It's been a long time since I posted a meeting video of Middletown Township Committee and it seems that nothing much has changed; a lot of fluff with little substance. The meeting lasted a total of 29 minutes however, any discussions or information that really mattered to residents was conducted in the last 8 minutes!
Instead of actually talking or discussing important upcoming items that will effect the lives of residents, Tony Perry and the other members of the Township Committee have been using these meeting to recognize others, present awards or use the meetings for personal promotion. In the past this fluff has always been regulated for the general business meetings. Fake outrage and indignation during these meetings is the norm rather than the exception.
As residents we allow our elected officials get away this because very few individuals attend Township Committee meetings. While I'm guilty of not attend meetings, I do make every attempt stay informed and watch the proceedings on YouTube later. It's not ideal, but at least I'm informed to what is going on. In the future, I will be making more of an attempt to attend as many meetings in person as possible and I encourage others to do the same. To paraphrase Thomas Jefferson, "An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people ".
As in the past, you can download a copy of the Meeting Agenda that contains the discussion items and the proposed resolutions and ordinances that were voted on or presented during the meeting.
As we enter into the 2024 Primary season and on to the General election in the fall, I want to know what's important to Middletown voters? What's on your mind and what can we do to enact positive change, not just in Middletown but throughout Monmouth County and the State?
Here are a few things that I will be basing my campaign for Township Committee on:
Advocacy for Responsible Development: I want to prioritize responsible development practices that honor Middletown's character while fostering sustainable growth. I understands the importance of striking a balance between economic advancement, environmental conservation and the quality of life.
Fair Taxation: I would like to address the issue of rising property taxes, I am pledging to champion fair and equitable taxation policies that alleviate the burden on residents while ensuring essential services receive adequate funding. The annual reassessments of our property and homes are hurting families and are the cause of skyrocketing property taxes.
Education: I would like to tackle the concerns surrounding the quality and equity of education in Middletown. I denounce the infiltration of extremist views within the education system and pledges to cultivate a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students.
By no means will the above be the only issues my campaign will be focused on. There are numerous issues that plague Middletown that get overlooked by current members of the Township Committee and residents alike. Let's shed some light on these issues and get things done that will create positive change in our community.
With Middletown closing it's doors to residents, wouldn't be great if they opened their virtual door and allowed resident to view a live stream of Middletown Township Committee meetings?
I know It's been awhile but I haven't forgotten it's just been one of those couple of months. Anyway, here is the latest video of the Middletown Township Committee in action. This meeting took place on Monday night, December 2, 2019.
It was a quick meeting, lasting only 19 minutes, but a couple of significant things took place, namely a $5.145M appropriation to construct artificial turf fields at Normandy Park.
Do we need to spend more money on artificial turf field when there are so many other pressing concerns around town?
Watch the video:
As always you can download a copy of the Meeting Agenda that contains the discussion items and the proposed resolutions and ordinances that were voted on or presented during the meeting. A box around an item is a link, bringing you further into the document to that resolution or ordinance. At the end of the resolution there will be a link bringing you back to the agenda. Attached to this agenda is also the monthly bill list, so that everyone can see how the Township is spending our tax dollars.
The July 15th meeting of the Middletown Township Committee was held at the Tonya Keller Recreation Center, in North Middletown. This meeting happened to be the only meeting of the month for the Committee. I'm still in the process of viewing the video but wanted to post it before to much time has gone by.
Here's a rundown of the night's event:
Members of the Ideal Beach Community Association were presented with a sign that will be mounted on the concession stand at Ideal Beach.
Ordinances were introduced to:
- appoint Debra Marchetti as the new Tax Collector
- reduce the speed limit on Broadway and Center Ave in Leonardo
- Place a stop sign on Cooper Rd where it intersects with McClees Rd
- Make Alexander Dr., in River Plaza, a no stopping or standing area
- Add right turn controls onto Roger Ave in Lincroft
- To borrow $29k in bonds to purchase a video pipe inspection camera
- To borrow $340k for the acquisition of easements for the Pt. Monmouth flood control project
- To borrow $170k for improvements to Grand Tour in the Hartshorne area
- To borrow $377k for various improvements in the township
Resolutions were adopted to:
- add grant monies received to the budget
- the filing of the municipal audit
- the appointment of the Deputy Tax Collector
- appointing an additional public defender
- approved grant applications for the Campbell's Junction Transit Hub Project and to make improvements to Holland Rd.
