(Photo by MiddletownMike)
While driving home from work this afternoon, I noticed for the first time the billboard above.
The billboard is locate on Hwy 35 south in Sayreville, just before going over the Cheesequake drawbridge.
I drive home this way each and everyday and until today I have not seen it before, which leads me to believe that this sign recently went up, more than likely over the past few days.
So if there are any questions about where potential clients of the Middletown Methadone clinic may be coming from, it is a very good assumption that many could be coming from the Middlesex County area and beyond, not just from the immediate surrounds.
( If anyone has noticed this sign before this afternoon let me know, I am curious about how much of a daze I must be in while coming home from work each day, not to have noticed it sooner )
21 comments:
How nice for Middletown's reputation to have its name associated with drug addiction on billboards across the state. I guess this is the township's way of supporting local businesses. Really makes you proud to live here, doesn't it?
I guess that it is no longer just an Applebrook problem anymore. Mr Mayor-do you still think that it is in the town's best long term interests to allow this? Property values will drop in the tens of millions because you are afraid of a lawsuit by the clinic. You are trading dollars for pennies. Fiduciary responsibility means making the most prudent decision-not just the cheapest short term one. The future of the town depends on how you play this.
Goes along with all the housing projects with afforable housing Middletown wants to allow. At least Middletown will be prepared for the future. PATHETIC...
Anon 7:50,
Maybe Deputy Mayor Pam Brightbill should add the clinic to the "Buy Middletown" campaign -- make it part of the township website.
Anon 11:16,
Maybe it was Mayor Tony Fiore's plan to reduce the cost of those pesky tax appeals he and the Republican majority have been complainingg about and not taking accounability for -- just like the clinic -- by lowering property values in the Apple Farm area and across the township by allowing the clinic to open.
anon, 4:19,
You got me thinking. If sale prices drop and are lower than assessed values, that might trigger a whole new round of appeals. We're all gonna have to pay for that with bigger property tax increase next year.
And LOL re "buy Middletown". Painful, but I laughed anyway.
With all these serious issues facing our town, does anyone question that our form of government doesn't work?
We have a weak mayoral system which means the mayor is appointed not elected. We have 5 elected township committee people who are supposed to represent a very diverse, large town. How can they possibly know all the areas and be effective? Our elected officials are part time semi volunteers that do not have any financial expertise and yet insist we don't need a finance committee. This is plainly irresponsible.
If each village or section of town had a representative than something like this could have been addressed and avoided earlier.
It's time we looked seriously at our form of government and make the necessary changes that work for the people and not just a political party. A non partisan, ward system makes sense and would give all sections of this 42 square mile town a voice. Right now people feel disenfranchised and apathetic.
The Mayor wants us to be his eyes and ears, but I feel he and the TC have selective hearing. They don't listen to our needs, make poor decisions and then arrogantly point the finger at us for not opposing plans earlier. He wants us to be his eyes and ears, but doesn't want to televise meetings.
I find that rather hypocitical and disengenuous.
Anon 9:27 - I just have to comment on how well-written your post is. You are spot-on on every point you make and I agree with you 100%. Kudos to you!
Anon 9:27 I have to agree with you as well.
Are you suggesting we pay council members and a mayor? How much? Will it be a full time job?
Not to say that the suggestion is wrong - plenty of other places have that kind of system, but if it is a full time job, won't it have to pay enough so that just getting those jobs will become an end in themselves?
I think every system has plusses and minuses.
Legion, Why would you ask if council members, mayors would be paid for a full time job if the governing system was changed to a ward system? The TC gets a stipend now for their part time job.
The point was made that TC does not adequately represent all the different communities in this large town. Why not have a representative from various sections report to an elected mayor. At least that representative would be knowledgeable about the needs of their community.
I think it's worthy of discussion and getting the politics out of this town would be refreshing.
Anon at 10:01 -
Do you REALLY think that a ward system would get politics out of town? I can see the argument that councilmen from wards would represent the ward, perhaps better than now, but the counter argument is that at large representatives stave off sectarianism.
Look at the current controversy. The councilman from the Ward representing Applebrook would be advocating to break the law and pay for lawsuits and settlements because of the politics of representing the ward. Would that really be what was best for the town? Would having the people of one ward upset with the people in another ward be a good thing?
