Middletown Swim and Tennis Club Thanks Township and New Operators

Since January 2012, a core group of concerned citizens resolved to do what was right for the families and the community of Middletown, joined in the heartfelt belief that saving the township pool was essential. Though we locked horns at times with the members of our town council, we walk away with a new appreciation of what goes into running a wonderful town like Middletown. We would like to thank the Mayor, Town Council and Township Administration for listening and working endless hours to preserve this historic community asset and for keeping the swim club a vibrant place of summer recreation for residents of all ages. We thank the new operators, for stepping up and taking action.


Many residents have been awakened by this situation and we hope that we may all recognize the diverse needs of our community and the importance or working together to find common ground, despite differences, to continue to work to build our fine community. Middletown belongs to all of us and we all have a role in protecting our resources, including our schools, library, our cultural center and of course the swim club, to name a few. Thank you to all residents who have spent time serving Middletown in various ways. The involvement of the residents in town matters is crucial in keeping our town alive and thriving.

The Middletown Swim and Tennis Club provides a slice of the American Pie to all. We look forward to sharing that with the new operators and welcome new members to join this season and experience another dimension of the illustrious community of Middletown. Please support your community, JOIN THE SWIM CLUB, ENJOY SUMMER FUN!

Robert Manse
SOS Committee of Middletown

It's Your Town - Video Newsletter for 4/2/12

The It's Your Town - Video Newsletter for the Monday night April 2, 20112, workshop meeting of the Middletown Township Committee has been posted online for your viewing pleasure.

It was announced at this meeting that the Township had entered into an agreement with a non-profit entity (Titan Junior Hockey) to lease the Middletown Swim Club and will purchase it by the year's end. The Titan's came to the meeting with conceptual drawings of the facility they want to provide. It will include an indoor ice hockey rink and another indoor sports building.

There are still however many questions left to be answered.



As a companion to the video, you can download a copy of the meeting agenda that contains 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.

It's Your Town - Video Newsletter 3/05/12

The It's Your Town - Video Newsletter which documents the Monday night March 5, 20112 meeting of the Middletown Township Committee has been posted online for your viewing pleasure.

Members of the public out numbered the availability of seating in the Conference room where the meeting was held. This forced many who attended to stand in the hallway outside of the room. Their complaints about this arrangement were ignored by the committee.

At this meeting members of the Swim Club came in to continue the conversation about the future of the Club and the sale of the property (the Committee introduced an ordinance, at the last meeting, to put the property up for auction).

Mr. Don Watson, the person responsible for video recording these meetings, presented the Committee with a video copy of the 2/6/12 Committee meeting, requesting that the Committee broadcast it on the Township cable access channels. He asked the Committee if they had viewed the previous video which he had given them.

Many excuses were given for not broadcasting the meetings but Township Administrator Tony Mercantante stated that he would review the video presented.

Mr. Fiore stated that there were no guarantees that every meeting would be recorded and therefore he did not want the public to miss a meeting if they were broadcast. Other Committee members were asked to discuss broadcasting but they refused and had no other comments.

So for now, only those with Internet access and knowledge of the It's Your Towns newsletter have the ability to watch and view these recordings.

New discussion items for this meeting included the formation of a new committee between the various leaders of the independent sports leagues and the Township that would discuss the best way to utilize our parks and another committee to be formed to review historical properties in town.

Ordinances will be introduced soon for the formation of these new committees.

As a companion to the video, you can download a copy of the meeting agenda that contains 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.  

SOS Committee Calls for Support

The Middletown Swim and Tennis Club has provided decades of safe summer recreation for residents of all ages. It is a positive influence in the community; offering a variety of activities and venue for relaxation for families during the hot summer months. The location and diverse offerings of that property are unique and decisions made regarding it will affect the entire community, not just the members. Help keep Middletown a family town.

Though some members may have made alternate plans this year, their support is both needed and welcomed. It can best be delivered by attending the township meeting, Monday, March 5, 2012, at 8:00, to assist in protecting the future of the swim club for families and the community.