Residents spoke of newly installed no parking signs on their streets by the beach, leaving them with nowhere to park even though people are parking there to go to the beach and have issues of with illegal parking along Pt. Monmouth Rd, by Bayshore Waterfront Park and no police enforcement. The police chief explained that they were not equipped to handle this situation.
As always you can download a copy of the Meeting Agenda that contains the discussion items and the proposed resolutions and ordinances that were voted on or presented during the meeting. A box around an item is a link, bringing you further into the document to that resolution or ordinance. At the end of the resolution there will be a link bringing you back to the agenda. Attached to this agenda is also the monthly bill list, so that everyone can see how the Township is spending our tax dollars.
Last Monday, the Middletown Township Committee, held it's monthly workshop meeting. The video description pretty much sums up what transpired during the meeting. If you have time, please watch. These videos are always very informative and at times educational for those wanting to know what goes on down at Town Hall:
"Freeholder Arnone came to present a shared services program run by the County. A group came to speak to Arnone regarding opioid addiction, but the Freeholder stated he had another meeting with the Howell Town Council to attend.
The Township Committee voted to introduce an ordinance to allow the volunteer fire department to elect their officers during the first week of December, in addition to the standard second week.
The group that came to speak to Freeholder Arnone continued their discussion with the Township Committee. The group was under the impression that the township adopted an ordinance banning medical marijuana distribution centers. They also stated that people being paroled from jail are being paroled to Middletown and Monmouth County in general. It was stated that the parolees do not have housing to live in and resort to living on the street, homeless and that the Township needs to take some responsibility and ensure that there is affordable housing for all.
A resident came in to show the Committee that people in her neighborhood are placing large amounts of brush out at the street after the scheduled collection time. She also said that there a re trailers parked on the street for extended periods of time and that there is no enforcement of existing laws."
As always you can download a copy of the Meeting Agenda that contains the discussion items and the proposed resolutions and ordinances that were voted on or presented during the meeting. A box around an item is a link, bringing you further into the document to that resolution or ordinance. At the end of the resolution there will be a link bringing you back to the agenda. Attached to this agenda is also the monthly bill list, so that everyone can see how the Township is spending our tax dollars.
This past Monday at the Middletown Township Committee meeting, the Township Committee presented a proclamation to recognize the 2019 Mayors For A Day. Five elementary school students were selected from various schools in the township to represent their schools as Mayor for a day.
Ordinance 2019-3255 was adopted to provide the Army Corps of Engineers access to township owned property to aid in Phase 2 of the Pt. Monmouth flood control project. The properties designated are the former skate park and the commuter parking lot at the corner of Wilson Ave and Rt. 36.
A number of residents from the Hartshorne Woods area came to inquire when their roads would be repaired. They were especially concerned about Indian Hill Rd, which they said is washing away. The elected officials said the road would be paved by September.
As always you can download a copy of the Meeting Agenda that contains the discussion items and the proposed resolutions and ordinances that were voted on or presented during the meeting. A box around an item is a link, bringing you further into the document to that resolution or ordinance. At the end of the resolution there will be a link bringing you back to the agenda. Attached to this agenda is also the monthly bill list, so that everyone can see how the Township is spending our tax dollars.
I failed to post videos from the past couple of months of video postings of the Middletown Township Committee here on the blog. Today I am posting the the May 6th workshop meeting. Interestingly, when i first saw this video a few days ago I notices that the meeting took place in the court house as opposed to the small conference room next to the Clerk's office. I'm assuming it was because the Township Committee adopted the 2019 fiscal budget at this meeting and they wanted to have extra room incase there was a bigger than normal turnout due to the budget adoption.
Anyway, here are the highlights from the meeting, but please watch the video (it's only 29 minutes long), it's alway enlightening to hear what members of the Committee and public have to say when giving comments:
The governing body voted to approve the 2019 budget.
An ordinance was adopted to sell various properties around town. An auction date was also adopted to set the date of the auction to May 22.
Resolutions adopted include authorizing fireworks displays to Navesink Country Club on 5-26 and 7-3, Riverview Foundation on 7-3 and to Beacon Hill Country Club on 7-3.