Worth exploring, but the truth is that anyone from any part of town can run for office now - most don't.
Legion, give me a break. What you're predicting is ridiculous.
Right now there is little representation of communities, and that is why things slip through the cracks. Prevention and anticipation of problems is what is lacking in this town. It's too big and too diverse for 5 people to manage in their current capacity.
Your objection to changing the way things are suggests you are fine with the current system.
I agree with the previous posters and say things are broken and lets try and fix it. That is an uphill battle because of the 30 year one party control in this town.
Those in control want to keep things just the way they are no matter how badly they govern.
It's all about political parties and that's the problem.
However the more people become aware because of issues like this the more they will see it's not working and will demand a change.
Legion, I think you know why most people don't run. If you run on Dem ticket, you're battling a political machine entrenched in this town.
It would be impossible to run as an Ind. because there would be no financial support.
On the other hand if you agree to everything Peter Carton dictates, you can run as a Republican.
The choices and options are not very appealing to anyone who wants to be a public servant in this town.
How do we measure "not working?" Middletown is among the best places to live in the country.
It is right in the middle of towns in NJ as far as tax assessment is concerned, has a slew of cultural and entertainment sites, has a multitude of park and recreation facilities, a low crime rate...
Seems to me the only thing that "isn't working" for you is the fact that the GOP garners more votes in every election.
You want gerrymandered districts in an attempt to elect Democrats, right?
C'mon, you can be honest with us!
Besides, I said that I was open to looking to looking at wards and representative districts - I was just raising some logical questions about such a system.
Legion, Your comment "anyone from any part of town can run, but most choose not to" is rather patronizing and condescending.
You know the Republicans control the message and everything in this town, so spare us your glib, remarks. They could put Bozo the clown on the ticket and he would win.
It ain't easy for anyone to beat the Repubs, and even when the Dems get good people elected, staying in office is an ever bigger challenge.
Patrick Short and Sean Byrnes can attest to that.
Legion, I think your boast of Middletown as one of the top places to live indicates you are completely in denial about the current state of affairs in this town. I was wondering when you'd throw that crap in.
Gerrymandering! Please, that doesn't even apply to what is suggested. We don't have representation in all areas which are NOT politically divided, so how is that redistricting?
Why would you think the Dems only want a voice? Every section in town has members in both parties as well as Ind. So how would the Dems capitalize on this?
This is all about making sure all areas have a voice no matter what party you belong to.
I'm sure the people who are opposing this clinic are not made up of just Dems.
The same goes with the people opposing a sports complex in Lincroft. Most of them were Republicans.
"top places to live" I think the people fighting this clinic would laugh at you!
Legion:
Follow the money. The town committee is infamous for rewarding their friends. And it appears they are doing it again now with the most lucrative contract Middletown has ever entered into -- the solar PPA. No up front costs for the town, but HUGE sums to be made by developer, installer, design engineer (Settembrino?), and financier, to name a few. Just so you know, this is a $20 million construction job. The town committee has given strong indication that they will direct the project to a private company rather than bid it out. That is a massive breach of ethics in my opinion because they have too much discretion to enrich their buddies.
Keep your eye on this one, folks.
I notice Middletown Medical mill has a website which details a laundry list of addicts' rights. Wouldn't it be nice if the the residents had something similar? Among their rights is the right to treatment in "the least restrictive environment". Isn't that comforting?
Isn't Steve Massell a commercial real estate broker? Shouldn't he have know what was happening?
I'm so tired of hearing "it's not our fault", "our hands are tied",
"we didn't know".
Anon: 9:27 said it rather articulately, this form of government is not working. Middletown is too big and our TC obviously can't do the job needed to protect our quality of life.
One minute they're telling us to be their eyes and ears and then things are done without transparency. You can't have it both ways.
The best place to live in this country last year was Eden Prairie,Minnesota where the winter temperatures are in the sub teens ! Several towns out that way make the list repeatedly.
Maybe that's what we need here.... "cooler" heads !
Middletown will be a "has been" town off the list this year....just wait and see. Every year the position has DECLINED !
About time for this TC to apply themselves to really administrating in this township.....hasn't been a decent republican representative in this town in a long time.
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