Dear Carolyn and Katherine:
I took a look at the latest issue of The Amboy Guardian, and found a number of errors in your article reporting on illegal parking of buses and power washing on lots on Sayre Avenue.
Especially disturbing were quotes attributed to me that contained statements I did not make.
I understand how difficult and time-consuming it is to put out a weekly paper—and I commend you for the effort. But it’s extremely important that you get the facts right—and that you not put quotation marks around anything that is not a verbatim account of the words someone actually spoke.
Most people don’t attend council meetings, and might use your paper as their sole source of what happened. A lot of misunderstandings can occur when information is misinterpreted or reported incorrectly.
I have listed below the errors that I saw in the 1/19/18 story, “Special Meeting on Zoning Set Up for Jan. 29th & Answering Questions from 1/8/18 Meeting.” I would appreciate a correction in the paper.
• “There is a lot on Sayre Avenue that used to be the site of an old coat factory.”
You quoted me saying that, but I didn’t. As far back as the early 1950s, those have been parking lots for employees who work in the factory. If there was once a coat factory around there, I’m not aware of it.
• “Power washing is occurring there, including buses.”
I didn’t say that buses were being power-washed—because they are not. I said that trucks were being power washed. The power washing of the trucks is a separate issue from the buses that are parked in the lots in violation.
• “I was told code enforcement issued violations to the bus company…”
Again, an incorrect quote. I didn’t say that code enforcement issued violations to the bus company—because they didn’t. They issued a Notice of Violation to the owner of the property where the buses are parked, because the property owner is responsible for the violation.
• …we’ve had dozens of violations…”
There have been many violations, but I don’t know that there are “dozens.”
• “You are allowing a nonconforming use to be violated which then becomes a conformed use.”
I didn’t say that. You can’t violate a nonconforming use, because a nonconforming use IS a violation, unless it’s grandfathered in. I don’t even think “conformed use” is an actual term. If it’s a legal use, it’s “conforming” to zoning regulations.
• “Skelton then noted, ‘I’m getting sick from the solvent these buses are using and they are not our school buses.’ ”
I never said I’m getting sick from the solvent the buses are using, because the buses aren’t using any solvent. The power washers are likely using some type of solvent to clean the trucks, and I did have a serious physical reaction to it when they were doing the power washing one afternoon. But again, they are not power washing the buses. You are quoting me as linking two things that are not linked—and that I never said were linked.
Thank you
Renee Skelton
