Barnegat study may pave way for requiring pupils to walk to their schools

Faced with the possibility of state-mandated cuts to the transportation budget, the township school district is turning to Safe Routes to Schools, a nationwide program to support more children walking to school.

[Restaurant Lady]

The issue here is parents taking responsibilty. Perhaps the failure of amny of today's so-called "Soccer Moms" is the real issue.

There is nothing wrong with a child walking to school. Yes, times have changed. But Barnegat has not yet become a violent suburban ghetto cesspool - but Melchiondo is working on it!

[New Boy in Town]

I really want to see where the chips fall. There hasn't been any firm timeline or detail exposed, just a lot of rumor and accusation. When I heard that this was going to happen, I researched what my daily walk was in elementary school. It turns out that I had walked a mile each way. When weather was not permitting, my parents would drop me off. Some rumors circulating is that the allowed distance could be two miles each way for any age child. I don't feel in today's day and age that is a food idea. It has nothing to do with soccer mom status, but true safe passages for the kids. I will make all of my judgements once the plan has been laid out. Also, as a newer community member, I don't see how the mayor is causing the town to become a ghetto. All of the low income housing is based on state mandated ratios of other buildings. Even the transportaion situation is based on state agenda.

[Restaurant Lady]

The Mayor has done absolutely nothing to prevent the deterioration of the quality of life in Barnegat. Public areas are littered with all sorts of debris, drug-related crimes are at an all-time high and more. Jeff Melchiondo may be a great tobacco salesman but his ability to lead this town is not what Barnegat needs at this point in its history. Al Cirulli? He is just a lost cause. A man who passes himself off as an educator of our young but condems the lifestyles he does not approve of even though those living them have done nothing wrong. A genuine hypocrite if ever one existed.