I couldn't attend last night's special meeting of the Middletown Library Board of Trustees due to my work schedule but from what I've heard it was rather anti-climatic.
After opening the public meeting and then going directly into executive session for about 45 minutes, then meeting was re-opened for public comments, after which the library board took no action regarding the initial purpose of the meeting which was to discuss the performance of a certain staff member (believed to be Library Director Susan O'Neal).
Board members Tony Fiore and Cynthia Wilson were absent, as were Susan O'Neal and Wendy Latona.
Reporters from the Independent and Asbury Park Press were there and will more than likely have additional information on the meeting later this week.
Which leaves me to ask, what were these clowns hoping to achieve last night that couldn't have been done at a normal meeting?
38 comments:
I guess we will just have to wonder!
That's strange. Do you think it was because there were reporters there, and members of the public?
Maybe they wanted this thing to be "hush hush" and on the down low.
Wonderful transparency in this town, eh?
Anon 10:16,
I'm not sure why there was no announcement as to the true purpose of last night's meeting. I think that since Tony Fiore wasn't there the board felt best not to announce anything after its executive session. Fiore is this years puppet master after all.
As someone speculated to me earlier, it is entirely possible that durning executive session last night it was determined to let the employee in question go and a compensation package was discussed. We'll just have to wait and see.
So much for civil service protection. If the Director goes, then it is time to dig deeply into the workings and motivation of the Township Committee. The state statutes governing the library need to be examined to see if and how they may have been violated by the committee and/or the library board.
In three short years the Township Committee has put the library and its services and its independence on the 'disabled list'.
Anon at 4:11 said: "If the Director goes, then it is time to dig deeply into the workings and motivation of the Township Committee..." What?
I know that some of y'all believe that the TC is responsible for everything from potholes to global warming, but you've got to be kidding with this.
This woman deceived the board that she works for, plotting behind their backs to create political pressure to get them to do what she wanted - and they SHOULDN'T fire her?
But hey, let's play along, how exactly are you going to "dig deeply into the workings and motivation of the Township Committee?" Lie detectors? Truth serum? Water boarding?
LOL! Get serious. Oh, and you've got some spittle on your chin...
It has occurred to me that when he wrote his May 10th memo to Committeeman Fiore implying that the Edmunds accounting system was updated in 2012, CFO Nick Trasente had to have known that wasn’t true. He had to have known because this year’s delay followed similar lengthy delays for at least the two prior years. He had to have known because repeated appeals from library staff to move the money into a spending account visible on the accounting system would have tipped him off. He had to have known as a result of the late April communication between his office and the library which led to the system update. So when he wrote his May 10th memo implying the system was updated in 2012, he knowingly lied. He lied to an elected official no less.
I pointed this out to the library board last night and questioned why we aren’t hearing anything about the Mr. Trasente’s firing.
Trasente was conspicuously absent from the last Township Committee meeting (9/3).
This woman didn't deceive anyone and when you talk about deception you should be pointing your fingers at the mud slinging, character assassins that serve on the TC and in this administration.
That's who could not tell the true if their lives were dependent on it,absent TC member,library board member,anon 6:01 p.m.....
This TC is the worst this resident of decades has ever seen in this town. God help us !!!
To Anon at 6:01
The director of the library did her due diligence and submitted documentation at the Aug. 21 meeting supporting this FACT. The true financial accounting was withheld from her (deliberately maybe?) and the town's citizens, thus allowing the vote to close 3 branch libraries to be railroaded through.
The citizens of Middletown need to be wary and alert and demand answers or you will find this tactic used to close the remaining library next year.
Linda, I can't conclude anything but that you are no longer acting out of ignorance, but are outright lying for your buddy, Ms. O'Neal.
Unfortunately you have already cost her her job. I hope you feel good about that.
When you talk about money being "visible on the accounting system," how the hell do you know what was "visible on the accounting system?" Oh yeah, that's right, Susan O'Neal told you, LOL
You are being suckered into lying for her. But it's too late...
The only mistake Susan O'Neal has made is that she chose to serve the residents of this town, not the politicians.
Susan O'Neal, thank.you for your courage.
@10:21
Ad hominem is all you got? Try applying logic to what Ms. Baum has said. Is it possible that she is right? She provided evidence to back up her argument. You have provided no evidence.
Mr Trasente's firing?? What??
Great point. Does linda Baum have access to the internal township financial database? If not, she has no evidence and is going on hearsay.
Ms. Baum,
I wouldn't be at all surprised if Mr. Trasente stretched the truth, or lied. The Middletown Township Committee has a history of bending the facts and not fully sharing information that the public is entitled to hear and see. The most obvious example is Mayor Scharfenberger's mendacity regarding a series of questions that a Ms. M Katz asked a few years ago (2009?) during a formal Township Committee meeting where the topic was Shadow Lake -- it is on the record. The Asbury Park Press wrote an editorial condemning Gerry Scharfenberger's lying. By-the-way, just before Dr. Scharfenberger lied at a public meeting municipal lawyer Brian Nelson leaned over and whispered a sweet something into the Mayor's ear. So, it appears that even contracted employees are encouraged to avoid telling the whole truth.