Come to the Middletown Township Committee Workshop Meeting on Monday, March 5, 2012, at Town Hall, One King's Highway, Middletown, N.J. 07748, to hear the agenda item as listed on the meeting agenda and presented below:

2012-2053 Ordinance Authorizing the Sale of Certain Property ( Block 607, Lot6 as shown on the Tax Map of the Township of Middletown) Owned by the Township of Middletown, County of Monmouth, New Jersey, Not Required for Public Purposes Pursuant to NJSA 40A:12-13, et seq

Looking forward to seeing everyone on Monday evening!
SOS Committee

It's Your Town - Video Newsletter 2/21/12

The It's Your Town - Video Newsletter which documents the Tuesday night February 21st, 20112 meeting of the Middletown Township Committee has been posted online for your viewing pleasure.

A few highlights from the meeting worth noting would include the members of the Middletown Swim and Tennis Club, who came in and showed the Committee how the Club could be profitable. The members pointed out that the club was mismanaged, which the Committee agreed with and when the members questioned the Committee about missing funds, the Committee stated the numbers members were using were flawed. The members counter this argument by pointed out that the numbers were from the Township. 

Another highlight of the evening was when questions were raised about the purchase of iPads for the Committee during this tight budget time. It was confirmed that there were 6 iPads purchased for members of the township's governing body along with a wireless Internet access plan for each. I covered this information in my previous post "Some Answers To My iPad Questions Received, Some Remain" that contain audio of Mr. Robert Superti asking the questions, now you can see him ask them and watch how the Township Committee reacts to them. The exchange begins 1 hour and 33 minutes into the video.

 Also of interest, an ordinance was passed to re-organize the Parks & Recreation and Public Works departments. Ordinances were introduced to sell the Swim & Tennis Club, refinance $19.6M in debt, allow stop signs to be installed at intersecting streets on 7th Ave in the Hillside section of town and suspending a restriction on subdividing a property located in the Navesink section of town. These ordinances will be voted on at the 3-19 meeting, after a public hearing is held for each.  

As a companion to the video, you can download a copy of the meeting agenda that contains 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.  

 

Owner Of 365 Fitness Interested In Middletown Swim Club

According to an article published in the Monmouth Journal and appearing online Bob Meyer, the owner of 365 Fitness has expressed an interest in operating the Middletown Swim and Tennis Club.

The article, "Fate of swim club still unknown", is mostly a rehash of events that has taken place since Middletown suddenly announced that the swim club would not be operational this season. For those keeping up on the story, there really isn't anything new in the way of news about the efforts of  the swim club members group, Save Our Swim club (SOS), who are fighting to keep the swim club operational this year while they come up with a viable plan to take over the swim club from the township. Unfortunately however, it seems that no matter what the SOS group comes up with the they are being rebuffed and turned away by the Township.

The one new piece of information contained in the article  is about how Robert Manse, leader of the SOS committee, approached Bob Meyer for help in saving the swim club and how now Meyer has expressed a potential interest of 365 Fitness to  take over the swim club maybe a difference maker.

Robert Manse, who heads the SOS committee, has approached Bob Meyer, owner of 365 Fitness, which is also located on Harmony Road. Meyer enlisted his consultant, Deana J. Valente of Santomauro Group, to come up with a proposal for saving the club.

Meyer said, “This club has been in this town for over 50 years. It’s a landmark, and a good thing for the community. We need to come up with a plan.”

According to Valente, who works extensively with fitness and recreation facilities, there is great potential for the club.

She said, “We would like to operate this for the municipality, and make it profitable.”

Both Meyer and Valente feel the club could easily be a 12-month operation, vs. its current 80-day season. They also see opportunities for synergy between the swim club and 365 Fitness.

Will the expressed interest of Meyer and his 365 Fitness be a difference maker in saving the Middeltown Swim Club? For those that are trying to keep the club open and operational you would hope so but Ii don't think it will unless 365 Fitness is willing to purchase the property outright from the Township.
 
Those that operate Middletown want the swim club returned to the tax roll and off it's books. They have no plans to allow it to remain an asset of the township and remain a drain on precious budget resources.

