Rick Hibell's Creepy Comment: "I didn't smell any chlorine on the girls"

At the April 7th, 2025 Workshop meeting of the Middletown Township Committee, Deputy Mayor, Rick Hibell made a comment that was inappropriate, a little off putting and creepy for a guy in his 50's to say out loud about a bunch of high school girls. 

Earlier in the evening the Township Committee honored this year's Middletown High North Girls Swim Team for winning the C-North Division title. It was a very nice presentation and everyone went home happy afterwards. It's a good thing the girls didn't stick around.

Shortly after the presentation to the girls swim team, it was time for "Committee Comments". Tony Perry called on each Committee member for any public comments they wished to speak to. All declined comment and said that they would defer until the next Township Committee meeting (April 28th, 2025) to make any statement, all except Rick Hibell.

Hibell proceeded to express his congratulations to the girls on the swim team and stating how amazing it is each time the teams come in. He then stated that was all he had to say, but before Tony Perry could say anything, Hibell interject that he didn't smell any chlorine either. Tony Perry looked at him quizzically and said "What?". Hibell then clarified by stating "I didn't smell any chlorine on the girls."

Perry was flabbergasted and taken aback somewhat before regaining his composure to proceed to offer his Committee Comments before opening the meeting up to the public.... No one on the dais or from the public questioned Hibell's comment at the time.  You can watch the clip below.

Why Is This News? "Middletown Flood Gates Turned On As High Tide Looms"

Why is it newsworthy everytime someone does their job to make sure that the Port Monmouth flood gates are closed prior to an event that has the potential to flood the streets and homes of residents? I'll tell you why, because the Township is often negligent of its duties. So, when the Patch has to post an article titled "Middletown Flood Gates Turned On As High Tide Looms", for the purpose of letting residents in the area know that the flood gates will actual be closed and they can breath a sigh of relief, it becomes newsworthy because often the flood gates are left open.

At last month's LWV Candidate Forum between Tony Perry and myself, Perry blamed the NJDEP for not getting the gates closed. Perry took no responsibility whatsoever for past failures that caused mass flooding in the area that has lead to property damage to residences. He stated that the Township isn't responsible for the operation of the gates, that the NJDEP is. To me and many others, that is unacceptable.

As acting mayor, Perry has a responsibility to make sure the Township is proactive in ensuring that those flood gates get closed when needed. Whether it is the responsibility of Township Administrator, Tony Mercantante, Director of Public Works, Ted Maloney, or Perry himself, someone needs to make sure those flood gates get closed by proactively making a call. Simply blaming the NJDEP is just passing the buck!

Or how about this, if the NJDEP is in total control of activating the flood gates during times of potential flooding that would be caused by an extreme weather incident or full moon, why not take the responsibility of closing the gates away from the NJDEP? Why not take on the responsibility yourself to ensure that residents don't need to worry about their homes, cars or other property becoming a casualty of Mother Nature? A casualty mind you, that is preventable with a little foresight and effort on the part of our governing body.      

    

The Facts About Bail Reform and Middletown

 

Following up on last night's Candidate forum and blog post concerning Affordable Housing here in Middletown, below are the facts that I put together regarding NJ Bail Reform. 

Tony Perry likes to play to his base by disseminating false narratives and fear mongering on many issues affecting Middletown and unfortunately people gobble it up because they don't know any better.

Bottomline is you can't have it two ways, according to US News and World Reports, New Jersey ranks as the 6th safest State in the Country and Perry constantly maintains how the FBI lists Middletown one of, if not, the safest town in the United States!  

Bail Reform is not contributing to raising crime rates in NJ. As a matter of fact, it's contributing to keep our state safe. Experts from all over the country commend NJ's bail reform efforts and consider it a model to follow.

History of Bail Reform in New Jersey

 

New Jersey’s bail reform was a bipartisan effort aimed at addressing the unfairness of the cash bail system, with Republican Governor Chris Christie playing a key role. Before the reform, individuals charged with minor, non-violent offenses were often stuck in jail simply because they couldn’t afford bail. At the same time, those accused of serious crimes, but with deep pockets, could pay their way out and roam free. The system was flawed, allowing wealth to determine freedom, not risk to public safety.