Discussion items included planting a tree at Bodman Park in honor of Bill Coyle and to modify the procedure to elect Fire Dept. officials. It was said that the current procedure is too restrictive.
As always you can download a copy of the Meeting Agenda that contains the discussion items and the proposed resolutions and ordinances that were voted on or presented during the meeting. A box around an item is a link, bringing you further into the document to that resolution or ordinance. At the end of the resolution there will be a link bringing you back to the agenda. Attached to this agenda is also the monthly bill list, so that everyone can see how the Township is spending our tax dollars.
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The link to this month's Meeting Agenda also contains a copy of the adopted 2019 Fiscal Budget
How much does a life cost and what price would you put on it?
I'm asking this question because after viewing the video from Tuesday night's Middletown Township Committee meeting, I was left slightly stunned after hearing Deputy Mayor Tony Fiore's public comment regarding a recent stabbing that took place in North Middletown at McMahon Park.
During Committee Comments, Tony Fiore addressed social media criticism about an alleged delayed response time by Middletown police after the stabbing in McMahon Park last week. The delay was blamed on the Monmouth County 911 dispatch operator not being able to identify the location of McMahon Park. Fiore then assured those listening that there really wasn't a delay and that police were on the scene in less than 4 minutes after the call came through.
Fiore then continued to state that he asked for some statistics and found that since Middletown turned over it's own 911 system to the County in 2016 via a shared- service agreement, the township had saved a "few million dollars". He said that since that time there has been 101,000 calls to 911 that the County dispatch had received, of those calls, 93,689 were actual emergencies and of those calls, ONLY 16 were delayed due to a wrong address or the need for additional information or clarification from the 911 dispatch operators. He then stated that those 16 delays represented less than .07% of all calls and gloated, saying that he thought that it, turning our 911 call center over to the County, has been a good deal.
I say Bullshit!
If 1 life was lost or 1 person suffered unnecessarily due to delayed response times from a 911 call center, which resulted in a life long complications, than it isn't worth the money saved.
How can you look into someones eyes, who lost a loved one or suffered needlessly, with a straight face and say it was worth it? You can't ... but I'd like to see our deputy-mayor attempt to explain it to someone who has experienced such a loss or tragedy.
I'm sure that if he or someone he cared about, was affected by a delay in response time after calling 911 for help, because the dispatcher on the other end of the phone was unfamiliar with an area or gave first responders the wrong information, he'd be the first to want answers and accountability from those involved. And I bet afterwards, he wouldn't think it was such a good deal.
Update 2/27/19:
It was brought to my attention last week, that the incident that I had mentioned above, the stabbing at McMahon Park, may not have been the social media incident that lead Tony Fiore to make his comments that have been posted in the video. More than likely it was a different account of a recent event that taken place at McMahon Park a day or so prior to the reporting of the stabbing by the Asbury Park Press, which had a delayed response from 911. The social media post was apparently
taken down sometime after initial posting but thanks to a forward thinking individual, there was a screenshot taken, which I have posted. I apologize for any confusion.
Two be fair to the 911 operator who was involved in this incident, I will give the benefit of doubt to them, the name of McMahon Park was misspelled in the social media post as "McMann". If the caller spelled out the name of the park to the 911 operator wrongly, then I can understand the confusion but not necessarily the delay. Any police officer or dispatcher in Middletown should know where a McMahon/McMann park is without hesitation. The name of the park is pronounced, as far as I know and others are concerned as, McMann, there is only one. If that was the case, then all the dispatcher needed to do was inform local authorities of the incident at "McMann" park and send the help that was requested.
In observance of President's Day, this weeks meeting of the Middletown Township Committee meeting was moved from Monday night, to the following night, Tuesday February 19th 2019. It was a relatively short meeting (I didn't attend, I watched the video) which lasted just under an hour.
Here are the highlights from the meeting as posted by Don Watson on the Patch:
- Fire Chief Fred Gorsegner was recognized for his 50 years of service with the MTFD.
- Ordinances were adopted that would re-appropriate borrowed funds to purchase radar units for the police, another for sidewalk improvements and amend summer recreation camps and gymnasium rentals.
- Ordinances were introduced to establish a refund policy for recreation fees and another to amend recreation preschool program fees.