RESIDENTS' BUSINESS PLAN TO OPERATE POOL CLUB PROFITABLY

Several members of the Middletown Swim and Tennis Club have been working hard behind the scenes to salvage the municipal pool club and protect our community asset from the Township's misguided and rash plan to close and auction this valuable taxpayer asset.

At it's January public meeting, the Middletown Township Committee announced the 2012 Middletown Swim and Tennis Club was in jeopardy of not opening due to their claim the pool club ran a deficit for the last three years of their 15-year ownership. The Township Committee cited a drop in membership for it's revenue shortfall and said they would listen to any viable solution in order to open the swim club this Summer.

The SOS Committee (Save Our Swim Club) was formed to do just that. This group, comprised mostly of local business people, professionals, teachers and residents, collected financial records and Township documents under the Freedom of Information Act. Their finding showed a slight drop in membership but a sustainable membership base all the same.

The SOS Committee has developed a business plan - not only to operate the complex budget - but also provide a surplus necessary for future upgrades, ADA requirements and possible expansion. The plan includes moderate increases for cabana members with separate fees for membership. The SOS business plan also includes modified fees for the swim team, swim lessons, tennis lessons, day camp and daily day passes. Recommendations by the SOS Committee include ways to generate additional memberships and revenue through concession rentals and controlling daily attendance traffic into the pool club.

However, on February 6, 2012 the Township Committee held a planning meeting with motions to dissolve the pool club utility and set into motion the sale of the pool club property with deed restrictions, over continued pleas to slow the process, allowing more time for all interested parties to present their proposals on managing the pool club. They only sprung the news on the 1100+ members early this January in a press release. Prior to the Jan. 6th Town Hall meeting, there was no mention of the Pool utility dissolution…

The SOS Committee has found a sympathetic ear on the Township Committee noting with just 10 years left on the bond service, the annual payment will reduce by $100,000.00 in just 5 years allowing the Middletown Swim and Tennis Club to run at a surplus of over $150,000.00 per year with an operating season only 80 days long. This is even before proposed cost-saving and added revenue plans that the SOS committee has prepared. It does not make any sense why the Township of Middletown should make such a hasty and abrupt decision without looking for solutions. The Township has mismanaged the club for the past 3-4 years and instead of taking the steps to correct their mistakes, they are now looking to sweep all of the problems under a rug. How can we let this happen to our community? Aren’t our children, seniors and families worth it?

The next and most important meeting regarding the Pool Club will be held at Middletown's Town Hall onTuesday, February 21st at 8:00pm. All Residents and Pool Club members are highly encouraged to attend.

For more information, e-mail: MiddletownSOS@gmail.com or visit our
"Save the Middletown Swim and Tennis Club" page on FaceBook

It's Your Town - Video Newsletter 2/6/12

As I announce last month, the It's Your Town newsletter was going to be changing. It's author Don Watson, had decided that it was time to stop writing about what goes on at Township Committee meetings each month and start showing residents what actually happens during Township Committee meetings.

Mr. Watson has announced he will no longer be presenting the newsletter in its current form recapping Middletown Township Committee meetings as he has done for the past few years. Instead however, it is with great delight that he now will present video recordings of the Middletown Township Committee meetings

Below is the first video which he recorded held on Monday, February 6, 2012.

"... It was an impressive meeting to launch the first recording. The Middletown Swim and Tennis Club community showed up to make their case for keeping the club off the auction block. The mayor thanked the past president of the library board, Randall Gabrielan, for his years of service. This of course was after the mayor asked for Mr. Gabrielan’s resignation the previous week. Also, something that rarely happens, the Committee voted on each new resolution individually.", Mr. Watson stated in an email announcing the format change to subscribers of his newsletter.

It is hoped that this video starts a new era in Middletown, an era of transparency. This first recording shows what really goes on at Middletown Township Committee meetings. If readers of this blog take the time to watch this video and any videos that come later they will see and hear how our Township Committee deals with its citizens.

"... Current and previous Middletown Committees said the people who want meetings recorded have a political agenda. They said recording the meetings would cost too much. They said giving the public video access would allow them to grandstand. You decide if videotaping the meetings is worthwhile..., Finally, I want to extend my personal thank you to the many concerned citizens who made this recording possible with their support. By uniting we triumphed over those who said it couldn’t be done. Many thanks. And as always, thank you all for taking an interest in your local government.", stated Watson.