 

Governor Christie pushed for reform, which led to the passage of the *Bail Reform and Speedy Trial Act*, effective in 2017. It was based on a risk assessment rather than the defendant’s ability to pay. The idea was simple: if someone posed no threat to the community and was likely to show up for trial, they shouldn’t be locked up just because they’re poor. On the flip side, dangerous offenders could be detained without bail, regardless of their financial resources.

 

In 2014, New Jersey voters approved a constitutional amendment to change the bail system. Christie, along with lawmakers from both parties, championed this reform as a way to make the justice system more equitable. The reform’s primary goal was to ensure that jail time before trial was reserved for those who truly posed a danger or a flight risk, not those who couldn’t afford bail.

 

Why Bail Reform is Good for New Jersey

 

Bail reform has had numerous positive effects in New Jersey. It has significantly reduced the number of people languishing in jail for minor offenses. This not only saved taxpayer money but also upheld the principle that people are innocent until proven guilty. Before reform, many people, often from low-income and minority backgrounds, were coerced into pleading guilty just to get out of jail faster, even if they were innocent.

 

The reform has also helped to reduce overcrowded jails. By focusing on risk, rather than wealth, New Jersey’s justice system has become more fair. Low-risk offenders can continue with their lives—working, supporting their families, and contributing to their communities—while awaiting trial. Meanwhile, those deemed high-risk remain in custody, regardless of their financial means.

 

Additionally, the reform has addressed racial and economic disparities. Previously, people of color and those with fewer financial resources were disproportionately affected by the old cash bail system. Now, the emphasis is on fairness and public safety, not money.

Middletown Mayor Tony Perry’s Anti-Bail Reform Stunts

 

Despite the proven benefits of bail reform, not everyone is on board. In Middletown, Mayor Tony Perry has been one of its loudest opponents. Last year, he made headlines by launching a series of anti-bail reform stunts, arguing that the reforms make communities less safe. Perry’s criticism echoed fearmongering claims that bail reform was leading to dangerous criminals being released, which have largely been debunked by data.

 

Perry’s stance, fueled by a few high-profile cases, led to dramatic gestures, including press conferences and resolutions calling for the rollback of bail reform. However, these stunts were criticized as a colossal waste of time by both legal experts and local residents. Critics pointed out that Perry’s actions distracted from real issues facing the town and were based more on fear than facts.

 

One of the key arguments against Perry’s position is that, despite his claims, crime rates in New Jersey have not spiked because of bail reform. In fact, most studies show the reform has helped streamline the system and made it fairer without increasing crime. Perry’s opposition, therefore, was seen by many as politically motivated and not grounded in the actual outcomes of the reform.

 

Conclusion

 

New Jersey’s bail reform, enacted under Governor Chris Christie, has been a positive force for fairness and public safety. It prevents low-risk, non-violent offenders from being jailed simply because they can’t afford bail, while ensuring that dangerous individuals are detained without regard to their wealth. The benefits are clear: fewer people stuck in jail unnecessarily, less taxpayer money wasted, and a more equitable justice system.

 

In Middletown, Mayor Perry’s objections to bail reform have been criticized as fearmongering and a distraction from more pressing local issues. His dramatic stunts have not changed the fact that bail reform is working and making New Jersey a fairer place for all its residents.

Two River Times: Middletown Incumbent Faces Democratic Challenger in Committee Race

 I wanted to post this earlier but time got away from me. In the October 10th edition of the Two River Times appears a Middletown candidate Q&A profile between myself and Tony Perry.

When you read the answers its pretty evident that Perry preferred to supply fluff over substance and resorted to the same old tired scare tactic answers that he and his predecessors have been spewing out for the past 20 years but you can decide for yourself.

The Two River Times reached out to each candidate for their thoughts about the issues facing Middletown residents.

The Two River Times: What motivated you to run for the township committee?