- Some of the resolutions adopted include a change order for Thompson Ave, appoint a municipal prosecutor and ratify an agreement with the Superior Officers Association.
- A group of concerned residents came to express their concerns regarding a proposed crematory being constructed at Fairview Cemetery. Residents spoke about the potential effects of the exhaust that is produced when human bodies are cremated. The Township Committee informed the residents to bring their concerns to the Planning Board, for they could not comment on an application in front of the Planning Board.
As always you can download a copy of the Meeting Agenda that contains the discussion items and the proposed resolutions and ordinances that were voted on or presented during the meeting. A box around an item is a link, bringing you further into the document to that resolution or ordinance. At the end of the resolution there will be a link bringing you back to the agenda. Attached to this agenda is also the monthly bill list, so that everyone can see how the Township is spending our tax dollars.
The February 4th workshop meeting of the Middletown Township Committee was uneventful and over after 30 minutes.
Here are the highlights:
The Committee adopted a salary ordinance that provides salary increases to management and non-contractual employees and professionals.
Ordinances were introduced to borrow funds to purchase radar equipment, repair sidewalks and increase recreation fees and reduce the time allowed to apply for refunds. These ordinances will be voted upon at the February 19 meeting.
Resolutions were adopted to appoint a member to the Library Board and name Toll Brothers as the developer of the residential portion of the Circus Liquors Site, more commonly known at Village 35.
As always you can download a copy of theMeeting Agenda that contains the discussion items and the proposed resolutions and ordinances that were voted on or presented during the meeting. A box around an item is a link, bringing you further into the document to that resolution or ordinance. At the end of the resolution there will be a link bringing you back to the agenda. Attached to this agenda is also the monthly bill list, so that everyone can see how the Township is spending our tax dollars.
Before tonight's monthly workshop meeting of the Middletown Township Committee, I need to post the monthly business meeting from January 22nd. The meeting that night lasted less than a half hour, which makes watching the video a breeze ... Haha
Here are the few highlights:
This was the first business meeting of the year and began at the new time of 7pm, as it was announced in Resolution 19-52 Annual Meeting Notice. All Township Committee meetings for this year will begin at 7pm.
The Management Salary Ordinance was introduced with a vote scheduled to take place at the February 4 workshop meeting. This ordinance defines the salaries for non-contractual officers and employees, statutory employees and elected officials.
A group of Pickle Ball enthusiasts came in to advocate for courts to play Pickle Ball. They were assured that courts would be drawn on existing tennis courts at Normandy Park initially. After the tennis courts are repaved at Tindal Park, courts would be drawn there. Eventually, they were told that courts would be drawn at Kunkle Park in Leonardo as they requested.
As always you can download a copy of the Meeting Agenda that contains the discussion items and the proposed resolutions and ordinances that were voted on or presented during the meeting. A box around an item is a link, bringing you further into the document to that resolution or ordinance. At the end of the resolution there will be a link bringing you back to the agenda. Attached to this agenda is also the monthly bill list, so that everyone can see how the Township is spending our tax dollars.
Seeing how there's a meeting of the Middletown Township committee happening tonight, I thought it best to get caught up by posting the video of last week's annual reorganization meeting.
For those that may not be aware, the new kid on the block, Gerry Scharfenberger's son-in-law, Tony Perry was appointed to be this years acting Mayor and Tony Fiore was appointed to act as this year's Deputy Mayor.
For those that like to follow along, you can download a copy of the Meeting Agenda, where you can find a full list of names who have volunteered for various boards and committees along with any resolutions that may have been acted upon during the meeting.
************************************* Update: 5:20pm It has been brought to my attention that there is not a meeting of the Middletown Township Committee scheduled for tonight.
This past Monday night the Middletown Township Committee got together for it's monthly Workshop meeting. It was a typical December workshop meaning very little was discussed, however, an ordinance was adopted that will provide death benefits for EMS volunteers and another ordinance was adopted that would exempt veterans that are 100% disabled from paying property taxes.
Most of the runtime of the video below can be attributed to Public Comments, which I recommend watching. It's always good to hear what's on the minds of residents that motivates them to attend a Township Committee meeting. Comments being a little after the 25 minute timestamp on the video.
