I feel the need to address and correct some misinformation in a letter to the editor written by Andrew Horezga which appeared in the Nov. 13th issue of the Guardian. It is unfortunate that some people need to stoop to such low levels in attacking their elected officials, in this case me. Mr. Horezga attacked me for not attending the light ceremony at the waterfront commemorating the one year anniversary of “Sandy” and complained that I was attending a hockey game instead.

Coincidently, in that same issue an article explained why I was not in attendance at the waterfront and it was also explained at the last council meeting by Council President Connors, a meeting at which Mr. Horezga was in attendance. Maybe he just wasn’t listening. So, let’s get the facts. Yes, I was at a hockey game. The fact is that the New Jersey Devils invited a few towns which were affected by the superstorm, including South Amboy. They gave us tickets for our first responders and asked that a local official also attend. Many of our first responders from the fire department and police department were there.

I attended with the Police Chief and South Amboy was commended for its response to the storm. (By the way, I’m not particularly a hockey fan and this was the first game I ever attended. And, incidentally, the Chief and I left before the game was over.) But I was aware that other city officials would be attending the waterfront event and the city would be well represented. So, I attended the hockey game. It was not an easy decision because I would have liked to have been at the waterfront, but I made the choice and my conscience is clear.

You, Mr. Horezga, may criticize me and have an opinion of where you thought I should have been, but don’t deceive the people and write that I “just” went to a hockey game. I went to honor our first responders! Do you have something against our police and fire fighters and the fact that the Mayor went to honor them? I am sorry that these events were on the same night but that was out of my control. But you, Mr. Horezga, were not totally honest with the public by not mentioning the purpose of the game and the reason for my attendance at it! And if you didn’t know the real reason, then shame on you for writing that part of the letter at all and making unfounded and derogatory remarks about me. Please, get your facts–all of the facts and not just the ones that suit your purpose, whatever that may be! People who use such degrading tactics do a major disservice to the citizens of South Amboy.

I make every attempt humanly possible t attend every event which commemorates or honors the people of South Amboy and I am happy to do so. That includes some events which are sparsely attended like Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day (especially at the cemeteries) which honor our military. And it certainly is a shame that more people are not at those events honoring those who put their lives on the line or all of us.

South Amboy is a great place in which to live. There are many positive things happening in our city and it is nice to see as many people as possible attending. But we all know that nobody can be everywhere. Should I be criticized for that?

As to the Substantial Damage letter, I don’t believe the city “blundered” as you write, and it seems as though you were the only one who had a problem. And when you mentioned this “problem” to me weeks ago, I told you to go to city hall and I will have the person you want to sign the document do so, and that it wasn’t a problem. So, what happened?

I realize that there are still people suffering and the city has been and will continue to help whenever it can. We all know that there are some things which are out of the city’s control. But you, Mr. Horezga, shouldn’t politicize things with half-truths and innuendo.

Sincerely,

Fred A. Henry, Mayor of the City of South Amboy