Michael Morris: I am running for a seat on the Middletown Township Committee because I believe Middletown’s government lacks a clear vision for our town’s future. Based on the decisions our elected officials have made on land use and zoning, it is clear the Township Committee is more interested in maintaining the status quo than actually leading. Instead of looking forward to the future and embracing the changing world around us, its members are stuck in the past. They are reactionary as opposed to visionary.

Tony Perry: What motivates me to run is my dedication. Seeing my parents work so hard to put me in a position to succeed, now it’s my turn to put my kids in a position to succeed. As mayor, it’s my job to put every single kid and every single family in a position to succeed, whether you are a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent, whether you care about politics or not. Middletown is my priority. It’s my job and my responsibility to create a great place to live, work and raise a family. That’s what I’m going to do every single day. I am never going to stop fighting for Middletown, whether I’m in this job or not.

TRT: What do you think are the most pressing issues in the township? Where would you like to see a change?

Morris: Middletown has an affordability problem. There are few attainable housing options for young people that have grown up here and wish to stay in our community. Young professionals, working-class families and seniors are being priced out of our community.

Since backing out of its COAH (Council on Affordable Housing) responsibilities, the township has been in the pockets of the developers, continuing to approve massive townhouse and condominium complexes that maximize builder profits over community needs under the threat of builders’ remedy lawsuits. These townhouses and condos often cost upward of $800,000 per unit. This leaves many young families nowhere in our community to establish roots of their own.

Perry: It is impossible for every municipality to be able to afford these (builders’ remedy) lawsuits. But Middletown has been very loud on this issue. I have taken a very tough stance that I am not opposed to creating affordable housing. We have our 100% veteran housing project built as we speak. We’ve partnered with Habitat for Humanity, where we have taken properties that Middletown has been able to foreclose on and donate them to Habitat for Humanity… to help residents because government doesn’t have to be the answer to every problem, but it can be the spark. It can be the catalyst to make a better community and a greater, stronger community.Trenton’s constant threat of overdevelopment has got to change eventually....

You can read the rest of the article over at the Two River Times

Pride Month in Middletown: Actions Are Louder Than Words

 

Every June, towns across the United States celebrate Pride Month, recognizing the struggles and achievements of the LGBTQ+ community. In Middletown, the Township Committee issued a proclamation designating June as Pride Month. The proclamation praises equal rights and celebrates the legacy of LGBTQ+ individuals. However, there is a noticeable disconnect between the proclamation’s words and the actions of Middletown’s leaders. 

The proclamation mentions the Stonewall Riots of June 28, 1969, a pivotal moment in LGBTQ+ history. These riots marked a significant push against discriminatory laws and helped spark the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. Pride Month serves as a reminder of these struggles and the ongoing fight for equality.

The proclamation emphasizes Middletown’s commitment to equal rights and the importance of dignity and respect for all citizens. It highlights the township’s aim to build an inclusive, stigma-free society where everyone feels supported. This sentiment aligns with the broader goals of Pride Month, which celebrates diversity and promotes acceptance. 

Despite the supportive language of the proclamation, Mayor Tony Perry and the Township Committee have not shown active support for the LGBTQ+ community. They have refused to fly the Pride flag at Town Hall and avoid commenting on LGBTQ+ issues publicly. This lack of visible support sends a conflicting message to the community.

For many in Middletown, the absence of public support from local leaders feels disheartening. The Pride flag is more than just a symbol; it represents acceptance and visibility. When leaders choose not to display it, it can feel like a dismissal of the community's identity and struggles.

For Middletown to truly honor its proclamation and the principles it stands for, actions speak louder than words. Public support from local leaders, including the simple act of flying the Pride flag, would go a long way in making LGBTQ+ residents feel valued and respected.

While the proclamation for Pride Month in Middletown is a step in the right direction, it is essential for the township’s leaders to back their words with actions. True support for the LGBTQ+ community requires more than just statements; it demands visible, ongoing efforts to foster an inclusive and accepting environment for all.

Take A Look At The Monmouth Trump Team, Any Names Stick Out?