There is also the debacle with our former CFO, Richard Wright, who was formally replaced by Mr. Trasente.
And, are you aware that Mr. Trasante came to Middletown from Hoboken following a financial scandal in Hoboken.
Most likely, this financial fiasco would not be happening if the Township had an INDEPENDENT finance committee. At this point Ms. Baum appears to be operating as an independent finance committee of one. Its time for others to join her and to submit multiple requests for public financial records and related documents.
Anon 12:18,
Ms. Baum can OPRA financial records, which can serve as information and evidence.
Brian Nelson leaves plenty to be desired in legal representation. Believe he has some position in Middletown's Republican party even though he lives in Shrewsbury. Wonder if it's related to his "job security" or something like that. Lawyers are know for bending the truth,stretching the truth or evading the truth or whatever it takes to win regardless of whether it's ethical behavior or is not.
Guess the people of Middletown will have a better opinion of Bernie Reilly after a couple of years of this character.
The Middletown Library has had a Finance Committee for many years. It's primary function is to prepare the annual budget. In the year 2012, Stephanie Murray insisted on being on this committee, despite some public oppostion that having this authority was inappropriate as she was a TC member . This is all on public record In the library's minutes - easy to verify!
As an "insider". Murray probably knew, as did Fiore, that a reserve from a prior yr was "found" or maybe uncovered is the better word from its hiding place in this complicated Edmunds financial system. It doesn't take a genius to connect the dots....
Maybe I read too many detective stories, but following the trail of the connections between people often leads to the solution. Murray and Fiore are tight. So are Murray and Siebert on the library bd. Siebet and Fiore are tight. Murray set up Siebert to take over the bd from Larry Nelsen who was smelling the rat at Town Hall about the $300000 plus chargebacks in 2012. Maybe she also set up Siebert to find the reserves in May. Who then turned on the library Director.
The second tip from reading detective stories is looking for motive. As other bloggers have written, exactly WHAT motive would Director O'Neal have for hiding the knowledge of addition funds from the Board.? The library is her baby- look at the results of what was accomplished under her leadership! What the Town needed in 2011 was money, and they stripped the library of half a million dollars. Then they came back for more in 2012. In 2013 it is the property they need, so the lib was pinched to close its branches. Some master plan. Some irrefutable facts. Some motive.
.
Now it's election time and I see Rep signs going up around town. Time for the TC and library bd cronies to make this all go away soon so it can be forgotten by Nov.
Not me I'm not forgetting. The library Director has been. Accused and tried by a judge and jury not of her peers, but by a coalition of politician masquerading as public servants. in the court of public opinion, and I know of many who are watching and reading these. Blogs in silence and dismay, the TC and the Library board have acted disgracefully.
I love our library and am shamed by its dimunition in the last few years. In November I am voting for CHANGE!!!!
The only CHANGE anyone will see is the name of the library going from Middletown Township Public Library to Monmouth County Public Library.
And have you asked them if they can take Middletown on now???
Politics serves these characters on the TC well.....one recently purchased a home in Lincroft for $1,175,000. That info was printed in the Star Ledger on Sunday, July 16,2013.That info is public knowledge!
Who do you believe that one serves?
Who are the looters (can think of a stronger word that starts with a B)
going to steal from then.......the taxpayers ????
The County does a better job with everything that they are responsible for taking care of.....the library system, the park system, governing 650,000 county residents....you name it,they do it better !!!!
Another consideration....the Freeholders show respect for the people of Monmouth County and politics be damned, no one has to be reluctant to attend a meeting of the Board of Chosen Freeholders.
Government in Middletown is a DISGRACE!!!
These obnoxious ,ignorant,blundering buffoons are such egomaniacs,they don't seem to know any better and they don't seem to care.
Siebert is about as qualified to be president of the Library Board as Dennis Rodman is to be Secretary of State!!
What if there is "evidence" that would prove Baum is wrong?
How does she know the inner workings of the finance systems the town uses? Why does she go to such lengths to "prove" her position? Does she think that no one believes her to begin with? Why does she continue to pit the town against the library? Wouldn't it be best for the library to work closer with the town to try to save money in even the smallest way? Wouldn't that help to lower taxes or make better use of Library resources? So many questions about Baum's motivation...
Heard she files hundreds of OPRA requests, then sues to block public records sent to and from a public officials email. You cant have it both ways Baum!
When are they gonna change the dictionary, its not common sense anymore, its rare sense!
Inundate us with your effort to cloud the truth( more like never tell the truth) and resort to the same old tactics of character assassination against anyone who disagrees with this administration.
To the people of Middletown: BUYER BEWARE !!
