7-16-12 Township Committee Meeting: Buffoonery From The Dais Reigns

Here is the latest video of the Middletown Township Committee at work. It is of the July 16, 2012 meeting. The meeting lasted all of 41 minutes so again, it should be easy viewing.

The first thing that I need to point out about this meeting is the childish buffoonery displayed by Deputy Mayor Steve Massell and his colleagues on the dais. This is now the second meeting in a row where Massell has walked into the meeting late (you can witness him walking down the center isle as the Township Clerk is announcing the start of the meeting) playing to the camera. He gets to his seat on the dais (which at this point is not in the frame) just in time for the clerk to announce his name. He smiles, winks and wiggles his finger as if pointing and shooting a gun, announcing "Here" to the giggles of delight from all those in frame.

The other thing from this meeting that shouldn't be missed is the game of "Telephone" that was played between Township Attorney Brian Nelson and those on the dais in order to pass information down the line to Steve Massell during the Public Comments portion of the meeting.

Linda Baum, who is running against Massell in this years election was speaking in regard to the dredging of Shadow Lake and how the township was planning on paying the winning bidder of the dredging project; Was the winner of the bid to dredge Shadow Lake going to be paid upfront, in full, for the whole job prior to the job being complete? Or for just the dredging portion of the job then paid in full after the dredged spoils are carted off Stevenson Park after drying out for two years? Her concern was that the winning bid firm would be paid in full, upfront and then two years later would want more money to cart the spoils away.

At the 29:12 mark of the recording, two minutes into Ms. Baum's comments, Township Attorney Attorney Brian Nelson can be seen leaning over and whispering into the ear of mayor Tony Fiore, who then in turn leans to his right to whisper in the ear of Committeeman Settembrino. Settembrino can then been seen writing a note of some kind that Steve Massell stretches his neck for several seconds to read.  Steve Massell, then and only then, asks Ms. Baum if she was for or against the dredging project.

When she ignores Massell's question and stays on point by responding that she is only there to seek information, Brian Nelson, the attorney, jumps in to badger Ms. Baum over the questions she raised.

This whole exchange is one of the most unprofessional displays I've seen in a long time coming from the Township Committee and that's saying a lot!



I would like to congratulate Assistant Township Clerk Lauren Kirkman who received a commendation for her years of service to the Township. She recently passed the NY/NJ Bar Exam and will be leaving the employment of the township sometime in the near future. I wish her well.

And as always, you can download a copy of the meeting agenda that contains the discussion items and the proposed resolutions and ordinances that were voted on or presented during the meeting. A box around an item is a link, bringing you further into the document to that resolution or ordinance. At the end of the resolution there will be a link bringing you back to the agenda. Attached to this agenda is also the monthly bill list, so that everyone can see how the Township is spending our tax dollars.