 

Here in New Jersey voting for the June 4th Primary has already begun. Vote-by-mail ballots were sent out weeks ago and statewide early voting started yesterday. If you're a Monmouth County Republican Primary voter this year, you get to vote for a contingency of delegates to the July 15th  Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, to support Donald Trump.

I wonder how many of the names on this listed of Republican Delegates might change their support for Donald Trump now that he's a convicted felon and once again a proven liar? Any local names stick out to you? How about Middletown's very own State Assemblyman, Gerry Scharfenberger (LD13) and his Son-in-Law, Middletown Mayor Tony Perry? 

We know that Scharfenberger has no shame and couldn't care less if Donald Trump is a convicted felon or not, Scharfenberger has no scruples, but what about Tony Perry? He's worked awfully hard the past few years to get out from underneath his father-in-laws shadow and to appear as a likable, babyface, jovial everyman, in order to appeal to as many people as possible. However, his moderate persona doesn't back up his many political extremes, which I'll be posting about in later blog posts.

Make no mistakes, Tony Perry is part of the Monmouth Trump Team. Perry should distance himself from Trump as soon as possible before the stench of a convicted felon permeates the air around him and he is unable to wash it out of his pores or cover it up with cologne. 

I want to hear Tony Perry say that he does not and will not support a convicted felon for any political office, let alone the highest office in the land, the Presidency of the United States of America!

(Slate of potential Trump delegates to the 2024 Republican Nation Convention)

    

   

Statement: Middletown Republicans Failed to File 4 Years’ Worth OF NJ ELEC Campaign Finance Reports

For Immediate Release: 

10/24/20

 A Statement from Middletown Democratic Chairman Michael Morris concerning the failure of the Middletown Township Republican Executive Committee to file 4 years’ worth of campaign finance reports.

 Middletown –In response to the recent Asbury Park Press article, “Middletown GOP says they’ve filed campaign finance reports. NJ says they haven’t”, which uncovered a serious violation of NJ campaign finance law by the Middletown Township Republican Organization. The Organization has failed to disclose campaign financial records to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (NJ ELEC) for the last four years. 

 The last report on file with NJ ELEC on behalf of the Middletown Republican organization is from the 3rd quarter of 2016 and showed over $39,000 on hand. Since that time the Middletown Republican organization has made contributions to others in the amount of $22,650, all of which has gone unreported and there is now no way to tell who campaign contributions came from, to whom the Middletown Republicans donated funds to or what amount of money changed hands during this period.

New Jersey pay-to-play laws are very specific and are designed to end the practice of “wheeling”, which is when an entity channels money through different political committees to avoid contribution limits.

 Chairman Morris states:

 “It’s said that if you want to uncover the facts all you need to do is “follow the money”. Unfortunately, that isn’t possible here. There is no way for the public to know who campaign contributions came from, to who the Organization directed funds to or what it spent money on over the past four years. Apparently, the Middletown Republicans must think they’re above the law.

 “In addition, we find out the Treasurer responsible for filing these reports is none other than the Mayor’s wife, Alannah Perry who also happens to be the daughter of former mayor, now NJ State Assemblyman, Gerry Scharfenberger. You would think she’d know better."

 “When you combine this with the release of thousands of private email addresses from the township’s emergency alert database, that Tony Perry’s 2018 campaign used to make false and misleading accusations against a Democratic rival in 2018, you have to wonder about the ethics of not just the Perry family but the entire Middletown Republican Organization”.

Failure To File NJ ELEC Paper Work Puts Middletown Republican Organization In Financial Jeopardy: Should Tony Perry Resign?

It came to light yesterday that the Middletown Township Republican Executive Committee (Middletown GOP) has failed to file required New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (NJ ELEC) paperwork for the past 16 quarters, going back to October 2016. The last report on file with the NJ ELEC is for the 3rd quarter of 2016. 

This is bad on so many levels and furthers the argument that myself and others have been making over the years, Middletown Republicans are corrupt to the core. Where are they getting their money from? Who are they giving money to? Pay-to-Play comes to mind as well as the wheeling of campaign donations and expenses and potentially money laundering isn't out if the question.

