Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Ryan's Run - Saturday, June 26

As we are very close to the Kaiser and Kirby families, we would encourage anyone (runners and non-runners) to join us in Ryan's Run on Saturday, June 26, at the Mountain Hill School in Middletown. RAKMF is a phenomenal charitable foundation that has turned a personal tragedy into an extremely positive effort to help families of ill children in need of assistance, among other great causes. If you cannot join us, please consider a donation to the cause.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

On to the BOE!

Many thanks to the people who supported me with a vote in yesterday's BOE election. I finished with the second-highest vote count among the five candidates (for three seats) and am eager to join a Board that, in my humble opinion, has done a great job of overseeing our district's expenditures and being fiscally responsible without compromising education. As testament to this argument, Tinton Falls was one of few budgets to pass in what was seemingly a statewide taxpayer revolt against NJEA's oblivious unwillingness, in many cases, to share the pain felt nationwide amid reported (and likely understated) unemployment of 10% and stagnant economic recovery. For anyone in the private sector who pays $1k per month to get lackluster health coverage or has not had a raise in years, the outcries about a 1.5% healthcare contribution or flat salary lack any compassion and border on a mix of absurdity and selfishness.

I will be but one of many voter-chosen voices on the TF BOE and appreciate anyone's input during my three years on the BOE, although I'm hopeful to introduce two primary ideas off the bat: going after the federal government for the impact aid that TF deserves for educating Navy dependents who live at Earle (at present, TF only gets about $2,500-$3,000 per child, far below the $14k it costs us to educate one child in our district and equating to about a $750,000-$1 million annual subsidy to our borough) and seeking structural reform on the state-level with regard to collective bargaining, for next year - or perhaps recurring annually - we'll be in the same budget mess and probably face taxpayer revolt without any major structural change in the way public schools do business. In my view, a resolution is not as simple as freezing teachers' salaries this year or merging 3 districts into 1, but rather, will entail collective effort on behalf of ALL state BOE's to unite to pare healthcare and recurring employee retirement benefits on the state level and push for changes in the collective bargaining system that return at least SOME power to local officials.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Running for the Tinton Falls Board of Education

Friends of Tinton Falls,

As a borough resident of nine years, involved parent to a daughter and son at Atchison School, Chairman of nonpartisan grassroots group Neighbors Opposed to Privatization at Earle (NOPE), and in my third year as a volunteer coach in the rec program, I firmly believe in serving the Tinton Falls community and am running for one of three seats on the Board of Education.

On these merits, I ask for your support in Tuesday's (April 20) BOE election (line 3) and that you refer me to friends and relatives in Tinton Falls; but even if your votes go elsewhere, please be sure to support our children by voting in favor of a 2010-11 budget that, after attending the three BOE budget meetings in March, is fiscally responsible and serves our kids well.

My approach as a prospective BOE member will focus on being professional, respectful and open-minded, much like my chairmanship of NOPE, which (contrary to widespread opinion), through grassroots efforts, practicality and hard work gained bipartisan support up to the U.S. Senate and has succeeded on our community's behalf. No other candidates can lay claim to potentially saving Tinton Falls from a hundreds-million-dollar unfunded mandate that would have stemmed from civilian housing at NWS Earle. The outcome was far more optimistic than when I attended my first BOE meeting back in late-2007.

From this experience, I view myself as a worthy complement to a Board that performs a tremendous service and sacrifices countless hours to the benefit of the kids of our borough, and offer fresh perspective regarding how we can better lead Tinton Falls within the context of ludicrous state funding cuts and insufficient federal impact aid for military dependents, whom we embrace in our community but are grossly underfunded by the federal government to educate.

I invite you to visit my LinkedIn profile (http://www.linkedin.com/in/billholobowski) for more on my professional background and invite any return comments or questions by email or phone. Otherwise, I am open to meeting one-on-one with community or neighborhood groups (if you are a part of one), but will not engage in, for lack of a better term, a "political campaign."

Again, please forward this to your Tinton Falls contacts, and get out and vote on April 20.

Kind regards,
Bill Holobowski
56 Neville Street, 07724
C: 732.322.0130
H: 732.544.8595

Friday, June 12, 2009

DMB and the GrooGrux King

I can't but help listening to "Why I Am" repetitively from the new Dave Matthews Band release that I recently downloaded. As a huge DMB fan, I find the song highly motivating and the perfect tribute to LeRoi Moore, who is surely missed in the music community. I'm always amazed that DMB can tour so extensively and turn out meaningful, heartfelt original music at rapid pace; notwithstanding the obvious grief of losing an integral bandmember to a tragic death.

Absolutely download the CD if you haven't yet. It is a perfect and fitting tribute to Mr. Moore.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Free music events this summer

If you're looking for something inexpensive...free, actually...to do with the kids this summer, hit the above link to the Garden State Arts Foundation, which again is sponsoring the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra show at PNC Bank Arts Center on Monday, July 27 at 8pm. See the Foundation's website for info on how to get free tickets in advance.

