My Statement On The Results of The 2024 Elecion

 First and foremost, I want to thank the people of Middletown for their engagement in this year's election. While I’m disappointed in the outcome of my campaign for Township Committee, I’m incredibly proud of the spirited race we ran. We tackled the tough issues head-on—affordable and attainable housing that allows younger generations to stay in the community they’ve grown up in, implementing Smart Growth principles in planning new neighborhoods, and addressing the deteriorating conditions of our main roads and neighborhood streets. We also focused on the lack of sidewalks throughout much of our town and the pressing need to manage traffic and congestion, which are affecting the quality of life for all residents. 

 Additionally, we cannot ignore the financial strain many of our residents are facing due to skyrocketing property taxes. The annual assessments of property values are driving these increases, leading to financial hardship for seniors on fixed incomes, working families, and young homeowners trying to establish themselves in Middletown. This is an urgent issue that demands real solutions to ensure our community remains accessible and affordable for all. 

 On the national stage, we’ve witnessed a truly historic election. While it was a hard-fought campaign, former President Donald Trump has defeated Vice President Kamala Harris to regain the White House. This result marks a pivotal moment in our country’s history and highlights the deep divisions we face. As Democrats, we must take this as an opportunity to reflect, regroup, and redouble our efforts to advance the values of fairness, inclusion, and opportunity for all.  

 To our supporters, volunteers, and everyone who believed in our campaign, thank you. Your dedication and passion are what make our community strong. 

 This election was a chapter, not the end of the story. Together, we’ll keep building a better, fairer future for our town, our state, and our nation." 

 

—Mike "MiddletownMike" Morris 

Chairman, Middletown Democratic Party
Candidate, Middletown Township Committee 2024

Candidate Forum in Middletown Canceled Due to Republican Lack of Interest

For Immediate Release

10/3/22

 By the Middletown Democrats

Middletown NJ - Middletown’s so-called “leadership” has shown itself again with the refusal of the Middletown Republicans to participate in this year’s Candidates Night sponsored by the Lincroft Village Green Association (LVGA) and moderated by the League of Women Voters. This is the second year in a row that the forum was cancelled due to lack of participation. Candidates Night was scheduled for October 19th.

Last year, when one of the Democratic candidates for Township Committee could not participate, Democrats insisted that the event continue even though it would appear imbalanced. The League of Women Voters opted to cancel the forum. The subsequent cries from the GOP last year were disingenuous and outrageous. 

 

What a difference a year makes. The Republican candidates have decided that participating in an open forum like Candidates Night is of no interest to them, depriving our voters of an opportunity to hear for themselves where the candidates stand. Multiple attempts were made by LVGA to have the Republican candidates attend, including a personal plea by a LVGA member at the September 19th Township Committee meeting. True to form, the voice of a resident was simply ignored. 

Refusing to participate in this year’s Candidate Night is just another example of the contempt and distain the Township Committee has for the citizens of Middletown Township. Those residents who attend the meetings, speak up, and challenge the Township Committee are often subjected to eye rolling, snickering and disinterested sighs. These committee members feel enabled and entitled by their stranglehold on Township politics, to the detriment of all voters – regardless of party affiliation.

Democrat Paige Gregorio states, "I’m disappointed that I won’t have the opportunity to connect with voters and answer questions about me, my perspectives, and how I plan to earn their votes on November 8th. Republicans in Middletown have been in power for 40 years, but how much do our voters really know about them? I’d like to know if the incumbents are on the right side of women’s rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, and other important national issues. Or are they just radical conservatives who support Donald Trump and the January 6 insurrection?" 

 The Middletown Democrats believe it is time to take these elected officials to task for their self-interest and cronyism. They should be admonished for treating our taxpayers poorly. They should not be rewarded for stocking our Planning Board with friends and sycophants. And most importantly, they should be held accountable for the ineptitude and failures at TOMSA that resulted in the death of a worker and the findings of serious safety violations. The Middletown Democrats warned voters about political patronage at the TOMSA years ago.

 "The lack of response by our currently elected local officials is indicative of their strategy for this year's election. They want low voter turnout. They want uninformed voting. They rely on that to stay in power. It aligns with the radical, undemocratic national GOP agenda,” candidate Rocky Rios has stated. We could not agree more.

The Slate Is Set; Sean Byrnes Joins Tricia Maguire & Danielle Walsh As Candidates For Middletown Township Committee

The Middletown Democrats have informed me that they are very happy to have former Township Committeeman Sean Byrnes, join Tricia Maguire and Danielle Walsh, as a candidate on their ticket this fall.

Recently the Middletown Township Committee appointed Patricia Snell to the fill the vacant seat on the dais that opened when acting Mayor Stephanie Murray resigned. As a result, 3 seats are up for grabs this Fall. This election will determine who controls the Township Committee, Democrats or Republicans, next year.

