New to Twitter

Happy to announce that VeniVidiScripto is now on Twitter!  With a number of readers asking why we’re not on the platform, it became necessary to check into it and then wonder ourselves, why are we not ?

Since there was no good reason not to be there, we have now expanded VeniVidiScripto so those who like to get the abbreviated version of the news, comments, complaints and praises on the popular blog can see them on here as well.

For those who feel it would be impossible for me to write anything brief enough to be considered for that platform, never fear!  There is a link in each tweet to the full story so if you’re wanting to know more, to read the full story … you can indeed have your cake and eat it too!

Follow us on here:  https://twitter.com/venividiscripto

Endangered

Preservation New Jersey announced its idea of the ten most endangered historic places in New Jersey in a press release this week.

It included only one endangered place in Monmouth County, the Joseph Murray home and barn at Poricy. That is the home of the Revolutionary War hero known for spying on the British at Sandy Hook as well as commandeering supplies for the troops during the war that helped create the nation.

The endangered list also includes a railroad freight station, a grist mill, a carriage house the former home of a wealthy miller, a tavern, a church, and a convent that was on its way to being restored until the state decided religious buildings shouldn’t receive dollars for historic preservation.

The endangered program spotlights irreplaceable historic, architectural, cultural, and archeological resources in imminent danger of being lost. It shows the important Preservation New Jersey places on their importance to the heritage of New Jersey and draws attention to the predicaments that endanger their survival and the survival of historic resources. Its purpose is to attract perspectives and ideas to become creative in saving them. The list was generated from some ideas and nominations from the public.

The press release goes on to show the support it gets from the National Park Service, The Sandy Hook Foundation, and Monmouth University Department of History and Anthropology.

The announcement was made at a ceremony at the historic Spermaceti Cove No. 2 Life Saving Station in the Gateway National Recreation Area at Sandy Hook.

And here’s the kicker….  As if holding the announcement ceremony on Sandy Hook wasn’t enough…..The accompanying photo was of a very old, or very touched up photo of the endangered Officers Row homes facing Pershing Field on Fort Hancock.

Not endangered

Let’s think about this. With the millions of visitors Sandy Hook gets each year, albeit admittedly primarily for its beaches, wouldn’t you think there would be some thought of being a bit more attentive to the falling down, dilapidated, endangered ruined barracks and historic homes at Fort Hancock that have been historic, noted, recognized admired and been the site of both war and peace?

Isn’t it rather insulting that while those gracious officers’ homes are depicted on the press release, they’re not even shown in their actual heartbreaking condition in which they currently exist.  Nor are they considered among the ten most endangered buildings in the state…. even just one of them.

How can the National Park Service be touted as supporting preservation when they themselves have not done a thing to save these endangered buildings since the 1950s when they were active?

How can the National Park Service be touted as supporting preservation when everyday they show they don’t care about these endangered buildings.

Oh yeah, now they’re getting new roofs here and there, there are supports holding up the porches, and lots of attempts at salvation are being made now just to let them survive.

But where the heck have, they been for decades? Is historic preservation new to New Jersey or to the United States federal departments?

It’s a great thing that Monmouth Count, primarily because of the interest and toughness of the indefatigable Lillian Burry, is working, slowly but surely, to save one of the barracks along Pershing Field. They just did a terrific job of saving a smaller one, one that will live again for young NJROTC cadets, many of whom plan to on military uniforms and protect and defend the nation.

But do either Monmouth County or the National Park Service think about how they have slowed down the barracks construction that will also house high school cadets?

Do they remember the work that had to be halted because it got underway too late, and the nesting ospreys beat them to the punch?

Do they remember the number of different architects from the county, state and park service who apparently couldn’t ever meet together and come up with a single plan that would have saved the building as well as taxpayers’ money? It seems the plans changed as different historic architects from different county state and federal agencies saw the plans, causing more waste of money, less work on preservation and little progress.

There are plans for apartments altering the insides but saving some of the historic homes on Officers Row, but Monmouth County had to meet specific criteria for saving even the inside of the buildings they are trying to preserve.  Anyone remember the stairway to the ceiling?

It’s laudable that a private entrepreneur will be making a very expensive effort to preserve those homes along Officers Row. But where has the Park Service been? Where has New Jersey Preservation been? Where has Monmouth University’s History Department been when it comes to Fort Hancock over the past decades?

For that matter, where have the millions of people who love to visit Sandy Hook been when it comes to calling on Congress to demand that this very important piece of history through the centuries is not treated with the respect and renovation it deserves?

Voting?

For those voting for the first time in next week’s Primary Election, or those who have not voted in a few years,  and for all voters in this and every election, stop a minute to praise and thank the poll workers, the Monmouth County Board of Elections,  and all those workers who do an outstanding job of teaching poll workers the intricacies and novelties of the sophisticated voting equipment that is now comfortably in place in Monmouth County polling locations.

Thanks to a well-practiced and well-versed team of teachers, for those two hours or so classes that cover everything about how to use the voting machine and be an efficient poll worker from the open procedures, through resolution of whatever problems may come up, to the closing procedures at the end of a very long day.

Each poll worker is given a ream of information, well explained, well thought out, and complete with photographs to be sure readers know precisely what is being taught. There is a complete 32 -page voting equipment manual guide booklet plus a 35-page poll worker manual to ensure each poll worker knows what to do for every voter. There are even telephone numbers to call for immediate help should a question arise that can’t be answered, or a problem occurs with a machine to ensure every vote counts.

Nice as well, that Monmouth County Board of Elections Commissioners and the staff of the Board of Elections recognize the hard work and diligence of poll workers. They explain both hard work and diligence are essential towards upholding the sanctity of the election process, the cornerstones of democracy. The commissioners point out that without diligent poll workers, “we would not be able to hold our elections to the high standards that all voters of the county expect and deserve.”

The equipment manual makes it easy to begin the day, explaining in detail, and complete with accompanying photos everything that must be done in the hour between when the poll worker arrives and the 6 a.m. opening of the polling place.  The suitcase with all the equipment necessary even stocks power strips and extension cords, and directions and photos make it easy to know what is going where. There are sections to ensure the poll worker knows how to verify information, where the lights are to show whether the procedure has been followed properly, and hints to poll workers to “do your best…”

Once the desk where a voter comes in is set up, the voting machine opening procedure is also explained in great detail, with instructors urging that workers team up, with one reading the instructions out loud from the manual, the other following, added assurance everything is perfectly in place and connected before the first vote is cast.

At the end of the day, the closing procedure is just as well described, again, complete with photographs, to ensure the voting machine is tuned off completely, the flash drive with all the votes is taken out carefully and placed in the proper binder with the written results report also showing the results.

If all of that isn’t enough, there’s even a troubleshooting guide for extra help.

The Poll Worker Manual covers just about every scenario which could possibly come up during an election day, from who has what responsibilities,  To checking the supplies to be sure everything’s there, even a checklist for extra security,  to what ID a voter has to provide, mail-in ballots, provisional ballots,  standard ballots, proper polling locations, challenging voters, even emergency paper ballots and the rare times they are used.

The team of instructors make sure poll workers know the importance of their position, the necessity for them to do everything according to their manuals, and the need to arrive on time at 5 a.m. to ensure they are ready for that first ballot at 6 a.m.

Seeing the procedure, reading the manuals, listening to the instructors……it all makes you feel comfortable and secure in the voting process in Monmouth County.

Every voter should appreciate the opportunity to do so. Few countries offer the privilege.

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