As always you can download a copy of the Meeting Agenda that contains the discussion items and the proposed resolutions and ordinances that were voted on or presented during the meeting. A box around an item is a link, bringing you further into the document to that resolution or ordinance. At the end of the resolution there will be a link bringing you back to the agenda. Attached to this agenda is also the monthly bill list, so that everyone can see how the Township is spending our tax dollars.
That's a question that many have asked, including the Asbury Park Press. It seems however, after Monday night's meeting of the Middletown Township Committee the answer is evident, Watch07748 is none other than Middletown Committeeman Tony Perry.
The video from Monday night's meeting is queued to where resident Jim Grenafege asked Tony Perry directly whether or not the anonymous email sent out two weeks ago by a fictitious group calling themselves, " Residents Against Over Development" attacking Democratic candidate Sean Byrnes, came from his campaign and if he had any knowledge of it before being sent to residents. Perry's non answers are very telling.
Tony Perry did his best two-step to avoid answering the question as it was asked, " Were you, in any shape or form associated with that email?", What followed was a political non-answer by Perry that by the omission of a direct answer, confirms that he and his campaign was responsible for it. The exchange between Grenafege and Perry lasted several minutes and became a little heated due to frustrations over non-answers (you can watch the exchange yourself, it's queued up to 2:13:35 of the video).
Bottomline here is that Tony Perry and the Middletown GOP where caught redhanded attempting to smear a rival candidate and through their own stupidity, it came back to bite them in the ass. Now Tony Perry and his buddies are backpedaling under the scrutiny of local media and outraged residents and trying to cover-up their tracks.
As I said before, the attempt of this little dirty-tricks email was underhanded and unethical. It also is in violation of campaign election laws for not being properly identified as coming from and paid for by Tony Perry's campaign.
You can watch the entire 3 hour video .... HERE. The Public Comments portion of the meeting starts about 22 minutes in. A vast majority of those there to ask questions of the Township Committee were they to ask about the proposed sports complex being considered for Stevenson Park.
I just finished watching the video of this past Monday night's Middletown Township Committee meeting. It started off as your regular, run of the mill monthly event. The Township promoted two police officers due to recent retirements and an ordinance was adopted to acquire property along Rt. 36 in Pt. Monmouth to be used as a vehicle impound facility. And an ordinance to amend the redevelopment plan for the new municipal complex was moved to the November 19 meeting.
The most interesting part of this meeting and the real highlight of it that should interest everyone, was the Public Comments portion of the video, which starts at the 22:14 minute mark of the video.
Many local residents came out to passionately voice their opposition to the proposed sports complex that is being planned for Stevenson Park, off of West Front Street in Lincroft.
After the first person voiced their opposition to the plan, acting mayor Kevin Settembrino started that members of the Township Committee will be meeting with residents of Shady Oaks in the coming days to answer any questions that residents living there would have. He then stated that if those he called upon to speak to the committee refrain from asking or rehashing questions about the sports complex. As you can expect, that comment didn't go over well and residents continued with their line of questioning.
During much of the questioning, those speaking were interrupted incessantly and often combatively, by both acting deputy-mayor Tony Fire and acting-mayor Kevin Settembrino. In the end however, more than a dozen people, which included Blondie lead singer Debbie Harry, voiced their opposition to this complex being built at Stevenson Park.
Will their voices be heard? Based on responses by members of the Township Committee, probably not. We'll have to stay tuned.
As always you can download a copy of the Meeting Agenda that contains the discussion items and the proposed resolutions and ordinances that were voted on or presented during the meeting. A box around an item is a link, bringing you further into the document to that resolution or ordinance. At the end of the resolution there will be a link bringing you back to the agenda. Attached to this agenda is also the monthly bill list, so that everyone can see how the Township is spending our tax dollars.
This month's Workshop meeting of the Middletown Township Committee took place on Tuesday night September 4th. It was held in the courtroom of Town Hall this week due to the large crowd that wished to speak at the public hearing that was conducted on the proposed development of Stevenson Park.
Stevenson Park is located on W. Front Street and is an undeveloped park on the western end of Shadow Lake. The Township is proposing to construct up to 9 soccer fields in the park. There were many people attending to express their concerns, on both sides of this project.
Also at this meeting, ordinances were adopted to increase the amount of money the town will borrow to provide more playground and remote control equipment in the parks, land swaps within the Bamm Hollow development project for utility easements and to provide death benefits to EMS volunteers.