The Middletown Democrats will be making a formal announcement soon concerning this year's candidates for Middletown Township Committee.

Middletown Democrats "Breakfast for Dinner" 3/23/18

"Breakfast for Dinner"

$10 per person

Kids 6 and under eat free.

Friday, March 23, 2018

5 PM – 8 PM

American Legion Hall

860 Route 36, Leonardo, NJ

Pancakes and Pajamas!

Kids, feel free to wear your pj’s!

RVSP @ MiddletownDems@gmail.com

Make checks payable to:

“Middletown Democrats”

** Dinner includes pancakes, sausage, hash browns, orange juice, and tea or coffee. (Gluten-free option available.)
** Fun for the kids also includes crayons for tablecloth coloring, bean bag toss, party favors, and more!
** Adults, join the fun by wearing your most festive “Evening” attire! Door Prizes awarded!

Things Are Looking Brighter

For those of you that woke up yesterday morning, feeling down and out because Middletown Democratic candidate Tricia Maguire, LD13 candidates Sean F. Byrnes, Tom Giaimo and Mariel DiDato and Monmouth County Freeholder candidates Margie Donjon and Brian Wilton did not come out victorious yesterday, cheer up. The Middletown GOP's margin of victory over the Middletown Democrats this year was shrunk by over 4% due in large part by a tremendous GOTV effort this year by numerous volunteers and candidate Tricia Maguire.

While 4% may not seem like much, it was huge! The Middletown Democrats closed the gap from previous elections and shrunk the margins of Republicans countywide​. The races in LD 13 and for Freeholder were much closer than in previous years, in large part to the Democratic turn out in Middletown. That means we are moving in the right direction and we have momentum moving forward. Next year is looking brighter already.

In Middletown, all of the Democratic candidates received a minimum of a 1000 votes more than our Governor elect Phil Murphy. This is huge! Especially when you take into consideration that Kim Guadagni received 5000 more votes in Middletown than Phil Murphy.

In hindsight, Murphy's statement about making New Jersey a "sanctuary state", which was drove home constantly by the  Guadagno campaign, not only hurt Murphy in Middletown, but also in northern Monmouth County. It lead to the local Democratic candidates having to answer questions about it, which in turn took away from their messages and caused potential supporters not to vote.

Overall I'm encouraged by Tuesday night's results. Phil Murphy, flaws and all, is the governor elect and Democrat Vin Gopal beat Jennifer Beck to become the new LD11 State Senator. When added to the results in Middletown, where the margins were shrunk even though the Democratic candidates lost, it was a good day. The resistance is strong and the future is bright!

Sign of the Times

The Middletown Democrats will have campaign signs delivered late this week and will be distributing them to supporters around town. If you would like one contact the Middletown Democrats through their website middletowndemocrat.org or their Facebook page.

Write-In Candidate Tricia Maguire

If you live in Middletown and plan to vote in the Democratic primary on Tuesday be sure to cast a write-in vote for Tricia Maguire for Middletown Township Committee.

Monmouth County Democrats Announce Passing of Long-Time Democratic Leader Joe Caliendo

Fellow Democrats,

It is with deep sorrow that I report the passing of Monmouth County Democratic leader Joseph P. Caliendo.

Joe spent over five decades leading the Democratic Party in Monmouth County. In 1962, Joe became a Democratic county committee member in Middletown. By 1969, Joe became the President of the Middletown Democratic Club. He led the Middletown Democrats for 25 years, 10 of which Democrats controlled the local offices. His commitment showed as he ensured decades of a full county committee slate in Monmouth’s largest town. Until his passing, Joe served as the Monmouth County Democratic Sergeant-at-Arms where he ensured that Democratic traditions were maintained within the party for years.

Joe was a committed labor leader as well. He spent 32 years leading the members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Monmouth County. Joe retired in 1990, but continued to advocate for labor when he was elected President of the IBEW Local 400 Retiree Union. Joe was also the Vice-President of R.A.C. and served as a delegate for the Monmouth & Ocean Central Labor Council.

Joe’s number one priority was always his family. Joe was married to Patricia Caliendo for nearly 60 years. He is also survived by his three committed daughters, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Former Chairman Victor Scudiery offered the following thoughts on Joe's passing:

"Joe was a tremendous Democratic leader and ally to me throughout my 20 plus years as County Chairman. More than anything, he was a friend. I am heartbroken over his loss and my thoughts and prayers are with Pat and his entire family"

U.S. Congressman Frank Pallone also offered the following thoughts on Joe's life and legacy:

"The passing of Joe Caliendo is a tremendous loss to all who knew him and the entire community. His dedication to our shared Democratic values never wavered, and he championed our party for decades in Middletown and Monmouth County. I considered Joe a personal friend, extend his wife and his entire family my condolences, and join you all in mourning. We can honor his memory by continuing to stand strong for what we believe in, no matter how difficult the fight."

