On March 1, at the public portion of the meeting, I requested the freeholders of Ocean County to place the following question on the county ballot: "Shall the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant be closed upon the expiration of its current operating license?"

I anticipated their answer would be no, because our politically controlled courts gave elected officials a false excuse not to put such a question on the ballot for the people to express their will to elected officials.

As expected, the freeholders said no, using the court decision as their justification.

However, at the freeholders meeting of May 3, the Ocean County League of Women Voters requested the freeholders to call for the closing of the nuclear plant.

The league's request allowed for the possibility of an end run around the court's phony decision on referendum.

And so, at the freeholders meeting of May 17, I requested the league reps sitting in the audience and the freeholders to do something out of the box.

Let all the registered voters of Ocean County who would vote no to keeping the plant going mail postcards with their "no" to the league, the freeholders, their local governing body [and local newspapers]. Compare the counts for an overall count and there you have your referendum.

The freeholders responded with predicted silence. Privately, the league reps told me they would consider this possibility. I am now waiting for the league's public response.

Ray Kalainikas

Manalapan