THIS IS ALL ABOUT MONEY AND POLITICS
AND CONTROL OF ALL MONEY AND POSITIONS!!!
Just remember the "takeover" of the Board of Education,then the "takeover" of the Library Board. The slander spewed against Sean Byrnes, Patrick Short and Pat Walsh in those campaigns.The attempts to character assassinate those people and then it was Randall Gabrielan and now it's Susan O'Neal.
Those mentioned individuals were trying to serve the people of this town.
The Republican Party in this town in the last dozen years has sunk to the very bottom of the barrel.It's never about the issues, it"s always about mud slinging and destroying someone's reputation or character!
Have they no shame ?
These Republicans are not fit to serve !!! They are the ones lacking in character !
Every year at election time the Middletown Republians send out their poisonous rhetoric and mailers. They could not run a clean campaign if life depended on it. Ms. Baum is just this year's ( and last year') Democratic candidate opposing them.
The only "irrefutable evidence" is that Ms. O'Neal was working behind the scenes to sandbag the Library Board into doing what she wanted them to do.
It's my understanding that it was Ms. O'Neal who recommended that the Library branches be closed - and then she tried to use "shock and awe" on the Board to get them to not question her "wisdom..."
Well, she got caught because she wasn't nearly as smart as she thought she was, and now I hope she has been fired. We'll have to wait and see.
As far as "takeovers..." The TC appoints the Library Board. That's their prerogative and I don't think that they are required to ask Linda who they should appoint. If you don't like who they appoint, elect someone else.
The Board of Education? Elected by the people, whom I know you don't trust, but there it is.
See, that's what politics is about. You work to try to get people you agree with elected. That you are angry because your "team" has lost elections time and again, I can understand, but you really can't complain about a Republican "takeover..." Unless you don't want a democracy...
Look what's coming:
http://nation.time.com/2013/09/13/a-bookless-library-opens-in-san-antonio/?hpt=hp_c4
The little dictators that have served and do serve in this community want a totalitarian regime in this town.If they could have their way the public would not be allowed to speak unless the TC approved what they are to speak about first!
Next they will want communism and will try and use force against dissenting town's residents.
Don't like the truth ,TOO BAD!!!
BTW I am not a Democrat and I have lived here long enough to know just what kind trash we have in government today.
Today's bunch is as low as you can get ,Anon 9:38.......
Democracy in Middletown ?
Are you kidding?
Corrupt politics intrudes in all areas of government !
Anon 9:38a.m., you are full of S.....!
Linda,
What did you mean when you mentioned Mr Trasente's firing? Do you know something that hasn't hit the press yet? Tell us what you know.
Anon 2:34
Reread Linda Baum's comment she did not say that Nuck Trasente would be fired, she merely speculated as to why, in light of his mishandling of the situation, we weren't hearing anything about his job being in jeopardy as we are Susan O'Neal.
Hey Mike,
Maybe you should attend Red Bank's election night celebration in November. Then you would know what it feels like to WIN an election!
Remember that saying - elections have consequences!
Scharfey's cheerleader @ 5:37 p.m.,
Elections should have consequences but it's too bad the punks in the Middletown Republican party have to resort to rotten slime throwing and ugly,filthy tactics they resort to in order to win at any cost.
It's never about the issues and always about destroying someone's character.
BTW: not a Democrat and would not vote for the current republican trash.They only qualify for SEWER DUTY and then they'd slip on their own slime!
Middletown Looking For New CFO.....Things That Make You Go hmmmmmm
Anon at 1:37
Sounds like sour grapes...
Harry Truman said: "Politics a'int beanbag..."
Your rants about tactics seem to be excuses about why your favored candidates don't win. We know that Ms. Baum resorts to lying in an attempt to become relevant, can you point to actual things done by the Middletown GOP that were underhanded or unfair?
YEH, Sure....
Just look at every election in these last ten or twelve years...
Just read the crap they send in the mail...contaminates my mailbox and the mailbox smells like horse manure for weeks after it's delivered.
The slander of Patrick Short, Sean Byrnes, Pat Walsh , Randall Gabrielan and now Susan O'Neal.
This TC is capable of anything,and the more underhanded or unfair the better they like.
Listening to your lies !
Is that enough?
Need more Majestic Motormouth ?
"Slander" is something that isn't true...
Yup, sour grapes.
I thought so.
Guess your complaints and excuses never amounted to any real action...
Hey Mike and company-
I heard tissues were on sale this week at Foodtown!
Love,
Yours Truly
Majestic Motormouth, you get the prize for character assassination and slander !
You and your buddies lack any conscience in you assaults on others !
Recall the attacks on the School Super, the former BOE Pres and two trusted BOE members. So the TC could try to control the money for education, the TC backed the "BAM" slate !
This is all about money and the control of all of the money in this town.....the tax dollars to run the town,run the library and run the schools.The politicians are looting the money everywhere.
Politics in this Middletown are sick and the disease contaminates the whole town !
Don't like the truth....tough shit !
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