The viewing will be on Saturday, December 13th from 9:00am to 11:00am. It will be held at John Pfleger Funeral Home, 115 Tindall Road, Middletown, NJ. A service will be held at the funeral home followed by the burial at Mount Olivet Cemetary, 100 Chapel Hill Road, Red Bank, NJ.

On a personal note, Joe introduced me to Democratic Party politics in Monmouth County and has been instrumental to my life during the past ten years. The Monmouth County Democratic Party has lost one of our greatest minds and hardest workers. He will be missed dearly.

Yours Truly,

Vin Gopal
Chairman, Monmouth County Democrats

Middletown 350: Video Living History Project

Don Watson
Chairman, Middletown Democratic Party



Middletown Township has been advertising the celebration of its 350th anniversary this coming year. The following is an excerpt from promotional materials on the township website:

“A series of programs and special events are scheduled to celebrate the township's founding in 1664...If your organization is hosting any special events with a historic focus between September 2013 and September 2014, we would like to include them in the Middletown 350 listing. Please fill out the form attached and return it by July 1, 2013 for possible inclusion in printed materials. Postings for the web and social media should be sent at least two weeks in advance.”

The Middletown Democratic Party submitted the required form in June of 2013 to notify the Township of our intentions to provide non-partisan video interviews of residents in Middletown who have knowledge of the history of the Township. The video interviews would be personal accounts of historical events and how things have changed over time and would not include any political comments.

We believe Middletown residents have a wealth of knowledge that would provide a living history of the Township. When a story is presented by the person that lived through it, it is always an added treat, so we encourage every resident to come and tell their stories of life in Middletown and how it has changed over the years. Leave your contact information in an email sent to middletowndems@gmail.com.

 The first video we submitted to the township is a brief history of VFW Post 2179 in Port Monmouth and includes how the VFW Post participated in helping township residents during the aftermath of Super Storm Sandy. We invite you to view the video accounts of people’s lives to gain an appreciation of how Middletown has grown and changed over the years. This will be an excellent way for residents and non-residents to get a sense of how our community has changed over time.

Our concern now is that, as of this posting, we have not received any acknowledgement from the township regarding our application to participate in this celebration through submission of our video interviews. We sent a certified letter on November 8th requesting a response and so far have not received one. It appears that the Middletown 350 Committee does not consider the historic accounts of our residents worthy of inclusion. The Democratic Party of Middletown thinks these accounts are important, so we are participating in this historic celebration of our town by posting these videos for all to view. The first video can be seen below:

A History Of VFW Post 2179 And The Role It Played During Sandy

You can download a copy of the letter inviting participation in the celebration, as well as the application that was submitted by the Middletown Democratic Party in June, seeking to participate in the Middletown 350 -  HERE.


********************
UPDATE: 
There seemed to have been a problem with this video freezing on the YouTube server it has now been fixed and can now be viewed.

Your Lives, Our Town – a video history series

Share your memories about the changes in our lives and local landscape.

Middletown Township celebrates its 350th anniversary in 2014, and a year-long celebration is planned to commemorate it. Sharing pride in our mutual heritage, the Middletown Democrats are taking part by interviewing residents throughout our community.

The series of short videos will feature the stories of your friends and neighbors with familiar local establishments in the backdrop. Recordings will be provided to the Township for airing on the Township’s free cable television stations for residents’ enjoyment.

Residents who have lived in Middletown 50 or more years are encouraged to participate in this project, which is nonpartisan in nature. If you would like to take part or know someone who would make a great interview subject, please send an email to middletowndems@gmail.com or call 732-939-4751.

Thank you for contributing time and history to this documentary series.

Middletown Twp Committee Candidate Massell Says NO to Debate

by Linda Baum

The public has a right to hear the candidates discuss their plans to better our Township.


“Do you want a match race?!!” That battle cry from the movie Seabiscuit was used to flush out the competition to take part in a 2-horse race to see which horse was better. Finally, after a series of excuses, the competition acquiesced, and we all know the outcome.

When I hear that the local candidates in Red Bank and Manalapan have held debates, I wonder when it will happen in Middletown, the largest municipality in Monmouth County.

The sheer size of our town – 42 square miles and nearly 67,000 people – means that even the most dedicated candidate can’t visit every household and talk to every resident. That makes a one-on-one debate between the local candidates that much more important. If we can’t get to you, you should at least be given the opportunity to come to us to hear what we have to say so that you can make an informed decision on Election Day.

Earlier this month, the Chairman of Middletown’s Republican Party turned down my debate challenge, issued via letter from my own Party Chairman. The excuse given was that a debate was already scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 23rd, 7 p.m., at the Lincroft School.

