As a Camden County freeholder, I am not willing to give up on a South Jersey effort to see the USS New Jersey berthed in Camden. I join Sen. John Matheussen, R-Gloucester, and Camden Mayor Milt Milan in their efforts to be heard. The Southern New Jersey Freeholders Association recently passed a resolution to bring this ship home. I have sent letters to all Camden County municipalities on behalf of the freeholders with a resolution supporting the return of the USS New Jersey to the Delaware River where it was built.

The New Jersey Battleship Commission has not given us an opportunity to be heard. If it had done all the due diligence required, perhaps I would be silent, but it has never given the Camden site an opportunity. If you would like to join this South Jersey effort, you can contact my office for copies of petitions that are being circulated.

I applaud the work that has been done by the New Jersey Battleship Commission, but I cannot stand by and see this ship berthed in North Jersey when it belongs in South Jersey where it began. We don't even have representatives on the commission. I hope this was just an oversight and urge that South Jersey be given spots on the commission. It must be balanced.

PATRICIA EGAN JONES
Freeholder Camden

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