Hi RYPN friends,

Having made contact with "both sides" of the story, it is clear that there is something the rail preservation community can do to keep the Pemberton museum collection together, on site and allow the museum to continue with their plans for restoring the equipment and interpreting the site.

What can you do?

If you are in NJ, attend the Pemberton Town Council Meeting this Wednesday August 3rd at 6:30pm. Location is 500 Pemberton-Browns Mills Road, Pemberton, New Jersey. Phone - 609.894.3314 The mayor's claim of ownership and intent to quickly auction the equipment will be discussed. The council has *not* approved the auction. It has been a unilateral decision by the mayor. It would be great to show support for the museum if you are available.

If you cannot attend, please send an e-mail BEFORE noon on Wednesday to each of council members. You can find their contact info at: http://www.pemberton-twp.com/township_council

What can you tell them? There are any number of messages they need to hear, from what benefits a museum brings to a town... to the historic nature of the collection... to the concerns that the mayor is pushing for an auction of the equipment rather than working with the town and county to continue progress at the museum.

These guys need help. They have a political drama/vendetta being played out... they were recent the victims of metal theft... and yet, they still intend to complete their vision for a first class museum and interpretive site.

This is the next step. See if the town council will take action and delay/cancel the auction.

Where to go after that will be decided by events of Weds night.

Hope for the best, and raise your voices!

Rob

PS: I am not directly involved with the Pemberton Historic Trust, but I am concerned - as are many of you - about the legal issues involved and the threat that a scrapper could end up with the whole collection.

I appreciate your diplomating for their sake. But I really believe this cannot be understood, let alone resolved, without also talking to the county and finding out what their expectations are regarding their acquisition of the Pemberton depot property.

I agree, Rob.

A stay of execution at Wednesday's council meeting will allow for cooler heads to discuss and - perhaps - some sort of mediation involving the county. There seem to be many shades of gray vs. what's been presented in the media as a black and white issue (on both the town and Trust sides). It also seems the town council has not OK'd the plan to oust the Trust and sell off the collection.

There are options... but at the same time, those who care about the continued existence any of the equipment involved should be making contingency plans for acquisition if the auction happens.

All the best,

Rob

I wrote. All five council members listed.

I got a sympathetic answer back.

The gist of the answer, and I'll paraphrase slightly:

"I believe most of the council agrees with you; unfortunately it appears the mayor has all the power in this specific issue. I am hoping council will have an opportunity to put some reason to the process."

If you didn't write before, do so now. Hit them with numbers such that if the mayor proves a "tyrant," the tyrant can be acted upon accordingly.

I don't think the mayor has all the power. These coucil members must realize that they will also be held accountable. They should step up to the plate. Otherwise this spite sale is likely to come back and bite the township.

Surely there can be some cooling-off period before we get into the sherrif's sale.

I believe that the Mayor is already a tyrant. He completely ignores any email I've sent him regarding the trust. If that doesn't prove he's a tyrant, then I don't know what will. I wish I had the time tonight to write to the council members, so I'll do some research tonight to see if the council has any provisions to override the mayor. I'll try and write tomorrow morning.

I emailed the council members this morning. Through my research last night, I aslo came across this, which if I understand it correctly, gives the council to block the Mayor's eviction order;
http://www.pemberton-twp.com/form_of_government/

Whatever our personal POV, lets try to keep the communication focused on the positive. My communication with key parties has been non-judgmental and has been well received and acknowledged.

Rob, thank you for your post and thank all of you that have or will be sending in a message to the council. They have the pwer to stop this madness right now. And under the Faulkner act, Pemberton is a mayor-council form of government. But that will be changing most likely to a council-mayor form of government after seeing what has trasnpired in the past few months.

And to those that think the county doesn't want us, keep in mind that this county administration has a firm track record of staying out of local government's business. So just becaus they haven't said they want us, doesn't mean they don't want us. We have been in contact with them for two years now reviewing plans as to what we need to make the station the east anchor to their historic sites. The trail maintenance and upgrading has also been discussed in great detail.

Thanks again for all of your continued support.

Later!
Mr. Ed

Mr Ed,

Don't forget to mention the above at the meeting, after all, if all discussions with the county have involved the inclusion of the railyard, equipment and the Trust's involvement, forcible removal of the trust may jeopardize the land transfer or at least legally require a renegotiation and rewrite. After all you can't transfer a feature that has been sold and moved.

Just an idea,
Rich Cizik
Blacksmith Shop Co-head
P&R 910 project head
Ct Eastern RR Museum
Willimantic, Ct 06226
www.cteastrrmuseum.org

All conversations with the county have indeed included the rail yard. After all, it is the only one left in NJ with an ash pit and turntable pit. And we know where there is a turntable and ring rail that will fit in the pit. But sadly, the theft last week robbed us of our switch gear. I have not seen the site since then but it will be difficult to lay rail into the yard without switches. The guy was caught but isn't admitting to anything more than what he was caught with. And the scrap yard already sent it to a smelter.

Later!
Mr. Ed

Any word on the council meeting's outcome today?

Mr Ed, I know there is a switch still on McGuire. I have pics and posted them on railroad.net. I can't guarantee it but the base maybe willing to give them to you. I can ask, just let me know.

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 27&t=57663

I am just getting back home after a week in New England on business. From what I've read and have been told, there was a resolution passed unanimously by the council for the mayor to remove the trains from auction and to sit down with us to discuss a permanent settlement. Whether he does or not is up to him. And since he or one of his people read this site, it will be interesting to see what he does.

Later!
Mr. Ed

As spongebob would say, "score one for the boys back home!". Even if he veto's the order, i can safely say that with the stance given by the council, they'll override the veto. Yay! Maybe the emails that many of us sent had something to do with that...