However, the Lincroft event is not a one-on-one debate but rather a question and answer session for all local and county candidates – at least 8 people this year. That works out to just 10 or 15 minutes per candidate at most. And unlike a debate, there is no opportunity for any candidate to respond to comments made by another.

Further, residents who live in the northern parts of the Township might be more likely to attend, and would be better served, if a more centralized location were available.

During public comments at the end of the Oct. 15th Township Committee meeting, I again issued the debate challenge to Mr. Massell. He replied, “I’m happy to debate you, Ms. Baum…,” followed by a string of excuses why he wouldn’t.

Why couldn’t a debate have been held a couple of months ago, Massell wanted to know – that is, when no one was paying attention yet. That’s an odd comment since it’s common knowledge that debates are typically held close to an election.

Mr. Massell insisted this was all so secretive, referring to the Library meeting room being reserved ahead of him getting formal notice of the debate challenge. It was necessary to go ahead and reserve the room early because it was quickly booking up. The reservation could always be cancelled.

It is ridiculous to say the debate was a secret, especially coming from one of the two participants who would need to be there and therefore would HAVE to know about it.

In attempting to respond to each of these points, I was cut off from speaking, as usual. That is something they would not be able to do at a debate. Perhaps that’s the real reason they want to avoid it. Here’s the link to the 10/15 meeting video: http://archive.org/details/10-15-12TownshipCommitteeMeeting. Advance to time 90:50 (1:30:50) for the debate discussion. You may have some trouble hearing me because the public’s microphone wasn’t working that night. Intentional? You decide. There was nothing wrong with the microphones on the dais, of course.

A note about the Library room reservation. I filled out the reservation form myself on behalf of the Middletown Democratic Party. But again, the purpose was just to reserve the room. In order for the debate to have occurred, the Library required that it be jointly sponsored by both Parties. That was also a requirement of the League of Women Voters, which was asked to moderate. Had the challenge been accepted, joint sponsorship would have been established in advertising material.

The email that Mr. Massell refers to in the video was sent by the Library Director upon review of the room reservation regarding the need for joint sponsorship of the debate. Her email was received ahead of our letter being received. Regardless, notice was received and it should be obvious that the email and letter crossed in the mail, so to speak. It’s silly to be feigning such offense over it as reason not to participate in the debate.

Mr. Fiore states in the video that the debate was to be unmoderated. Not true at all. The moderator and the format were details to be worked out later, after the debate challenge was accepted. Since it wasn’t, how can the Republican Party know anything about how the debate would have been run?

If, like me, you feel that the public has a right to hear the issues and where the candidates stand on them from the candidates themselves – in lieu of nonsense from anonymous commenters or those on the dais – then you should demand a match race. There’s still time.

It may also interest you to know that Manalapan televised its debate on local cable access channels. There is no reason why we can’t do that in Middletown.

Destruction of Library Board is Reason to Vote Democratic in Middletown

This letter appears online today at the Atlantic Highlands Herald


I urge the election of Linda Baum to the Middletown township committee because she is intelligent and possesses sharp, sound financial acumen, while the opposition Republican campaign is morally bankrupt. Mr. Massell has claimed to be eager to find waste in Middletown government spending. Since his party has had unbroken control for a generation, one would believe that the present administration is responsible for remaining waste. He claims to have saved Middletown money by single-stream recycling. However, Middletown was late to adopt this practice which became available through enormous equipment investments by recycling companies, not by municipal action. Massell claims that the township’s sale of the swim club was a win for the taxpayers, but he is part of the same organization that acclaimed the benefit given to Middletown by its purchase some years ago. Obviously, he implies they made a mistake by buying the swim club in the first place.

The worst of the misdeeds of the present administration is the destruction of an independent Middletown Library board of trustees and their replacement by political tools. The new board members are largely drawn from the Middletown Republican County Committee and follow the dictates of the township committee. After the township committee raided the library last year for about $500,000 of its surplus, funds raised almost entirely from non-municipal sources, the new board has continued the depletion of the library’s reserves, monies accumulated for needed repairs and capital improvements, expenses that had been previously paid by township appropriation. In addition, the new library board has acquiesced to inappropriate township charge backs for which they receive either no justification or an inadequate accounting. In an area where I have expertise, property and casualty insurance, the township’s excessive charge back is tantamount to theft by the municipality of funds from an organization where state-mandated funding is designed to remove the library from political manipulation. The township committee has put in place actions that will destroy the standard of library service that Middletown residents have enjoyed for many years.

Ms. Baum’s long experience in finance and her intelligence make her clearly qualified to serve the township. Her willingness to speak out over irregularities in the present administration’s conduct of its affairs demonstrates that her voice will be heard over the self-serving dealings of a one-party machine.

Randall Gabrielan
Middletown, NJ

Sign Of The Times....

