"While I am generally familiar with the program outlined in that email, I don’t have the detailed information you are requesting. Therefore I have forwarded your request to the appropriate departments. Please let me know if they do not respond to your questions within a reasonable amount of time."
On February 13th, after not hearing from the "appropriate departments" but seeing a comment left by our mayor, Tony Fiore, in response to comments left on Middletown Patch's article "Township: Save a Money Tree, Use iPads" where he stated:
"The ipads are property of the Township and get returned. A study was done in early 2011 where it was decided that to utilize the full functionality of the Township systems, the ipad was the easiest and most cost effective to integrate. A full cost analysis of the ipad vs paper was completed and can be found with the Township Clerk. Some Township Committee members (including myself) own our own ipads and had the software loaded onto our own personal devices...."I decided that I should sent a follow-up email to Mr. VanNest.
In this follow-up email, a portion of which is below, I also asked three additional questions that came to mind after reading Tony Fiore's comment:
I find Mayor Fiore's comments less than enlightening and would like to have reasonable answers to my questions that I posed to you last week seeing how there must have been some discussions that took place based on the Mayor's comments.I received no response from this email.So last night, in anticipation of today being the two week mark since I sent my intial email to Mr. VanNest and knowing that tonight would be a regualry scheduled Township Committee meeting (which I am unable to attend), I sent a third email to Mr. VanNest and also copied both Tony Mercantante, the Township Administrator and Heidi Brunt, the Township Clerk:
It's nice to know that some (not all) of the iPads are the personal property of a few members of the township governing body while others are Township property and must be returned but his comment falls short of what I have inquired about and raises a couple of more questions.
1. Was former Committeewoman Pam Brightbill issued an iPads and if so has she returned it to the Township?
2. Is there a code of conduct for township employees/governing body that pertain to the usage of Township property?
3. Can you have the Township Clerk email a copy of the full cost analysis of the iPad vs paper study that Mayor Fiore mentioned was available to those that request a copy? I would like to read it.
Mr. VanNest,
It has been two weeks since I first contacted you and one week since I sent you a follow-up email requesting information regarding the purchase of Apple iPads for members of the Township's governing body. I have yet to hear back from you or anyone from the "appropriate departments" that you forwarded my request to.
As a resident of Middletown and a tax payer, I would appreciate a response to my inquiry. I feel an appropriate amount of time has now passed that answers should be forthcoming.Again, I have not received a response from Mr. VanNest or anyone else associated with Middletown to my inquiries, as I had thought might happen when I wrote the initial post about these iPads.
As far as I'm concerned, this is extremely unprofessional behavior shown by those that are suppose to represent Middletown and its residents. How about little common courtesy?
If those within the Middletown administration do not wish to answer questions that I pose to them via email then say so, I'll go through the trouble to make them respond directly an OPRA request, which of course will be turned down because much of what I have asked does not fall within the criteria of an OPRA request.
But if they want to play the game, I'm willing to play it.
22 comments:
Respect and courtesy are given to those who give it, you are obviously not one of them...
That speaks volumes about you, Mike and very little about them!!! Maybe you should look in mirror and do some more self criticism. Like the old saying, you get more bees with honey. Too bad honey isn't in you vocabulary. Being a thorn in someone's side will never make you any friends! Hope you enjoy your hostile loneliness...
Anon 8:56,
I deserve the same courtesy as anyone else regardless of whether or not I am viewed as hostile.
I live and pay taxes in Middletown and I, like others, expect to be told the truth and treated fairly when questionable situations arise.
Far too many times those that are supposed to represent us have been caught in lies or have squandered our tax dollars on "pet " projects. Those people need to be held accountable.
As for being lonely, I'll never be lonely. I have far too many friends to ever be lonely.
The ipads were in use at last nights meeting..........
Precisely. "Respect and courtesy are given to those who give it" and earn it.
It isn't earned by lies and concealment.
Too much honey can smother the bees.
Keep up the pressure Mike. Our local govt wants to communicate via slanted press release and become very evasive when called upon to provide details.
One has to wonder why all the stonewalling on an issue which is portrayed as beneficial.
I bet you'll never hear anything from "Don Fiore" and hie merry band of mafiosos.
I have said it before and I say it again...I'm just glad I don't have to live in your township. At least MY all republican township committee are decent people....and they answer your questions without arrogance or condescension. Something that is sorely lacking in your fun loving group.
Speaking of courtesy to others, anon 8:56, if you are who you sound to be,you know nothing about the subject and as for hostility you know a great deal about that subject as a maser of hostility to anyone who does not agree with you or your agenda.
Mike you do a great job, against all odds, in trying to inform the people in Middletown about their government.I thank you and many more thank you.
Shame on you Mike......making these people accountable and answer why they shut down the township pool because of money then make an extravagent purchase like IPADS for themselves.