Don Watson will be offering the Township Committee a copy of this recording with the hope that they will post it on our Township’s public television access stations.

The video runs over two and a half hours, the first few minutes of the video you will hear a lot of noise. There are no guns being fired. It is a malfunction of the sound system.

As a companion to the video Mr. Watson has put together a PDF document that contains the meeting agenda and the resolutions that were voted on 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. It is a little easier to follow along when you can see what is being voted on.

While watching the video pay attention to who speaks and who doesn't speak from the dais, Township Attorney Brian Nelson is sitting next to mayor Tony Fiore. Nelson is an appointed official, not an elected official, yet he speaks as if he is!

It should be pointed out that although Nelson isn't an elected official, he is a high ranking member of the Middletown GOP who makes a living off the taxpayers of the Township.

Watch closely for the arrogance and distain he shows for those that stand in front of the Committee. He rolls his eyes, laughs and snickers at the very residents that he makes his living off of.

Attention All Swim Club Members

Press Release:

This is an urgent call to all members of the

Middletown Swim and Tennis Club, Middletown Residents and Taxpayers.

On the agenda for the Township Committee Workshop Meeting is:

Item l: Swim Club Utility Dissolution/Property Sale

We are requesting all Middletown Swim Club members attend the Township Committee Workshop Meeting to be held on Monday, February 6, 2012 at Town Hall at 8:00 with their children, friends, posters and/or signs. Car pooling is an option.

With the pool club operating with business as usual in 2012 - our Township Committee says there may be an $81,000 shortfall that taxpayers will have to make up for.

Take note: This would be the first time since the club was purchased in 1997 that the town would have to supplement any loss to the club.

Here's how we see it:

If the pool club does not operate at all this year, a $225,000 bond payment still must be paid by Middletown taxpayers.

Solution: The SOS Committee is working on a solid business plan to have our MSTC operate at NO COST to taxpayers. To accomplish this, it HAS TO OPEN THIS SUMMER. Members and Non-members, it is your duty to show your support this Monday night! If it opens all 67,000 of us win!

Our swim club offers an affordable summer comfort for seniors, families, teens and tots and has done so since the 1960s!

What is at stake?

· Summer camps where children can play games, create crafts and swim.

· Availability of swim and tennis lessons for members.

· Organized activities: dive and splash contests, water polo, sharks and minnows, basketball games, Frisbee baseball, candy hunts, bowling trips and water aerobics to name a few.

· Our championship swim team who have brought opportunity to young athletes and pride to our town. Senior citizens enjoying a dip during adult swim or a game of cards with their friends.

· Special events: Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Senior Day and Family Fun Nights with music and fun activities for the whole family.

Middletown Swim and Tennis Club is a safe, fun-filled haven for families to connect, relax and make friends. It has produced an Olympic medalist and elite Navy Seal. It is an asset to our community and important center of summer activities for families in Middletown Township.

Please plan to attend to support our town summer center for fun!

Your presence at Monday’s meeting is critical!!

Save Our Swim Club Committee
For more information see our Facebook Page

Letter: Save Our Swim Club

Dear Middletown Mike,

I am writing to you to regarding the Middletown Swim Club. As we all know the township has stated that they do not want to operate the swim club this year. We ( club members) went to the town meeting on Jan 17th to let the township know we were are not happy with their decision.

During the meeting many numbers were thrown about regarding ADA regulations that need to be put into place and also capital improvements that needed to be made. These numbers ranged up to a million dollars with no specifics to clarify to the members . We have done some investigating with the town and discovered a few things that we think people should know.
The swim club has never been a burden to taxpayers . The swim club is set up as a utility and as such must be self sustaining. Only membership money has been used to run the club.

It has been rumored that they may only open 1 pool this year. The cost to open one pool and 4 pools is the same. Also – if the pumps are not run in the other pools they will become damaged and that will cost money to repair.