Political Patronage at Township of Middletown Sewerage Authority Stinks

Middletown Democratic Party 

For Immediate Release:                                                                                      

September 24, 2012

(Middletown) - The Middletown Township Committee and the Township of Middletown Sewerage Authority (TOMSA) Board and Executive Director have been using TOMSA as a political patronage pit for many years. The seven-member TOMSA board currently includes the Middletown GOP vice chairperson, the Middletown GOP treasurer, and a former Republican mayor. Four of the seven are current Republican district committeepersons. The Executive Director is also a former Republican mayor, and TOMSA’s attorney is a member of the law firm of our former Township Attorney.

 Board members receive an annual salary of $1,750 ($2,150 for the Chairperson), medical benefits, and pension credit. Qualified taxpayer-funded lifetime medical benefits are also extended to spouses. These lucrative benefits are provided even though the board meets for less than one hour per month, and recipients include a member that phones in six months a year because he lives out of state. 

In 2008, the State of New Jersey passed a law to eliminate benefits for newly appointed board members, but the Township Committee gets around that law by continuing to re-appoint their friends when their terms expire. The end result today is that two members have been on the TOMSA Board for almost 25 years, another member has been on the Board for almost 15 years, and most of the remaining members have been on the board for over 5 years. That is not just wasteful, it is disrespectful of Township taxpayers.

Middletown should no longer fund a board of this size at this rate, especially since the Middletown Township sewerage system is largely built out; the Board (established in 1966) has served its original purpose of managing the installation of a sewerage system throughout Middletown Township. Middletown taxpayers could save about $100,000 annually in salary and benefits by eliminating the Sewerage Authority Board and reassigning the responsibilities to a department like Public Works.

Political patronage is a serious violation of the public’s trust. In 2008, Republican Governor Chris Christie harshly criticized the largely Democratic Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission for using the board as their “piggy bank” for patronage jobs. He said the commission was, “a remnant of New Jersey that should be part of our embarrassing past.” He stepped in and fired 71 people. Records showed they were funneling money to no-bid contracts with political insiders.

In Middletown, it is hard to determine exactly what TOMSA is doing with our tax dollars because they routinely break laws designed to give the public insight into what they do. Among their violations: failure to announce public hearings, failure to disclose private meetings, refusal to satisfy Open Public Records Act requests for information, and refusal to allow video recordings of public meetings. When citizens ask questions at Board meetings, members remain silent and defer all questions to the Executive Director, who is deliberately vague in his responses. The Executive Director also refuses to respond to phone calls, emails, and in-person inquires for information. TOMSA’s attorney allows the routine disregard of these laws and other blatant conflicts of interest, like when TOMSA’s Executive Director held both that position and a seat on the Township Committee at the same time. Likewise, the TOMSA auditor routinely attends board meetings, which calls into question the independence of his audit.

Taxpayer advocates have been trying to understand how the Township Committee and the TOMSA Board get away with their clear disregard for Middletown taxpayers. Our Township Committee has been advised of all of these taxpayer concerns but they refuse to address the matter and assail those who question them. It is time for our elected officials to break this “piggy bank” and remove the stink of patronage and secrecy from the Township Of Middletown Sewerage Authority.

WHO’S WHO AT TOMSA-

Patrick Parkinson- TOMSA Executive Director 15 years

            -Middletown mayor (2004)

            -Former Township Committeeperson

Thomas F. Stokes- TOMSA Board 24 years

            -Current Republican Committeeperson

            -Former Middletown Township Board of Education member

            -Calls in 6 meetings a year

James Hinckley- TOMSA Board 23 years

            -Current Middletown GOP, treasurer

           - Current Zoning Board chairman

Chantal Bouw- TOMSA Board 14 years

            -Current Middletown GOP, Vice Chair

            -Current Zoning Board, Vice Chair

            -Local Assistance Board

Joan Smith- TOMSA Board 7 years

            -Middletown mayor (2001)  

            -Current Republican Committeeperson

Charles W. Rogers- TOMSA Board 5 years

            -Emergency Services Manager

Emil F. Wrede- TOMSA Board 4 years (alternate)

            -Zoning Board

Anthony DeMarco- TOMSA Board 2012 (alternate)

William A. Meyler- TOMSA Auditor-

Richard C. Leahey Jr.- TOMSA Attorney – Law firm of former Township attorney Bernard Reilly

John D. Van Dorpe- TOMSA engineer/ Maser Consulting- paid roughly 7% of TOMSA annual budget

-----------------------

This post has been updated to correct erroneous information pertaining to annual salary of $2,150 for Chairperson, not Executive Director, and to include and correct other offices held by those on the "Who's Who" list at TOMSA.

Is HIPAA Being Used To Avoid Disclosure Of Public Information?

Cross posted from MiddletownDemocrat.org

by Linda Baum

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1996 and became effective on July 1, 1997.

