Our friend Mike Halfacre lost his father Robert yesterday at age 84 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.
A loving son posted this obituary on facebook this morning:
Robert E. Halfacre, formerly of Chatham, Massachusetts, Flemington, New Jersey and Fair Haven, New Jersey died on October 28th in Gainesville, Florida, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. He was 84.
Bob was born and raised in Palmerton, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Tabor Academy before joining the United States Navy and serving in the Pacific Theatre through the end of World War II. After an Honorable Discharge, he attended and graduated from Lehigh University in 1950 with a degree in Metallurgy Engineering. He later earned his MBA from SUNY Buffalo. He spent his professional life with NJ Zinc, American Metals Climax and US Bronze Powders, in such diverse places as Blackwell, Oklahoma, Lewiston, New York and Flemington, New Jersey.
Bob was laid off in the economic downturn of the mid-1970’s. Not content with searching for another job in metallurgy, he purchased a commercial fishing trawler, the “Yellow Bird” and at the age of 50 learned how to lobster and scallop out of Chatham Harbor on Cape Cod. He worked the sea until well into his 7th decade, and when the scallops were overfished, he adapted and became a gill netter.
The “Perfect Storm” of October 1991 destroyed the Yellow Bird and Bob adapted again, and taught himself the art of fiberglass, completely rebuilding the Yellow Bird. He eventually sold the Yellow Bird and became one of the most sought after glassers on the Cape. He continued glassing until his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s at the age of 80.
He was also a private pilot, and enjoyed flying his Cessna 182 all over the country and “island hopping” through the Caribbean all the way to Brazil.
Bob is predeceased by his parents, Ethel Wood Halfacre and George F. Halfacre, Sr. He is survived by his brother, George F. “Fritz” Halfacre, Jr. and his wife Reene, of Allentown, PA; his sister Patricia Bischoff and her husband David of Maine; his children, Susan Halfacre, and her husband Buck Curtin of Gainesville, FL; Karen Foxworth and her husband Spencer of Little Silver, NJ; Jeffrey Halfacre and his wife Christine of Centreville, VA; Michael Halfacre and his wife Tricia of Fair Haven, NJ and Jason Halfacre and his wife Danielle of Santa Cruz, CA; fourteen grandchildren, one great-grandchild and many nieces, nephews and friends from all over the United States.
After a private service, his cremains will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery.
Posted: October 29th, 2010 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Mike Halfacre | Tags: Robert Halfacre | 6 Comments »
By Mayor Mike Halfacre, Fair Haven
On Monday, October 25th, I went to Trenton to attend an event organized by the New Jersey Conference of Mayors, which is the largest and oldest Mayor’s organization in the United States. The purpose of the event was to meet with Governor Christie, the Assembly Republicans and the Assembly Democrats to urge the passage of a key provision of the Governor’s “Tool Kit” reforms: capping interest arbitration awards to the 2% property tax cap passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor last Summer.
Many of you may remember that when both Republicans and Democrats passed the Governor’s budget, there was much hoopla about the 2% property tax cap, and there was an emphasis on the need for passage of the “Tool Kit” reforms that would enable local governments to manage the cap. While the Tool Kit is composed of many Bills, there is almost universal agreement among Mayors that arbitration reform that mirrors the cap is vital.
There is currently pending before the Legislature two versions of arbitration reform. In one version, A-3283, arbitrators, mediators or fact finders would be prevented from recommending or awarding any settlement that would exceed by more than 2% the total economic impact on the public employer.
The other version, A-3393 has already been reported out of Committee, and may go before the full Assembly any day. This version does not require an Arbitrator to adhere to the 2% cap, rather, it simply adds the cap to a list of nine criteria that should be considered by the Arbitrator in making a decision.
For obvious reasons, the need for a hard cap on arbitration awards is vital to the success of the hard cap on property taxes. To provide otherwise will slowly and inexorably eat away at all governmental functions until all that are left are those functions that are carried out by collective bargaining unit employees. Eventually even those “protected” employees will be downsized to feed the public sector union monster.
The group from the New Jersey Conference of Mayors was made up of Mayor’s from both sides of the aisle. Republicans, Democrats, large towns and small, all who have engaged in the municipal budget process recognize the need for this reform. The need for arbitration reform is not a partisan issue, it is an issue of economic and financial necessity.
The Governor graciously met with the approximately 35 Mayors who attended. He was introduced by David DelVecchio, Democrat Mayor of Lambertville. The Governor gave us as much time as we needed, and answered questions. Governor Christie emphasized the need for a hard cap on arbitration awards, and asked us to take his message to the Assembly.
The group of Mayors then walked to the Assembly Republican caucus room, where virtually every Republican member of the Assembly listened as Mayor Arnone, Republican of Neptune City and Mayor Tarantolo, Democrat of Eatontown, gave their pleas for enactment and reform. The Assembly Republicans asked their own questions, and agreed that real reform meant a hard cap on arbitration awards.
The overriding message brought to Trenton by the Mayors is that we have done almost all we can on our own. We have shared services, some have laid off employees, some have laid off police, some have cut services drastically. We have, often, done all we can do to stabilize property taxes in our towns. What we need now is help from Trenton. For too long, Trenton has helped itself, and not given the State’s municipalities the tools needed to stop the rise of property taxes. Now there is an opportunity to pass meaningful reform, and we can not let it slip away.
After leaving the Assembly Republican Caucus room, we went across the hallway to meet with the Assembly Democrats in their Caucus room.
The Assembly Democrats did not let our bipartisan group of Mayors in to speak with them. An anonymous staffer came out and said that the Assembly Democrats would be in caucus for at least another hour, and then the Assembly would go into session. Assembly Speaker Oliver would not come out to speak to us, nor would any other Assembly Democrat.
Our bipartisan group of Mayors, organized by the bipartisan New Jersey Conference of Mayors, were left out in the cold by the Assembly Democrats.
When people ask me why the Great State of New Jersey has the highest property taxes in the Country, I now have yet another first-hand account: Because the Assembly Democrats don’t care about your property taxes.
Posted: October 27th, 2010 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Mike Halfacre | Tags: Assembly Democrats, Mike Halfacre, NJ Conference of Mayors | Comments Off on Trenton Democrats Don’t Care About Your Property Taxes
John Lehnert, a Fair Haven councilman and former police officer was found dead outside a Jackson home this morning from a self inflicted gunshot wound to the chest, according to a report in the Asbury Park Press.
Mike Halfacre and John Lehnert at the Tour De Fair Haven bicycle race on Sunday September 19. Photo credit: Visual Xpressions, Fair Haven.
Fair Haven Mayor Mike Halfacre told MMM that the news came as a profound shock early this morning when he was informed of the tragedy by Fair Haven Police Chief Darryl Breckinridge.
Halfacre said there were absolutely no signs of Lehnert being troubled or depressed.
Lehnert leaves behind his wife and two young daughters. He recently graduated from law school, took the bar exam this summer and was expected to start practicing law soon.
Posted: September 21st, 2010 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Fair Haven, Mike Halfacre | Tags: Fair Haven, John Lehnert, Mike Halfacre | 2 Comments »