As for the last report on record with NJ ELEC all the way back in 2016, the Middletown Republicans had $39,439.11 on hand after reporting. How much money did they have on hand afterwards to end the year? We don't know because a 4th quarter, year end report was never filed, neither were subsequent reports thereafter for the next 15 quarters leading up to October 2020.

We know the Middletown Republican Executive Committee has been active during this time because expenditures of $19,650 have been reported by outside candidates and committees in their NJ ELEC filings, the most recent being a $650 donation to Sheriff Shaun Golden for his reelection campaign, made in February of 2020.

Maximum fines associated with this non-compliance can be as large as $8,600 per incident. 16 quarters  of failing to file reports with NJ ELEC could cost the local Republicans upwards of $138,000. Interestingly however, the organization is not responsible to pay these fines. As punishment, it's the organizational Treasurer and potentially the Organizational Chairman who are on the hook for payment.

What's so interesting and intriguing about that little fact is that the organizational Treasurer for the last report filed back in October 2016, was the wife of current Middletown Mayor, Tony Perry. Mrs. Perry also happens to be the daughter of former mayor, now LD 13 Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger.

There is a major conflict here and it just might behoove  Perry to resign from the mayorship of the Township as well as step down from the Township Committee itself.  Since Scharfenberger appointed his son-in-law to the Township Committee back in 2017 and his daughter failed to file the proper paperwork with NJ ELEC, he has some explaining to do himself .... Stay tuned for further developments. 

 

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From The Brother -in-Law or The Tree It Appears.

I know I haven't posted anything directly to this page in a while but here is something that I just couldn't pass up.

In 2017, Gerry Scharfenberger appointed is son-in-law, Tony Perry, to the Middletown Township Committee. In 2018, Perry got a hold of a list of township resident emails from Middletown using an anonymous OPRA request which his campaign used to  sent out an "anonymous" email to residents from a non-existent shadow group attacking his opponent, Sean Byrnes. He still maintains no knowledge of the incident even though he was caught red handed by the Asbury Park Press.

Now you have Dan Scharfenberger, Gerry's son, acting as the campaign manager for the Mayor of Hamilton Township, running an anonymous blog that exposed expunged criminal information of the mayor's Republican primary campaign opponent, David Henderson. It is a crime to release information on expunged criminal records.

Although it's a misdemeanor charge, Dan Scharfenberger, nonetheless is was under criminal investigation for releasing the information on Henderson.

Here are a few links to multiple reports concerning this posting:


Republicans Hush on Charges Against Tom Kean’s Political Director

Prosecutors: Mayor Kelly Yaede gave campaign manager 'green light' to publish Henderson's expunged criminal records

HAMILTON MAYOR KELLY YAEDE AND CAMPAIGN MANAGER CHARGED WITH RELEASING OPPONENT’S EXPUNGED ARREST

That Scharfenberger family must be very proud of itself, ethically speaking of course.

January 6, 2019 Middletown Township Committee Meeting

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.

Why Won't Middletown Tell Us? Why The Mystery Over The Cost Of The New Municipal Complex?

Nearly 5 weeks ago, I posted here that the cost of Middletown's new municipal complex under development had ballooned from the original estimate of $20 million dollars to $54 million.  The new municipal complex was supposed to be discussed at the September 17th meeting of the Township Committee but was pulled from the agenda due to budget concerns from what I was told.  At the time however, township officials scoffed at the figure but wouldn't answer as to whether or not what I wrote was true. Since that time, the Asbury Park Press has written two articles on the subject, the most recent of which appears in print this morning, "Middletown complex cost is a mystery", and it appears that township officials still aren't willing to discuss the cost of the new complex. Why the mystery?

The Asbury Park Press submitted several OPRA requests to the township looking for information on the project only to have those requests denied.  In the Township's response for information, the Asbury Park Press was told that the plans for the complex will be discussed at the Nov. 19th Township Committee meeting (which happens to be conveniently after this Tuesday's election).