The law included a new rule requiring a person’s express approval for release of his or her medical records that is intended to protect a person’s right to privacy with respect to personal health information. And that is only right. However, in what may be a misapplication of the law, HIPAA is often cited by governmental offices to deny access to non-private information.

Because health benefits continue to be one of the greatest cost drivers for municipalities, it’s important that citizens be able to obtain the information needed to evaluate program costs. Further, governmental entities should be required to reveal exactly who is on their rolls for health benefits in order to reduce the potential for fraud and abuse. For example, it is commonly held that appointed professionals are not eligible to receive taxpayer-funded health benefits, and we should be able to verify that they aren’t receiving them.

I’ve learned that, unfortunately, the Open Public Records Act (OPRA) doesn’t guarantee access to non-private health benefits information the way it does to many other public records. In fact, OPRA requests for this information are typically denied.

In 2005, a New Jersey Superior Court ruled in the case of Michelson vs. Wyatt that, with respect to governmental entities, the public has a common law right to information about type of health benefits by name of enrollee for eligible employees, officials, and retirees. Thus, who is on a town’s rolls for health benefits should be public information.

Earlier this year, I submitted a request to Middletown under New Jersey common law for the names of persons who are receiving paid medical benefits from the Township. Adopting a position that other municipalities in New Jersey have rejected, Middletown refuses to provide the information. The Township maintains that the federal HIPAA privacy regulations supercede New Jersey law and bar the release of this information.

That is not only frustrating, but alarming. All New Jersey residents have the right to know the basis for property taxes in their communities. As I believe the Michelson decision established, HIPAA does not deny that right.

***
Ms. Baum has been an outspoken advocate for government transparency and fiscal accountability and continues to push for rightful disclosure of information that is in the public interest.

Climate Change Seminar at the Middletown Library September 20th

(hosted by the Middletown Democratic Environment Committee)

The panel of experts:

Thomas L. Delworth is a Research Scientist and Group Leader in the Climate Change, Variability and Prediction Group at NOAA’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL). He is also a Lecturer at Princeton University in the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Program.  Dr. Delworth has played a key role in the development of several generations of climate models at GFDL. His research largely focuses on decadal to centennial climate variability and change through the synthesis of climate models and observational data. On these time scales the behavior of the climate system is a mixture of natural variability and the response of the climate system to changing radiative forcing induced by changing greenhouse gases and aerosols. Understanding the natural variability of the climate system on decadal scales is critical to our ability to detect climate change, and to understand the processes responsible for observed change from the global to the regional scale. Dr. Delworth has served on a number of national and international committees, and is an author of more than 90 scientific papers.

Arun Chaddha:  I graduated in 1995 from Western New England College with a BSBA in Engineering Management.  In 2009, Shannon Martiak and I started Solar Mite Solutions with the goal of helping both residential and commercial clients lower their carbon footprint while reducing their electrical energy costs. Additionally, we have incorporated Energy Audits, Energy Management Systems and Lighting Solutions to help reduce the additional consumption of electrical and carbon fuel that is incurred by the structure, thus further reducing the overall effect on the environment.

Joseph Robertson is a visiting instructor in Spanish language and humanities at Villanova University, where he is also the creator and coordinator of GreenNOVA.org online community for environmentally sustainable projects, and organizer of the ClimateTalks.info roundtable discussion series. He is founder and director of the Hot Spring Network, a social-networking innovation project aimed at brainstorming paradigm-shift solutions, ProjectQuipu.net, a user-made global economic forum that seeks to find new ways to assess the real economic value of intangibles, and to propose generative policy solutions that empower individuals and communities.  Through his volunteer work with the non-partisan, non-profit organization Citizens Climate Lobby, he advocates for sustainable energy and climate policy on Capitol Hill. In September 2010, he produced the report Building a Green Economy: The Economics of Carbon-pricing and the Transition to Clean, Renewable Fuels for Citizens Climate Lobby. The report is available in print and online and is distributed to elected officials and to organizations across the United States. All of his projects can be accessed through the website - PoetEconomist.com.

Jan Dash has a PhD in theoretical physics from UC Berkeley, and has published over 50 papers in scientific journals. He was Directeur de Recherche at the Centre de Physique Théorique CNRS in Marseille, France. He is currently Visiting Research Scholar at Fordham University and Adjunct Professor at the Courant Institute NYU. Jan is the UU-UNO Climate Initiative Chair and Managing Editor of their Climate Portal at http://climate.uu-uno.org/.  He is a Matchmaker for the Climate Science Rapid Response Team whose goal is to provide authoritative scientific answers to media questions. Jan is the author of the popular “one-liner” responses to climate contrarian/denier/faux-skeptic fallacies. He was the Editor of the Climate Statement Summary and Recommendations to Governments of the UN Committee on Sustainable Development (Co-NGO, NY), delivered to leaders at the Copenhagen, Cancun, and Durban Climate Conferences. Relevant to the economic impacts of global warming, Jan has worked for 25 years in quantitative risk management at various financial institutions, and wrote a book on the subject.  

