Tuesday, November 4, 2014

More Silly Sign Wars: BOE Candidates Signs Stolen By Out Of Towner

I've driven all around Middletown over the past couple of weeks noticing campaign signs, I mean they are so prevalent, how can you miss them? On more than one occasion I've noticed campaign signs missing from locations where just a short hour or so ago they where in place. In the silly game of sign wars which takes place in Middletown every year, it's not uncommon for campaign signs to go missing or have idiots sandwich one sign in-between two opposing signs.  Usually the signs that go missing or are being sandwiched are Democratic signs. Very seldom if ever are the Republican signs played with.

Now as election day is upon us, I get an instant message from a friend claiming that the infamous sign wars have spread to candidates for the Middletown Board of Education. Apparently last night a man from Toms River was arrested for stealing and destroying signs of incumbent BOE member Sue Griffin:
"Hey Mike I wanted to reach out to you to see if you could contact Sue Griffen who is running for BOE today...last night a man was arrested in Middletown for stealing and destroying Sue's campaign signs all over Middletown. He was from Toms River, so we aren't sure who asked him to do this or why he would. As you know I follow and work with the BOE regularly and Sue really is one of the good guys from what I see...I think she was hoping you might report something on this...Thanks so much."
At this time, all I can say about this is, it doesn't surprise me. Since the Board of Education elections became politicized last year by moving the BOE elections from April to November, this nonsense was bound to happen. May concern however, much like my friends, is who put this person from Toms River up to coming all the way to Middletown to do this?

I don't have time to track down any more info on this today, I'm busy doing my thing trying to get Democrats elected. But if anyone has anything they wish to add please leave it in the comments.

Now go out and VOTE!!    

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

well if the person was arrested we are going to find out who was behind it

Anonymous said...

LOL, there was no one behind it because it is not true! No information that a Toms River man was arrested for stealing Middletown BOE signs. Just another lie!

Anonymous said...

ITS NOT A LIE! As a friend of Sue Griffins, I heard it directly from her. A man from Toms River was arrested last night caught in the act of destroying the signs. He works for the Public Works Dept in Middletown.

Anonymous said...

It didn't matter, did it?

Anonymous said...

The incident report is a public record....

Anonymous said...

I wonder, was he stealing or was he removing as directed by a superior for some seemingly legitimate reason (however concocted), and was he targeting the signs of just one candidate or all? And was he on the clock, I wonder? Payroll and overtime records would give us a clue -- these are public records, too.

Anonymous said...

We need to find out who put him up to this. He needs to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law

Anonymous said...

Congratulations to those that won although not happy with all of the choices presented. Glad to see Sue won and happy to see some new blood. Really wish that young man from last year would have run with this group.

I agree Mike, the BOE elections have become politicized but that is not entirely the fault of the move to a November election. I think much of that lay with the BOE itself. I think the BOE has done a terrible job of being part of the community. I believe only Joan showed up for the Middletown 350 while the rest of the BOE AND our super were AWOL.

MiddletownMike said...

Anon 3:50,

Members of the BOE shouldn't be politicians. Their job is to ensure our children receive a proper education.

Leave the politics to the politicans. The politicians in Middletown blame the BOE for the town's high taxes. They seldom acknowledge the quality of education those taxes provide.

Our children are our greatest resource.

Anonymous said...

Mike,

The Middletown TC never acknowledges that the quality of education in this community is one of the primary reasons that qualifies Middletown for Money Magazine's best places to live.

If politics were a qualifier Middletown would never see the light of day...never mind top tier ! The caliber of politics in this town is at the bottom of the barrel !

The result of that is that the people refuse to even participate. Refuse to be belittled and refuse to be subject to the outrageous condescension.

In recent years the TC is full of petty political dictators who think they know it all and want to control everything ,even the BOE ! ( It's all about the MONEY! )



Keep politics out of and off of our BOE !!

Anonymous said...

Mike, I agree with your premise however, it's delusional to think you can keep politics out of the BOE. I say that respectfully.

We've got a super that is the epitome of political, had a referendum that had political implications and some tom foolery as well as some hidden truths. We've got a budget for the town and for the schools and the schools are almost 2/3s of our total tax dollars. There is no way not to make it political. Let's not forget, both entities rely on one another for shared services and a host of other things. These two bodies are tied to the hip in one way or another.

Our children are most certainly our greatest resource but just throwing money at the BOE budget does not mean we realize the potential of our greatest resource. What part of this years budget discussions are people forgetting?

I'm disheartened that ED won as he's just a vote for Cody and VB. Some of the things he's said is mind blowing, especially as a former superintendent. What we need is new blood, younger people to carry the torch forward, people with real world business sense.

Happy Sue won, curious to see how Helene conducts herself. I have to admit, very disappointed that young man from last year didn't run again.

oh well, I will say I do want whoever was stealing the signs prosecuted as everyone deserves their voice and name heard

Anonymous said...

Anon at 5:07

Really? You think that your line of trash talking still works after the resounding support given to the incumbent members of the TC on Tuesday?

Perhaps a minority agree with your views, but they are just that -- a minority.

The overwhelming majority like the government they have, and consistently vote to keep it.

Anonymous said...

When all of the registered voters in Middletown do their civic duty and VOTE then you can claim that there is resounding support for the current batch of political punks who show no respect for the citizens of this town.

One only need to have attended the LVGA candidates forum to see the lack of decorum or respect displayed by the two very immature Republicans running for re-election to the TC. THAT"S NOT TRASH TALK THAT WAS A FACT !!

They ought to grow up and behave like adults for a change instead of thinking their belittling,condescending behavior is appropriate !! It was not appropriate that night and it is not appropriate at TC meetings. Just who or what do they think they are anyway????

And BTW Luttrell,the Democrat running for Freeholder, was NO BETTER.

Anonymous said...

Who do they think they are, Anon at 3:03?

Overwhelmingly re-elected members of the TC, that's who they are!

People also vote by not voting. If they were as up in arms about local government as you claim they are, they would have come out to vote.

Guess the majority is happy with the government we have...