After last night's Meet the Candidates forum sponsored by the Oak Hill Association, which turned raucous at times over some of Morrill's responses, it was a clear case of room-packing and planting adversaries against a former Middletown GOP insider.
Below is his Q&A that appears in this week's Election 2011 Candidate profile published in this weeks edition of the Independent.
Q. What do you believe is the main issue facing Middletown? If elected to the Township Committee what specific steps would you take to tackle this issue?
MORRILL: Taxes. I would like to look to re-engineer how the township operates by analyzing all departments one at a time. I would bring a fresh pair of eyes and ears with experience in re-engineering departments.
Q. What are your qualifications to serve on the Middletown Township Committee?
MORRILL: I feel I am qualified to serve on the Middletown Township Committee due to my success in re-engineering numerous departments at Barclays Bank, saving in excess of $10 million per year. I also managed multiple construction projects in multiple buildings and multiple states, including one valued at $27 million. All came in on time and under budget. I managed an average of 150 people at a time.
Q. Are there any issues facing Middletown that you specifically want to address?
MORRILL: The other issues that I want to specifically address are the spending in Middletown, the supervision of employees, the pricing for professional services and the appointments of individuals to committees and boards in Middletown so that all residents are represented. I would like to encourage new businesses to come to Middletown by assisting and courting them to create jobs in the township.
16 comments:
Rich Morrill confirmed last night what Dems have been saying about the Repubs. for the last 30 years. It's all about control in Middletown by the GOP, not the tax payer.
All they could attack Morrill on was for a job his niece got on her own.
He actually corrected Joan Smith when she accused him of cronyism not patronage. It would have been patronage if he told people prior to her getting the job. The fact she got it on her own says she didn't need or pursue his help.
This was pure theater, seeing all the planted Republicans in the audience going after him and Morrill giving it right back. After hearing Steph Murray's brother in law was the one screaming at the Dems, I was disgusted.
Steph Murray looked coached with no substance and zero qualifications.
Being appointed to boards by the GOP control TC does not make you the best candidate. You have to earn that on your own.
Grenafage and Fowler were dignified in their responses and demeanor.
They've earned a right to run for TC through their commitment to Middletown and years of service.
The difference between them and the GOP candidates is like night and day.
Joan Smith is not one to talk about cronyism....her position on the Middletown Sewage Authority Board stinks to high heaven of both cronyism and patronage. Get real woman! What happened to your integrity or didn't you ever have any?
Goes to show just what politics can do to you and for you if you are a republican in this town !
I'm not Mrs. Murray's brother in law. I know Steph through mutual friends and her values are without compromise. Clearly Mr. Morrill is clueless. His answers were without substance. The fact that he maintained buildings for a bank makes him nothing more than a janitorial manager. Mrs. Fowler seems like a very nice woman, but she has very little experience and seemed unimpressive. Mr. Greengage brought absolutely nothing to the table, what answers did he give that would lad you to the contrary?
Rob C.
You can't even spell,you are a condescending loudmouth and just what qualifications do you have to pass judgement on anyone else especially individuals the caliber of a Jim Grenefege or a Carol Fowler. NONE, none at all. Behaved like a jackass that's what you did !
Just another thug type associated with or related to the Middletown current breed of Republicans.
Can't pass judgement on your friend
but her" tingling demon"really gets her in a tizzy when she recites her transcript and displays her arrogance. We have enough of those kind of characters already.Think she may have her priorites all tangled up.
She has nothing to offer the taxpaying residents of this community but more lies and mismanagement.Can distort facts and fib almost as well as those who have recently served in the mayor's chair.
Rob C. if you're Steph Murray's friend then maybe you can explain why her friends have told people that she writes paranormal, erotic, romance novels under a pseudonym.
Wasn't hard to figure out that the name is Cassandra Cade. Best part is, she will only state that she's never been published. Rather vague, don't you think? So here we have someone running for office already misleading the public.
So much for uncompromising values.