Joe Caliendo Stepping Down As Middletown Dems Leader

Middletown Democratic Leader Joe Caliendo, announced last week that he was stepping down as Chairman of the Middletown Democratic Party to members of Middletown's Executive Committee.

Chairman Joe Caliendo

It came as a shock to the 50 or so members of the Executive Committee that were in attendance, he was just reappointed on June 11th as Chairman at the Executive Committee's Reorganization meeting.

Joe stated that after some very hard thinking and input from family members, he wasn't getting any younger (78 years old) and with a series of  health issues starting to plague him and a desire to spend more time with family he decided to step down.

Caliendo asked me to wait until he sent out his official resignation letter to Middletown's County Committee members before making the announcement:

" Dear County Committee,

After many hours of thoughtful consideration, I have decided that it is time for a change of the guard. The guard I refer to is the position of Middletown Democratic Party Chairman. I am announcing with this letter that I will be stepping down from this position effective with the election of a new chairman.

I have had the privilege of being Party Chair for 25 years. Over this time I have had the opportunity to meet and amazing group of dedicated and caring people. These people have worked with me to  further the principles of the Democratic Party. They have struggled with me to elect a reasoned voice here in Middletown that takes into consideration the needs of all our residents. These people include you, and your commitment has made it a very difficult decision to step down as Chairman.

I will continue to fight as a committeeman in my district to elect a Democratic Township Committee. We have an incredible team of enthusiastic and committed citizens here to help reach that goal. Future guidance for success will now be in the hands of the next Party Chairman.

As Sergeant-At-Arms of the Monmouth County Democrats, I will be working to get candidates elected on the County level.

It has been a rewarding journey and I thank you for all of the extraordinary memories!

Sincerely,

Joseph P. Caliendo "

There will be a special election of the Middletown Democratic Executive Committee to be held on July 18th, to elect a new Chairman. At this time there has been no announcement as to whom would be interested in succeeding Joe Caliendo as Chairman.

I know that I speak for all of Middletown's Democratic Committee members when I say that "I wish him well".

He has given his blood, sweat and tears to the Party for nearly fifty years as both a Monmouth County Committee member and Chairman of the Middletown Democrats.

Get Your Frack On; Free Seminar at Middletown Library

Fracking extracts natural gas by injecting a high-­pressure mix of water, sand, and toxic chemicals into the ground. Fracking poses significant risks to water, air quality, and health. Hear a panel of experts discuss the issues.

 Thursday, June 7, 2012, 7:00 – 8:45 p.m.

 Middletown Public Library

 55 New Monmouth Road, Middletown, NJ

PANELISTS:

Larysa Dyrszka, M.D., Physicians, Scientists & Engineers for Healthy Energy Susan Kraham, Senior Staff Attorney, Environmental Law Clinic, Columbia U. Jim Walsh, Eastern Region Director, Food & Water Watch

Moderator: Jan Dash PhD, former member Middletown Green team.

Expert Biographies:

Dr Larysa Dyrszka is a graduate of Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis. Following residency and board certification in pediatrics, she practiced general pediatrics for over twenty years and held the position of Director of Pediatrics at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, NJ for six years. Her recent work has been focused on children’s rights with the Conference of NGOs at the United Nations Committee on Children’s Rights, particularly human trafficking. She has been a SUNY Sullivan Board of Trustees member since 2009. Most recently she has become an advocate for public health on the issue of gas drilling. She is a founding member of Sullivan Area Citizens for Responsible Energy Development, an affiliate member of Physicians, Scientists and Engineers for Healthy Energy and on the steering committee of Damascus Citizens for Sustainability.

Susan J. Kraham is a Senior Staff Attorney and Lecturer-in-Law at Columbia Law School's Environmental Law Clinic. Susan has spent her legal career representing public interest clients with a particular focus on environmental and land use law. Prior to joining the Environmental Law Clinic, Susan served as Counsel to the New Jersey Audubon Society. From 1998 until 2005 she was an Associate Clinical Professor in the Environmental Law Clinic at Rutgers Law School, Newark. Susan was a 1992 graduate of Columbia Law School. She also has a Masters in Urban Planning from New York University’s Wagner School. After graduation from Law School, Susan clerked for the Honorable Justice Gary Stein of the New Jersey Supreme Court. She was a Skadden fellow. Susan was also an echoing green fellow where she partnered on a community based environmental justice project.

Jim Walsh is a dedicated political organizer with over ten years experience working in local and national movements to empower communities to work for social, racial and economic justice. Jim currently serves as the Eastern Region Director for Food & Water Watch. In this capacity, Jim is overseeing and implementing a regional strategy to ensure the wellbeing of the public triumphs over private interests who profit from the exploitation of the essential resources of food and water.