Here's my take on the situation, the story in the Asbury Park Press about the how much the new municipal complex will cost is noteworthy on a number of fronts:

First, by denying of the OPRA request, Middletown won’t release to the Asbury Park Press documents that show how taxpayer money will be spent but under an anonymous OPRA request, the township released privacy protected emails to a requester, who appears to have been an appointed committeeman seeking 1st time election to the Township Committee, who and used those emails to send an inflammatory and deceptive, factually inaccurate email using the list which was obtained from the township, Tony Perry.

Second, the Mayor won’t release any information about the  project until after the election. Withholding of information like this is typical for this Township Committee.

And finally, because information about the revised costs of the new municipal complex won’t be released until after the November 6th election, I am convinced that the new price tag of $54 million, which is more than $30 million over what was originally told to us, is correct.

 So much for “taxpayers first.”.  How can anyone trust anything this group of township officials say or do?  I sure can't and neither can a lot of others.

Who Is Watch07748? Apparently It's Tony Perry

 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.

The Curious Case Of An Email And The October 1, 2018 Middletown Township Committee Meeting

I can't believe that I haven't posted about this earlier, but seeing how the Middletown Township Committee will be meeting tonight for the last time before the November 6th election, I thought that I better say my piece about this.

Over the weekend of September 29th, a mysterious email started to make the rounds to inboxes of Middletown residents. The email from a group calling themselves, "RESIDENTS AGAINST OVER DEVELOPMENT", warned about the over development of Middletown, specifically the Village 35 project that is being planned between Kings Highway and Kanes Lane, along Route 35. Upon closer inspection this email was nothing more than a thinly veiled attack on Middletown Democratic Candidate for Township Committee, Sean Byrnes.

No one seems to be sure exactly how many residents through out the township received this email (I personally did not receive it), but it's safe to say hundreds did. Through a little detective work and the process of elimination, it was determined that the common denominator between those that received this email was that all subscribed to the township's Alert system.

Not sure that this was the case, Sean Byrnes attended the Oct. 1st workshop meeting of the Township Committee and asked for assurances that the email which residents received 2 days earlier did not come from the township. More specifically, if anyone on the committee had knowledge of the email or if it came from anyone on the committee seeking election this year (the video below is queued to the start of Byrnes's question).

As you'd expect, everyone at the table denied any knowledge or involvement with the email. There was however, evidence to suggest otherwise.



The email from Resident Against Over Development was sent through the automated email service MailChimp. As part of the service, those that receive emails can opt-out from receiving emails by clicking on the link to unsubscribe. When the unsubscribe link was followed all the way through to completion, the link took the unsubscriber to the Twitter page of Committee person Tony Perry.

On October 5th, the Asbury Park Press jumped on the story and published, "Middletown official won't deny sending mysterious political email", in which Tony Perry wouldn't deny having any knowledge of the email previously. He also, unpromted, offered that the Township email lists are public record that anyone can access via an OPRA request.

After the Asbury Park Press's article was published, the local Middletown Patch published a follow-up report, "Middletown: OPRA Request Forced Us To Share Residents' Emails", where it's evident that after the Press's article came out, Township officials decided that the best course of action was to deny knowledge of the email and blame an anonymous OPRA request for the release of a list of township residents email addresses. When the Patch questioned Perry about any knowledge of who may have been behind the email and linked it back to his campaign Perry stated that, "he hires various political consultants to run his campaigns".

That's not a very convincing denial. To blame this on various "political consultants" running his campaign is weak and shows what kind of backbone Tony Perry has; one that's crooked and spineless. I suppose though I shouldn't expect anything different from someone who was appointed to his seat on the Township Committee by his father-in-law, Gerry Scharfenberger.

The attempt to deceive Middletown residents by sending out an anonymous, dirty trick email, thinly disguised as an anti-development appeal is underhanded and unethical. Middletown Republicans must be truly afraid of losing control of the township committee this year, to have been so desperate to send this kind of email to hundreds or thousands of residents, hoping that it would swing a few votes in their favor.

It also shows the lack of character of Tony Perry and those currently running Middletown. If Tony Perry continues to refuse to take ownership of this and would rather continue to cover it up after tonight's Committee meeting, where I'm sure he'll be asked about it, then he doesn't deserve to be elected and hold office in Middletown or anywhere else for that matter.