Also, check out the Sandy Hook Foundation's 2009 summer concert series, starting Wednesday, June 4 at 6 p.m. on Beach E (past the Seagulls Nest restaurant). The shows, again, are free and make for a great weeknight summer evening at the beach. Our kids love going, and spend most of their time playing in the ocean. Be sure to arrive early (but not before 5p, unless you plan to pay to get onto Sandy Hook) as parking spots fill up fast.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

“We must become the change we want to see.” – Gandhi

Friends and family,

Kathy, Kaitlyn, Shane and I have much to be thankful for as we approach 2009 – the bond of family; continued health and well-being; blessings of home, food and clothes; highlights of quality time away to enjoy each other (i.e. wonderful getaways to Disney, Cape Cod, Upstate NY-Vermont); nurturing of our personal growth and individuality through school and community involvement; and (knock on wood) no broken bones.

We hope this letter finds you equally as well in what has been an extraordinarily interesting year – personally, politically, economically, globally, etc. There’s a high probability that 2008 will become one of the most studied years in our history, with a monumental presidential election, a global economic crisis, Wall Street and auto industry bailouts merely a few of the headline grabbers.

There are many lessons to be learned by all of us; and perhaps I have had too many sips of the “Change” Cool Aid, but my view is that Mr. Obama’s decisive victory signals a necessary paradigm shift for our nation and its place in the world; and no matter your political leanings, 2009 must be the year to embrace the notion of change, not only on a international and national front, but especially on local and personal fronts.

I continue to ask myself, and suggest you ask yourself: “How can I change?” (And no peanut gallery comments like “drop the Jets and become a Giants fan,” because that will not happen…or, “a paper bag over your head, or a muzzle, for starters”). Xmas season, for me, is not the time to dwell on the past, but to focus on renewal, especially as Kaitlyn (almost 7) and Shane (5+) beautifully mature by the second.

Embracing change is a necessary part of that equation. Ask yourself:
- Am I the best person that I can be, or can I sacrifice more?
- What more can I do to initiate or facilitate positive changes not only for me and my family, but for my broader community as well?
- Can I dig deeper within to share my talents with those in need?
- Do I go the extra mile, or just say “no thanks; someone else can do it” or “I’m too tired now”?

Point being, “congratulations” if you can honestly answer “yes” to all of the above—you’re an even more spectacular person than even I imagined; but if you’re like fallible ole me and question whether my actions of the past year sit well with a higher power and me, then there is no better time than the present to take positive action.

In my view there is no greater ill than complacency, inaction or “staying the course” when what we’re doing doesn’t work, so what harm is there really in considering positive change, even if it is as small as a simple hug or “I love you” reminder? We have no one but ourselves to blame for assuming a posture of passivity and indifference that ultimately could lead to regret, for life is too short.

Let us all embrace change for the better in 2009 and beyond, not only for ourselves and our families, but for our local and global communities as well, and be agents of a more positive experience in our short existence. Even if the change is small, a lot of “small change” can add up to big change and a much richer life experience.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and best wishes for 2009!
Cheers, Bill

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Just Say NOPE!

Considering the magnitude of the entire Earle issue and ramifications for Tinton Falls schools in particular, and to satisfy my own curiousities on this significant issue, I visited the Neighbors Opposed to Privatization at Earle (www.orgsites.com/nj/nope) session last night. The contents of the website are relatively meager and are supplemental to what you already know about the issue and its impact on Tinton Falls, but still worth a look.

Perhaps my view is too positive and I'm naive in not looking at this from a "we vs. them" perspective, but I found this group of community residents making a worthwhile, grassroots effort to convince the U.S. Navy through measured, visible community pressure to make this whole Laurelwoods issue disappear sooner rather than later or never. If nothing else, have a look at the website, and consider a small contribution ahead of a key upcoming meeting, with proceeds mainly going to lawn signs to promote the briefing.

Based on previous discussions with some of my own neighbors, and meeting a fellow TF resident at last night's NOPE session, I sense others in Tinton Falls would like to become proactive in the Group's efforts, in particular a Community Briefing on Wednesday, May 28 at 7:30p at Colts Neck High School. To be sure, the 300-person attendance at the BOE's Fall 2007 meetings on the issue speaks volumes, in my view, of residents' interest in the process, and how we could have a positive community-driven impact.

I feel only somewhat versed on the issues at hand, versus the depth of understanding of those knee-deep in the process. That said, the primary takeaway, for me, from last night is the importance in pack the Briefing on May 28th, with a key Navy official (Assistant Secretary of the Navy, if I recall) expected to attend, among other key officials invited. One participant in the discussion - a retired high-ranking Naval officer - suggested a strong showing of community support alone (and the subsequent threat of bad publicity throught the media; i.e. threat to local and national security) could greatly influence the process.

Please consider attending the meeting, sign petitions or become involved in other ways. I, for one, would be more than happy to be involved in what appears a civil, worthwhile effort.