing to endure.

We do hope that you will reconsider your decision of placing this group home in the Brookfield development and listen to our appeal, appeal of lawful American citizens, hard workers and taxpayers, who deserve their voices to be heard.

Sincerely,

Alexander and Svetlana Chehet,
1105 West Valleybrook Rd, Cherry Hill, NJ.
cc:

Mayor Berni Platt
Assemblywoman Patricia Lampitt
Assemblyman Louis Greenwald

This is the copy of the letter that we have sent, everybody should also send such letters, hopefully it will make them to realise that we are not giving up and we are still the same " angry" residents as they saw at Township meeting, and maybe they will reconsider.


September 12, 2007

Commissioner
Kevin M. Ryan, Esquire
Department of Children and Families
222 South Warren Street
PO Box 729, 3rd Floor
Trenton, NJ 08625-0729
609-984-4500


RE: Group Home Issue at 1107 West Valleybrook Rd, Cherry Hill, Nj



Dear Commissioner Ryan:

The proposed decision of opening the group home facility in the center of our neighborhood has been and will be strongly rejected by the members of our community, as you probably well aware of since the strong and unanimous reaction that has been shown at the Cherry Hill Township meeting on August 23.

We don’t feel that this house is ever be well supervised by 2 adults responsible for the safety of those 5 children and our own. The pre-teens with severe behavioral problems does not belong into such tight residential neighborhood, especially if they will be joining our kids in their classrooms. It is impossible to provide safety of the 5 kids with severe behavioral problems in 5 different classrooms with only 2 supervisors.

Another issue that will immediately arise with the idea of opening such house in the center of the neighborhood is the traffic. We don’t want to see an additional 10 – 15 cars do in and out of our neighborhood every single day and especially night around our houses.
Every single one of us in this neighborhood work hard in order to achieve the quality of life and such group home will only bring additional worries, noise and fears, which are none of us deserved or willing to endure.

We do hope that you will reconsider your decision of placing this group home in the Brookfield development and listen to our appeal, appeal of lawful American citizens, hard workers and taxpayers, who deserve their voices to be heard.

Sincerely,

Alexander and Svetlana Chehet,
1105 West Valleybrook Rd, Cherry Hill, NJ.
cc:

Mayor Berni Platt
Assemblywoman Patricia Lampitt
Assemblyman Louis Greenwald