BLIND FAITH:

From: David Ripka
Date: Mar 5, 2008 5:29 PM
Subject: RE: Blind Faith

To: Get Back to Me

My wife and I have lived along the river for 8 years and are thankful that we never have been flooded. We both have volunteered to help others in their time of need. I have walked the streets handing out brochures, getting signatures, attended township meetings and placing signage on my property. I have personally donated money, wrote letters to public officials and newspapers as well as worked at community gatherings in N.J and P.A. We have tried to raise interest from my neighbors and friends that have not been affected by the flooding, all to no avail. People have looked at me as I am crazy, or they say that they care but it goes no further. This also goes for people that have been flooded or came very close to it.

Then one person thinks that they have a better idea then someone else so they start another group of individuals that act independent of everyone else. I have had neighbors ask me to remove my signs because they wanted to sell their home. What about the uninformed poor people that are buying it? I have had realtors tell me that everything is OK now. I have met people that have been flooded that don't want to get involved. Where would America be if it wasn't for the people who stood up for what they believe in, and publicize it? What would have been the result if women fighting for their rights, or blacks fighting for theirs, would of just wrote letters and made phone calls? Where do you think they would be? Our Founding Fathers created the government to serve the people of this Country. That gave us the right to peacefully protest.

I for one am tired of all the above. I feel the citizens who lost their lives and the ones that lost their homes, and/or belongings have not been justly served. I have heard the speeches that we should move if we do not like the river flooding. When we bought our property, we were in a 100 year flood plan and didn't even need to buy flood insurance. I am glad that I did take out a policy, due to the canal was not even considered to be a threat and has turned out to be a bigger hazard near me than the river. The canal overflowed to due human error. Should we all move out of Yardley because of that? The Township has collected property taxes from these residents for a very long time. If there is a legal way to put our Property tax money in an escrow account until the Townships could solve their problem of safe and livable building lots, could we get enough citizens to do it? My taxes went up since we have lived on the river before the flooding.

Now that my home has been reduced in value due to the flood situation, is the Township going to lower my tax rate? Or are they going to do what every other establishment does, just keep it that way until enough people complain, or vote in someone who is listening? Maybe we could deliver some of the debris of the after math of the flood to some one's office. Just maybe there is somebody that would have the nerve to Stop traffic on one of the bridges so that people would understand what it will be like when the bridge is gone due to flooding, or maybe I am just a crazy old man but nothing has changed after all our efforts except for one thing. They have closed another reservoir for repairs when You people need it opened the most. This is like throwing water in the face of a drowning child in stead of a rope. Everyone has cried, moved, raised their homes, gone bankrupt, gotten divorced, died or are going nuts. Our founding fathers said if they did not stick together that they would surely hang together.

Well let me be the one that says if we don't protest together we will all drown together.

I am offering my help, ideas, etc to do something different in this situation, so that we don't have the same results we have been getting. The snow melt is coming along with the Spring rains. Do we need a permit to peacefully protest? While the river is calm, everyone forgets. We want to keep the message going. If Maybe someone could organize a meeting midway between Lower Bucks and the Upper River communities that could host everyone that is willing and mad enough not to take it anymore. If that means picking one public official and showing up everywhere they are scheduled to talk, with signs and enlargements of responses to our requests like we just received. In fact if we start with this rep. and protest at his office, his bosses office, were he eats lunch, were he goes to church if he does. This would send a message then pick the next person higher on the list and do the same thing. Think they would get the massage?

Just think if we make life half as bad for them, as you have it when it floods how long before it gets someone's attention that will act on it. As it gets closer to the governors of Pa & Nj and they realize that they are soon to be our victim see them start to act when they feel your pain. We have a lot of highly intelligent and motivated people that have tried to approach this problem as you would a business problem. When you are dealing with people with of the same caliber this makes it easier) we are only getting lip service and would like to see an action plan started and checked off as our State Representivies take responsibility for helping us continue to live in their district. Some towns in America have ceased to exist Like Love Canal.

Let's pray that the river communities along the Delaware in Pennsylvania and New Jersey will not be lost to this curable problem. Who will step up to organize those who are not going to take it any more this is a great learning experience for the youth of the community to learn how real life works. Get them and their teachers involved if possible. Let them know they can make a difference. I know that all this is out of the box thinking but if you keep doing the same thing as yesterday, you can expect the same results tomorrow….

David Ripka Sr. cell # 215-219-4900 daveripka@comcast.net


From: Get Back to Me
Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2008 5:16 PM
To: Donald Jengo
Cc: commissioner@dep.state.nj.us; clarke.rupert@drbc.state.nj.us; nrshappell@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: Blind Faith

And may I add, where are the government's fact-based analyses to refute any analysis offered up as a solution?

We have suffered three floods and have not heard a peep from the DRBC, DEP, or XYZ about causation or any sort of rigorous correlation analysis.

I am curious about the size of these Agencies and their staffs, budgets and expenditures. It appears to me that we certainly are not getting our monies worth.

I, for one, am looking for ANSWERS, not rudeness, complacency, or indifference.

Maybe, we should be asking for budget cuts at these Agencies – after all, more cuts must be around the corner in this contracting economy. I fail to see how the Agencies are adding value or are making progress for the better.

Personally, I can quote chapter and verse on how the NJ DEP turns a blind eye to enforcing its own regulations.

Someone wrote -- non-feasance -- AMEN!

On 3/5/08, Donald Jengo <dajen.geo@yahoo.com> wrote:
Dear Commissioner,
Many times in the past, government employees have been blinded by unwavering belief that government can do no wrong. Dr. Ruggles is a well respected hydrologist and his modeling project of the Delaware River flooding is not to be taken so lightly, while an analysis by government employees are so valid.
Rather than making insensitive remarks to those of us that feel we have been abandoned by our government, John Scordato should crawl back into his bureaucratic hole. He refers us to sources of information that in his sarcastic tone, simply exacerbate our frustrations, similar to those "Love Canal" residents who were assured their fears were unfounded.
This Country was founded upon challenges by its citizenry, supported by the right to free speech. Fortunately, the right to free speech does not give government employees the right to ridicule those who pay taxes that pay their salaries. While we were not asking for sympathy, we are seeking justice. Rather than making a mockery of our attempt to spread the truth, Mr. Scordato, should learn how to block email he does not wish to receive or not open it. His attempt to belittle what little means we have to right what we believe is wrong, is a waste of our taxpayer money.
Flooding has not occurred during unusual rain events when the reservoirs have been less than 80% capacity but rather only when they are at capacity. While we are asked to believe that it is simply a coincidence. We are not privy to why the modeling done by Dr. Ruggles should be ignored and less scientific means by governmental sources are more believable. Give us some credit for not being ignorant, as John Scordato wishes to imply.
Thank you for listening,
Donald Jengo