Ordinances were also introduced to amend the municipal complex development plan and to purchase more property along Rt. 36 in Pt. Monmouth.
As always you can download a copy of the Meeting Agenda that contains the discussion items and the proposed resolutions and ordinances that were voted on or presented during the meeting. A box around an item is a link, bringing you further into the document to that resolution or ordinance. At the end of the resolution there will be a link bringing you back to the agenda. Attached to this agenda is also the monthly bill list, so that everyone can see how the Township is spending our tax dollars.
The following letter appears online at the AHHerald.com:
Dear Editor,
The narrative being spun by the Middletown Township Committee that they are unable to conduct information sessions regarding the redevelopment plan because a lawsuit was filed is false. The lawsuit filed by a citizens’ group challenges the decision by the Township Committee that the property in question fits the criteria for “an area in need of redevelopment.” That is the only issue in the lawsuit. How that issue is decided has nothing to do with the specifics of the redevelopment plan such as how many houses and how much commercial space will be built, what buffers will be in place, or what open space will be preserved. The information sessions would deal with the redevelopment plan, not the decision that the area is in need of redevelopment.
The Township Committee is spinning this false narrative to distract the public from a pre-ordained agenda to railroad through this redevelopment project with as little public participation as possible. We, the residents of Middletown, deserve better.
I'm a little late posting this (it's been a rough month so far), but really all you need to see from the May 21st meeting of the Middletown Township Committee video happened during Public Comments.
During this portion of the meeting Tricia Maguire stood in front of the Township Committee, as a concerned citizen, discuss the township's master plan for redevelopment and the impact that the Village 35 project will have on Middletown. Ms. Maguire was berated and ridiculed for her comments by the the Township Attorney and others sitting on the dais.
After Tricia Maguire stepped away from the podium, the next speaker took offense to how Maguire was spoken to and stated how he would never let anyone speak to his wife that way, while pointing at Brain Nelson, the Township Attorney. Our acting mayor, Stephanie Murray then chimed in, excusing Nelson's behavior by stating that Maguire's statement was politically charged and that she was running for office, which in and of itself, is reprehensible on Murray's part.
No one deserves to be spoken to from the dais that way regardless whether or not they are seeking office. I've witnessed many times in the past, residents being disrespected by our elected (and appointed) officials on the dais, both in person and on video. There is no excuse for it.
Other buisness included:
An ordinance was adopted to fund preliminary expenses relating to the new municipal complex that is being planned. This ordinance appropriates $250K for this purpose.
The other 3 ordinances that were introduced at the previous meeting, on May 7 were not brought forward for action.
Members of the public came forward to inquire about different aspects of the Village 35 project. The Committee did not answer any direct questions due to pending litigation with this project.
As always you can download a copy of theMeeting Agendathat contains the discussion items and the proposed resolutions and ordinances that were voted on or presented during the meeting. A box around an item is a link, bringing you further into the document to that resolution or ordinance. At the end of the resolution there will be a link bringing you back to the agenda. Attached to this agenda is also the monthly bill list, so that everyone can see how the Township is spending our tax dollars.
I meant to get this posted the much sooner but I was busy last weekend celebrating my birthday and I was unable to get to it until now.
Here is the latest video from the Middletown Township Committee. The Committee held it's monthly meeting on April 16th and approved the new FY2018 budget. Prior to the adoption, a public hearing was held. A few people asked about different line items in the budget that have had extreme fluctuations over the past couple of years. The CFO provided clear explanations for those line items.
A couple of other highlights included the "swearing" in of a new police K-9 with his handler. Another public hearing was held for a bond ordinance, from last year, that was reintroduced and adopted due to incorrect wording in the original ordinance and a few Resolutions were adopted, one of which renewed a lease that allowed Oasis Therapeutic Life Centers to use a portion of Stevenson Park to farm.
As always you can download a copy of the Meeting Agenda that contains the discussion items and the proposed resolutions and ordinances that were voted on or presented during the meeting. A box around an item is a link, bringing you further into the document to that resolution or ordinance. At the end of the resolution there will be a link bringing you back to the agenda. Attached to this agenda is also the monthly bill list, so that everyone can see how the Township is spending our tax dollars.
