Why is developer at work on Sandy Hook?

What has changed concerning Fort Hancock's rehabilitation? Of late, all the local newspapers were proclaiming that James Wassel's Sandy Hook Partners (SHP) had begun repair work on the fort's theater, chapel and headquarters with the blessing of the National Park Service (NPS).

How can this be? The purported lease document awarded by the NPS on July 9, 2004, requires SHP to provide documentation that it had secured the funding needed to perform the work required under the lease. SHP's financial capacity documentation was then to be reviewed for sufficiency. If it were found to be sufficient, the NPS would then permit SHP to proceed in accordance with the lease.

The question that everyone wants to have answered is: What has changed since July 9, 2004? Has financial capacity documentation been submitted by SHP? Has the NPS and/or a third party reviewed the documentation? What is the result of the review? Has the NPS provided written consent to the developer to proceed? What is the source of the funding? If no written approval has been issued, why is SHP proceeding with repair work?

If the repair work recently begun at Fort Hancock is somehow separate and distinct from the planned work under the purported lease, the NPS's rationale for allowing the work should be made public.

And, without passing judgment on the NPS's rationale to permit the repair work to begin. Why was an unproven and unqualified contractor selected without public bidding and by means of what appears to be a Sole Source Award, which is only permitted under confirmed cases of public exigency/emergency?

Let's not forget that Save Sandy Hook's lawsuit in U.S. District Federal Court which seeks the cancellation of the July 9, 2004, award to SHP is still unresolved.

Given that all the areas we seek answers to are post-award matters, they are surely now within the public domain and totally releasable for all to review.

Superintendent Wells, we await your response.

Peter P. O'Such Jr.

Fair Haven