Most importantly:

The taxpayers of Middletown will have to take on the burden of the bonds that are owed on the swim club. This amount is $225,000.00 if the club is not opened this year. The membership dues are what cover this cost. These bonds will continue for the next 10 years for a total cost to the taxpayer of $1,300,000.

A member committee has been established and will be presenting its plan to the Township for the continued operation of the swim club very soon.

We who belong love our club. We would like all to join and see what we see. No one should have to go to another town and use their pool when we have a perfectly good one in our own town. Support Middletown, keep the money here. Please join the fight to save the pool club.

Regards,

Save Our Swim Club Committee

Kerri Brennan
Middletown

More Audio From Tuesday Night's Township Committee Meeting; Former Committeeman Tom Wilkens Comments On Swim Club Closing

In this audio clip from last Tuesday night's Middletown Township Committee meeting, hometown hero, former Olympian and Township Committee member, Tom Wilkens addressed the Township Committee about the sudden news that the Swim and Tennis Club would not be operational for this coming summer season, during the public comments portion of the Township Committee meeting that took place on January 19th.

He expressed his understanding of the issue as a former member of the Township Committee, former commissioner of the Swim Club Utility and current member of the Middletown Swim and Tennis Club and wondered if all possible options for keeping the swim club open had been considered.

More Audio From Tuesday Night's Township Committee Meeting; "What about the kids?"

I have a few more audio clips from last Tuesday night's Township Committee meeting to post concerning the Middletown Swim and Tennis Club.

In this clip you can hear a young lady addressing the Township Committee during public comments and asking them, in light of all the budget cuts enacted by the State and local government when will someone ask the question "what about the kids ?"

More Audio From Tuesday Night's Township Committee Meeting; Swim Club Members Want Answers

Here is some more audio from Tuesday night's public comments portion of the Middletown Township Committee meeting where members of the Middletown Swim and Tennis Club spoke in front of the Township Committee and wanted answers as to why they were never informed by the Township that the Club was losing money and that it will be closed this year.

Notice once again Township Attorney Brian Nelson answering questions for the Township Committee at ~6:30 into the clip and again towards the end of this 13 minute sound bite. Why does the Township Attorney need to answer financial questions about the Swim Club and not the Township Administrator, Township CFO or the elected officials that sit on the dais? Listen towards the end where he repeatedly states "we...,we..., we...". It's infuriating.

Audio From Tuesday Night's Township Committee Meeting; Swim Club Members Want Answers

I wasn't unable to attend this past Tuesday night's Middletown Township Committee meeting. I was busy with my son at his Boy Scout pack meeting, winning this year's Pinewood Derby, so I'm not able to give an eyewitness account of what went on when the meeting was finally opened up for public comments, but from all accounts it was rather raucous.

The courtroom was packed with soon to be ex-members of the Middletown Swim and Tennis Club, who were angry at being blindsided by the news that the swim club would not be operational this year.

Middletown Patch actually has a very good article posted online about the meeting which I recommend others to read, I'm told is a very fair representation of the meeting.

Below is audio from the meeting that contain the questions of two swim club members who addressed their concerns about the club's demise to the Township Committee (the audio runs for roughly 19 minutes). Interestingly the first person you hear addressing the Committee is Tracy Lewis, who just so happens to be on of the residents quoted in the Patch article, so it's good listening. The second questioner that is contained in the audio clip, no matter how hard I try, I can't decipher his name but that doesn't really matter, what matters was the answer to his questions, which you can listen to.

While you're listening however, keep a sharp ear out and listen for a big pet peeve of mine. About 17 minutes into the audio, Township Attorney Brian Nelson jumps in to answer the gentleman's questions about how surplus/debt the swim club accumulated /accrued between the time the Township Purchased the property in 1997 to 2011. Nelson speaks up and starts giving numbers from 2008 to present, instead of allowing the Township Administrator, Tony Mercantante, or someone from the Committee itself to answer! Brian Nelson is there to give legal advice tot he governing body, he is not and was not ever an elected official of Middletown.

That's something that he seems to forget, but I can see where he might think he is seeing how is a member in good standing of the Middletown GOP and its Chairman's righthand man.