I went to the meeting last night. It was the first political meeting for Middletown candidates that I have attended. I don't care about the local political parties. I went to the meeting because I care about my taxes and the way our money is being spent here. I learned the Republican leadership cut our budget from 65 to 61 million. I learned our 70 million in debt includes 62 in bonded capital improvements. I learned that not only is this debt common for municipalities, but we are well below our debt cap. We apparently pay .93 percent on this debt, and we have a top rating from Moody's. I was hoping the Democrats would impress me. When pressed on the debt figures, Ms. Fowler said she didn't know because she was "not a politician." Why, then, should we put her on the Committee? Simply because she is a Democrat and they should have a turn? Mr. Grenefage says there should be at least 2 Committee members from each party. Why? To continue the petty partisan bickering? To give them a stage for their personal agendas? I certainly don't care about Mr. Morrill's niece. I care that he is fully immersed in these local party politics. He is confrontational and combative. It is about him. Not about us. He would be a disaster. The fact is the Republicans have been effective. Both of their candidates seemed focused and knowledgeable on the issues last night. Every fact I learned last night of any significance came from one of the Republicans candidates. It was no contest.
Rob C.: If you're a friend of Steph Murray, I don't know who I feel more embarrassed for, you are her.
This used to be a nice place to live, but we've been invaded by loud mouth, rude, obnoxious people like you.
I don't know what you hoped to accomplish last night, because you clearly came armed with ammo and the big guns. Unfortunately for you and your Republican friends, you all came off looking foolish.
In contrast, the Dems didn't have to do a whole lot except watch the children in the playground fight with each other.
Ray H.,
Where have you been these last many years of republican majorities?
Where were you last year when the Middletown Republicans RAISED our local taxes (municipal expenses) by nearly fourteen (13.875) percent..
The republicans in this town care about one thing only and that's not the taxpayers....IT"S CONTROL AND POWER !!
The Middletown Republicans foster political bickering with the perpetual untruthfulness and lack of transparency. Civility completely escapes every one of them on that dais. Seem to think they don't owe the people in this town even common courtesy or decency.
Televise the TC meetings. The taxpayers have a RIGHT TO KNOW....they,the property owners in this community, PAY THE BILLS and it's the taxpayers money these clowns MISMANAGE !
IF THEY HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE.....BRING ON THE CAMERAS!
What are they SO AFRAID of ??????
There ARE NO EXCUSES, NONE !!
Rob H.
Nothing personal sir, but your time would have been better spent attending some of the TC meetings.
I personally, based on my observations of the TC meetings, for several years now, agree that there should be 2 Committee members from each party to represent the citizens of this township, all of us. That petty party bickering that you refer to is informative. I don't want to hear what they're doing on our behalf. I want to hear what, why, where, when, pros and cons, all of it. I may or may not like what decisions and/or actions they take or don't on our behalf but I at least want to hear a discussion on it. I want to know what I need to know to be an informed citizen not what they want me to know. Be an informed voter.
Ray H.
You sound like all the other Republican puppets out there. I don't know how long you've lived in this town, or maybe your head has been in the sand.
The GOP says they lowered our budget by $4mil and bonded $65mil for capital improvements. Do you honestly believe that $65 mil is all for capital improvements? Our bond debt was $45 mil just 5 years ago. Now it's $70 mil.
Middletown bonds to pay their bills.
They've taken millions from the BOE, a half million from the library this year. They continue to rob Peter to pay Paul to keep up the pretense of being good fiscal managers.
There has been no long term planning, just knee jerk reactions.
We've paid millions in legal fees due to this poor planning.
The bond attorney just happens to be Peter Carton who chairs the Republican party in Middletown.
And the township attorney just happens to be Brian Nelson, second in command of the Middletown Republicans.
Talk about conflict of interest, the epitome of self serving characters don't you think ?
There is no shame in the lack of integrity or ethics of the whole damn bunch of them. NONE!
Rich,
Thanks for standing up to the "club" and fighting for the people.
I'm sick to death of the lies and hypocrisy by GOP in this town.
Not the grand party I used to be proud of.
Not that I'm sold on the Dems, but the Republicans have royally screwed this town. And they crucify anyone who gets in their way.
Non partisan would be even better, but that would take a miracle.
I'm just beginning to understand what the Democrats and Independents are up against when it comes to governing in Middletown.
All the departments and boards are controlled by one party. All appointees are Republicans. All information is controlled by them.
To learn what's going on, you have to Opra the information.
This is very scary. Sorry it's taken me so long to see it.
anon 2:50: That is precisely why all meetings need to be televised.
It can be done through the public access channel with the funding we get from Comcast
All we need is a video camera. How much would that cost? I actually can donate one.
Tell it like it is said @ 9:21am...
Very well said. To answer your question,"what are they so afaid of?" More citizens becoming informed voters and of course the consequences.
Anon @ 2:50...
You speak the truth. Welcome to reality. Better late than never.
Anon @ 3:45...
I'll donate a second back up video camera.
Post a Comment