Jim first found his passion for social justice when he started volunteering for the Milwaukee Catholic Workers while earning a degree in Economics from Marquette University. After graduating from Marquette, he participated in an organizing fellowship with the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group at Rutgers University, where he worked to organize communities to improve the quality of waterways in the Garden State and stop oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. After completing the fellowship, Jim went on to work for the Progressive Action Network, where he organized grassroots campaigns in six states for more affordable medications, preservation of farmland and stopping the privatization of Social Security.

In 2006 Jim worked with Family Promise, a national network of 4,500 congregations, to develop a public policy program focused on preventing and ending homelessness in America. This program is currently engaging thousands of volunteers in congregation based letter-writing campaigns. Prior to working for Food and Water Watch, Jim worked as the Program Director for New Jersey Citizen Action, the state’s largest citizen watchdog coalition. In this capacity, he would oversee education and public policy campaigns focused on a variety of social justice issues ranging from health care for all to ending the war in Iraq and ensuring our state and federal governments pass moral budgets that address the needs of people rather than those with money and power. During his free time, Jim spends time with his wife Marisa who is a high school science teacher. He also enjoys gardening, is active in a local movement to increase participation and representation of local communities, and sits on the board of the George St. Co-op, a cooperatively owned health food store in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Jim can be reached at jwalsh@fwwatch.org.

Middletown Democrats Announce Linda Baum As Candidate For Township Committee

For Immediate Release:
4/12/12

(MIDDLETOWN) - The Middletown Democratic Party announces Ms. Linda Baum as its candidate for Township Committee. Ms. Baum will be seeking the one seat up for a vote in this November’s election.



Linda Baum



Middletown Democratic Party Chairman Joe Caliendo stated, "Linda Baum is an exciting candidate. She is an extremely dedicated person with exceptional analytic skills. We look forward to the good work Linda will do when she is a member of the Middletown Township Committee.”

Ms. Baum holds a BS in mathematics from St. John’s University with a concentration in computer science and has obtained the designation of Chartered Property

Casualty Underwriter. She has credit for several actuarial exams and numerous years of actuarial experience in various property-casualty insurance lines. From 2003 to 2010, Ms. Baum administered the New Jersey Workers Compensation Security Fund, which provides a safety net to businesses and injured workers in the event of insurance company bankruptcy. In that role, she was the point of contact for the Fund’s claims handlers, members of the industry and public, receivers, and other guaranty associations. Currently, Ms. Baum manages the actuarial division of the Compensation Rating & Inspection Bureau in Newark, NJ.

Ms. Baum is an outspoken advocate for government transparency and fiscal accountability. “Middletown has lacked financial oversight and long-term planning for many years. These things are critically needed in order to bring property taxes under control,” she said.

Ms. Baum strongly supports the formation of a Finance Committee, which she says is “the right body to fully investigate ideas for cost savings or revenue generation that may help to stabilize or even reduce our property tax burden.”

An 18-year resident and regular attendee at Township meetings, Ms. Baum has worked diligently to be knowledgeable about Township operations and programs, and has spent numerous hours speaking to residents and reviewing Township documents in order to educate herself on these matters. She has observed that there is a limited flow of information to the public and often a failure to timely inform residents about important issues affecting them. “Much greater transparency is needed,” she said.

“Many improvements are needed in Middletown’s governance. If elected, I commit to bringing greater transparency, accountability, and integrity to the Township Committee to ensure that Middletown is the Township of choice for all.”

Election Results From Middletown - Democrats have to "Wait 'til next year"

As they use to say in Brooklyn all those years ago when speaking of the Dodgers and what seemed to be the annual event of losing to the Yankees in the World Series - "Wait ’til next year!". Democrats in Middletown are no different.

Jim Grenafege and Carol Fowler lost their race for Middletown Township Committee against Tony Fiore and Stephanie Murray, falling approximately 1600 votes shy, which was by no means a landslide.

Like the Brooklyn Dodgers of old, the Middletown Dems will live on to play the game another day, getting closer and closer to that elusive World Series victory that they and their many fans and supporter so covet. The losing only makes them that much more determined to play harder next year.

Republicans can bask in their victory this year but remember, Democrats are not going away anytime soon, be ready for an even tougher fight next year.

Below are the official results as posted on the Monmouth County Clerks webpage:

	Vote Count	Percent
REP - Anthony P. Fiore	6,699	27.91%
REP - Stephanie C. Murray	6,590	27.45%
DEM - James Grenafege	4,977	20.73%
DEM - Carol R. Fowler	5,108	21.28%
- Richard Morrill	615	2.56%
Write-In	16	0.07%
Total	24,005	100.00%