Thanks Mr. Mayor, But No Thanks!

The following is a letter by Carolyn Schwebel in response to a recent letter sent by Middletown's Mayor Scharfenberger to local papers, that expressed his endorsement of Deputy Mayor Brightbill and Tony "the Fibber" Fiore for Township Committee:

Thanks, Mayor Scharfenberger for the much-needed levity in your letter endorsing candidates. I was incredulous when I read that one reason that you are endorsing Tony Fiore is that he has been a "recreation and human relations commissioner." You dare to say that as a positive while you have tried to use the Middletown Human Rights Commission for political purposes and are even now seeking to weaken or destroy it?

Your letter further states, "You have told me that you want honesty.." Indeed we do, and open government, and respect for citizens. Knowing that, then why were you dishonest about admitting that you had asked the Middletown HRC to have a meeting about a publication that has criticized you?

I agree with you about the "importance of good government in Middletown." Why instead of providing it have you and your majority violated state and federal regulations? First, you illegally retaliated against me by removing me from the MHRC due to a civil rights lawsuit.

Second, Middletown has made none of the accessibility changes you agreed to do by August 2006. Even worse, your lawyer now suggests that the township has done all they can and that the buildings were compliant when built. Meanwhile, a young wheelchair user cannot travel to her shopping center because of three high curbs on the busy route!

Third, despite my clear information to you and all town officials you persist in violating the N.J. Open Public Meetings Act, which requires that all meeting notices be published in two papers 48-hours before the meeting! Your administration arrogantly refuses to give proper notice to residents about special meetings, including the July 31, 2008 MHRC meeting and the September 30, 2008 special township committee meeting. As a result, any action taken at those meetings, including your vote to appeal the Mountain Hill Town Center decision to the NJ Supreme Court is illegal and must be repeated at a properly noticed meeting!

Sadly, we taxpayers will need to pay for correcting all of your above violations.

I must, therefore reject your recommendation to vote for your deputy mayor, who clearly supported all of these violations. Instead, I urge all who want truly honest, fair, and open government in Middletown to vote for Pat Walsh and Jim Grenafege for the Middletown Committee.