I was extremely disappointed to read your account of the January 20 meeting of the Berlin Township Board of Supervisors. It’s unfortunate that any public meeting degenerates into a “shouting match,” with accusations as to the motives of those you disagree with. I, for one, do not believe that a proposed ordinance to give the supervisors authority to try to correct unseemly or unsafe conditions is government overreach or simply an effort “to tell us what we can do on our own land.”

The fact is that what one does or does not do with one’s property does have an impact on one’s neighbors and community. We often hear of the broken-window method of law enforcement; the idea that if small violations are allowed to exist there will be an escalation in the number and severity of incidents. Property is neglected and crime increases.

I believe that a case can be made that a decline of sorts is now taking place in our area. If you start at Indian Orchard and drive to Narrowsburg (I know this encompasses more than Berlin Township), you will see a line of old truck bodies, junked cars, empty buildings, rusting equipment, even a long-burned-down building. I believe that if you make that drive with the idea that you are looking at the area for the first time, you would have to come to the conclusion that you are looking at area in decline. If so, you might ask yourself if this is where you would like to live in or even visit. This has an impact on not only Berlin, but also the surrounding areas. Property values drop and everyone loses.

I must say that I am not a “newcomer” or “unfriendly neighbor” as referred to in the article. I have lived in or near the Beach Lake area for most of 70 years. Indeed, members of my family have lived in the county for over 200 years. I have loved the area and support the concept of individual freedoms. I have no interest in trying to have control over the lives of others. But, yes, there is a place for commonsense rules that promote the safety and advancement of our community. That is part of the price we pay for living in a society in conjunction with others.

I also believe that supervisors Henry and Hunt deserve credit for trying to rectify problems and improve situations of which many of us are unaware. They deserve to be heard without automatically challenging their motives simply because one doesn’t agree with their positions. We elect officials to represent our views, but more is required than that. We are also supposed to choose people who can use their wisdom, knowledge and experience on our behalf. I believe that these supervisors are trying to do exactly that.

[Ed McNulty is a resident of Beach Lake, PA.]