Yesterday was a significant day for our cause!

After nearly three hours of testimony, cross-examination, and public questioning, the meeting concluded at 10:45 PM. Since the proceedings have not yet concluded, the Planning Board has tabled the petition for another 60 days. The next meeting is scheduled for June 4th at 7 PM.

Key Takeaways:

“Expert” Testimony: The "expert" witness hired by Fairview Cemetery is actually a sales representative for the company selling the crematorium. His testimony lasted about 90 minutes, followed by questions from the Planning Board. The exchanges clearly revealed one thing: the cemetery is prioritizing profits over the health and safety of our community.
Challenging Questions: The Planning Board asked tough questions of their "expert." Through these questions, it became clear that there are minimal regulations and oversight once a crematorium is operational. For instance, the cemetery would rely on remote monitoring from a company in Chicago. If something went wrong, they would receive a text message or email. This is deeply concerning. The Planning Board clearly has several reservations about the proposal and seems skeptical of its safety, fully understanding the potential negative impacts on Middletown residents.
False Claims from Crematorium Officials: Once again, a crematorium representative made misleading claims, such as downplaying the dangers of mercury, comparing it to the pollutants from wood-burning fireplaces, and asserting that the crematorium complies with all NJ DEP air pollution regulations. One outrageous claim suggested that pregnant women eating fish are at greater risk from mercury than living near a crematorium. These statements are not only false but take facts out of context. It’s typical of a sales pitch—but we won’t let it go unchallenged. We’ll address this further in a future update, so stay tuned!
Our Legal Team’s Excellent Performance: Our legal representation did an outstanding job. They challenged the credibility of their "expert" by pointing out that he lacks an environmental background and is simply a sales representative, making his testimony biased. Additionally, the evidence presented by the cemetery was questionable, including studies funded by the crematorium industry and promotional material from the company that manufactures crematoriums. Our legal team raised important questions about health, safety, monitoring, and operations, highlighting the many flaws in this proposal.
What’s Next?: We didn’t hear from our environmental expert at this meeting, but we’re eager to hear their testimony in the future. Our legal team also plans to question the project's engineer.
The Community’s Support: A huge thank you to everyone who attended. The turnout was incredible, and the passion was palpable—but we remained respectful throughout. The line of questioning was excellent. Well done, everyone!

So, what can I do to help out?

Please attend the June meeting! Public comments will be allowed, and we need your voices to be heard. Let the Planning Board know we do not want this dangerous and toxic proposal in Middletown.
Spread the word! Tell your friends, neighbors, and family. We need a large turnout in June—let’s pack that meeting!
Show your support: Lawn signs and car magnets are available for sale. All proceeds go directly to our legal defense fund.  See link below.
Volunteer! We need volunteers to distribute flyers in neighborhoods. We also need you to complete the “Do Nows” (action items), like, post, and share on social media. Your continued support is crucial to keep this fight going.
We need financial support! Legal representation is costly, but it’s necessary for our cause. The cost of our legal team and environmental expert is small compared to the long-term risks this proposal poses to our children and neighborhoods. We must protect what we hold dear. While we understand times are tough, the impact of this crematorium on our community could be devastating. We’ve fought too hard to give up now. Please consider making a monthly contribution of $25 or $50. Ask your friends and neighbors to donate to our legal defense fund as well. We can’t do this without your support.

https://stopfairview.com/donate/

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/stop-fairviews-merch-shop

Thank you for everything. Together, we will work toward a successful outcome!

-Stop Fairview Leadership Team