POLL: Again, here are the facts

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Author Message   Cheryl Arnedt Citizen Username: Cheryl_arnedt Post Number: 1 Registered: 3-2006 Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 2:45 pm:        Dear MOLers, I am a professional pollster with more than 17 years of polling experience. I never claimed to have taken a “poll” of South Orange residents. That claim was made by another speaker. I did say that the hundreds of people we have personally spoken to over the past four years were a “representative geographic sample” of South Orange residents. Why did I say this? Because in reaching out to civic leaders and residents, we have deliberately gone into a broad range of neighborhoods. In addition, the many dedicated volunteers who are on the various civic boards in town represent a broad range of South Orange residents. Finally, we asked our hosts to invite all their neighbors – whether or not they had heard of or had an opinion of the Tony Smith Sculpture Project. Our intent from the outset has been to educate, not persuade. In fact, two of my close friends who held meetings were, at the outset, opposed to the town spending any money on the sculpture project. They agreed to host the meetings because we wanted to lay out the project from start to finish to all comers. That way, people could make an informed decision about whether they were in favor of or against the sculpture project. Here is a list of the groups to which we have presented: Main Street South Orange, The Village Club, the Montrose Park Historic District Association, the quarry group, the Newcomers Club and Historic Preservation. We presented in these neighborhoods: Vose Avenue, Prospect Street, Ridgewood Road, Harding Drive, Hillside Place, Meadowbrook Lane, two in Montrose and Sherman Place. (We had reached out to residents on Walton Avenue and Thornden Street, but time ran short and we could not organize it in our timeframe.) Once again, if anyone has any questions, please feel free to contact me directly at tonysmithproject@verizonmail.com.   Lizziecat Citizen Username: Lizziecat Post Number: 1137 Registered: 5-2003 Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 4:23 pm:        Well you didn't come into my neighborhood asking for my opinion. Nobody invited me or any of my neighbors anywhere. If you had, I would have told you that I think that spending huge anounts of money on a piece of sculpture is a rotten idea at a time when the town has so many more pressing needs. And I resent the fact that you and your coterie of so-called art lovers are ramming your agenda down the throats of the rest of us with lies and mis-statements.   Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 4670 Registered: 1-2004 Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 1:45 am:        I find it funny that members of the ' advisory board' live on each one of the streets you named. Why is it I live in your neighborhood and nobody in my household was aware of any of your meetings? Same with those who live around me? As a matter of fact, very few of them even knew about the statue and those who did had no idea our taxes we being spent on this statue. Do you really think it's right for the BOT to take money from SOPAC and the roads and sidewalk budget to pay for this? If you have these 100's of people who want this; why don't you and the rest of those who do pay for it? I heard you say you spoke to the majority of South Orange residents and the all wanted the statue. 100's is not the majority of those who live in South Orange, nowhere near it. BUT, even if it were, did you inform these people a grant would not cover the cost but taxpayers money would? Why are you so against putting this project on hold until a vote can be taken of ALL of those who live here? There are so many other things this town needs right now. A statue isn't one of them. Since you and your group went to the Smith family and talked them into this expensive 'gift' I think it only fair you and your organization pay for it. How sad the gazebo and fountain will be destroyed for this. At least they were open an airy. This thing will just cast one big ugly shadow in one of the busiest parts of town. Well, at least it will be a reminder to people who not to vote for in the next election.