Neighbor against neighbor is the wrong approach here. Try and look at the bigger picture. Imagine there is more than meets the eye.
Watching the taped meeting with the hope-filled families patiently waiting for their turn to lend their voice to a cause that they so fervently believe in, bringing their kids there to sit through what they had no idea what it would really pan out as, all of it shows a sad ignorance, I'm so sorry to say, of how our town actually is.
You're teaching your kids that this is a democracy and this is how we can enact change, when the truth is that in this township, you only had 1 day in which to do that, last November, on Election Day.
That was when you handed the reins over to who we've trusted with running our township for years, the local republicans and their party boss, who makes a profit off the debt, including the debt of the swim club, the arts center, all of it.
I guess we all have our time in our life where we 'wake up' to how what's around us really works.
I'm proud to have you all for neighbors. I just wish we weren't so ripped off and disregarded by our town governance.
Our government at all levels should be transparent and info should be forthcoming. Afer all, we elect these people and pay their salaries as well as for the IPADS. If you want respect, then have the decency to treat your constituents with respect by disclosing all information. This TC is just getting in deeper and deeper with their apparent disregard for the voters.So many Republicans are so turned off by this group that they won't be voting for that way anytime soon. Peter Carton and his puppets have screwed themselves with their shady dealings and bully tactics.
Mike,
Have you been to any of Christie's town hall meetings???
He would shut down your illogic and fear mongering lies so fast your legs would be shaking and you would wet your pants. You claim to want to want to be helpful to the residents of this town, yet all you do is complain about things you can't change. Maybe it's time to do something and get involved in things you can change, other than being an armchair quarterback and armtwisting people into running for the TC.
Anon 6:50,
A voice of reason comes from the crowd every once in a while on this site. Although I don't agree with you 100%, you are NOT on a rampage or hostile. You don't spew wrong or useless facts. Thank you for a refreshing post!
Hey Mike - Take a lesson here
"Neighbor against neighbor is the wrong approach here...I'm proud to have you all for neighbors."
Finally someone with decency has emerged from the shadows!
Anon 7:49,
Christie is a bully who has trouble distinguishing facts from fiction. That is why he must resort to shouting down anyone who disagrees with him. He is the classic do as I say, not as I do politician. The man has very little to no class!
And who's arm by the way, have I supposedly twisted into running for Township Committee?
You are delusional.
Neighbor against neighbor was the right approach to get our "piss inducing" governor to thank his low brow Middletown cronies with some tasty little bones. Let's not be coy.
And if the only way in which logic can be disseminated to the public is by inducing loss of bladder control, perhaps the good governor's talents could be better utilized elsewhere- use your imagination.
And to the fan of our guv at 7:49-
I fail to see where Mike complains about things that can't be changed. Are you implying that the corrupt self interested gang that rules Middletown cannot be voted out? Are you, perhaps, telling us a dirty little secret?
I think I know who you are now. Part of the posse that sits behind Christie at these so-called town hall meetings laughing on cue to feed the big man's ego. Hard for the average working man to attend since they are scheduled when only the "elitists" can drop in, but I have watched the streaming online. From what I can tell, the only people that look like they might have wet their pants are the posse who have to keep smiling and clapping to keep on the guv's good side. The plastered on smiles and forced applause are almost as convincing as the weeping masses at Kim Jung Ill's funeral.
Anon 6:50,
If the Republican "boss" makes money on the Swim Club debt, wouldn't the Republicans fight to keep the club open? Your argument holds about as much water as that crack in the big pool.
Middletown's Republican Party boss made his money when the bonds were issued. The bondholders are the ones that are making money from the bonds now.
He'll make more when the bonds are redeemed, also.He gets paid in both directions.
Anon 7:49, how are things that you cannot personally change supposed to change if you do not complain about them? What things can not be changed?
"As big as the crack in the big pool"
So you admit that the pool club is not worth keeping???
Anon 1:02,
"the posse who have to keep smiling and clapping to keep on the guv's good side."
I will clap for anyone who wants to tell me the truth of how things are and how he feels AND give me more money in my paycheck!!!
ALL the other politicians ever give you is some BS pc answer that is useless because they don't want to or are to scared to get into a verbal debate with a citizen to defend thier position. I HATE THAT!!!
"The truth about things are and how he feels..."
So you think Christie is a straight talker? Just watching Christie being asked by Piers Morgan whether he favored the auto company bailout. His answer -he hasn't yet studied the issue. Seriously? Is that the straight talk you refer to? More like, I'm not sure what the polls show so I better not open my big mouth on this one.
He is correct that he is not ready to be president. Some might say that applies to any public office if he cannot articulate an opinion on a major issue years after the fact.
He had no anticipation to need an opinion so why would he waste his time looking into something that already happened???
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