Board of Education Voting Meeting - 9/26/18: Tony Perry Tries and Fails To Make A Deal And Shows How Little He Understands

I just finished watching the video from this past Wednesday night’s Middletown Board of Education (BOE) Meeting. What started out as a nice night of recognition for teachers and administrators involved in the school district being awarded 'Future Ready Silver Certification' (a distinction, given to only 35 schools in NJ, 17 of which Middletown is one), ended in what can only be characterize as a desperate attempt to gain some recognition as a candidate for Township Committee by the school community, from Middletown Committeeman Tony Perry, who is up for election this November.

It seems Middletown’s Board of Education isn’t the only entity in our community not immune to political stunts this election season.

When the meeting was opened for Public Comments, the unelected Committeeman and Candidate, Tony Perry (who, by the way was appointed by his Father In Law, Gerry Scharfenburger to the Township Committee), took to the microphone 'On Behalf of the Township Committee' to address the BOE regarding a possible agreement to take over the maintenance of 'Bayshore Elementary'.

A couple of quick notes before moving on; First, wasn't there just a conference held by Mayor Kevin Settembrino, where he proclaimed that he alone spoke for the TC, which would mean that either Settembrino sanctioned Mr. Perry's visit to speak on behalf of the committee and make an offer or Tony Perry was going rogue,  trying to make deals on his own, even though he is not a member of the joint Shared Services Committee. Later in his comments, he seems to back away from this statement and declared he 'doesn't speak on behalf of anyone, but himself'. Secondly, there is no 'Bayshore Elementary ', he would know that if he lived in Middletown for more than 5 minutes before becoming a Township Committeeman and not attempting an obvious political stunt, so I will assume he is referring to Bayview Elementary School.

Moving on ... Perry made reference to the potential Stevenson's Park Sports Complex, which in his words, 'is a political football' and 'not an honest discussion of how many fields would be placed there.' He goes on to accuse others (presumably, his opponents, one of which is Board Member Danielle Walsh) of 'intentionally misleading the residents of Shady Oaks and Shadow Lake'. Honestly, I'm not sure what these statements were meant to accomplish at a BOE meeting other than an attempt to garner votes by driving a wedge between the BOE and the parents of a few sports kids.

You can call me crazy if you want, but according to the plans for the sports complex that I and others have seen, they clearly show a plan to create a total of 9 multi-purpose sports fields beginning with a Phase 1 start of 2 fields.... Again, call me crazy, but how does informing residents living adjacent to Stevenson Park of plans for a potential Sports Complex by others 'intentionally misleading' or relevant in any way to the BOE?

He then offered to propose on 'behalf of the Township Committee' to take over control and maintenance responsibilities for Bayview Elementary Fields. In return, the Township Committee would decide which entities are entitled to use of the fields, with the school events getting priority. Not a bad deal for the BOE, right? Except, Board President Joan Minnuies pointed out, the Township Committee already decides who gets priority over these fields. He went on to refer to Bayview as an 'unknown and treasured part of Middletown.' Unknown? Really? I’m sure thousands of Belford residents would be shocked to know their elementary school was unknown to a candidate for the Township Committee.

Committeeman Perry also asserted that in the arrangement, the 2 baseball fields presently there (albeit without pitchers mounds because they are multi-purpose fields) , would be torn down to make room for the maintenance of soccer, flag football and lacrosse fields. When BOE member Michael Donlon questioned this, Perry inferred that it would be fine because there were no issues with lack of field time for baseball in Middletown.

BOE member, Danielle Walsh questioned his political motivations for addressing the BOE, since he 'had never been to a Board of Education Meeting before tonight' and 'suggested what would amount to an agenda item for Shared Services'. And further took issue with Mr. Perry's accusation that the BOE 'ignored' their fields. It was at this point that Mr. Perry changed his tune and insisted he was there speaking 'on behalf of himself', then went on to say 'I don't have the ability to have my voice heard to the School Board on my opinions about Shared Services decisions that occur. Unfortunately, that is why I have to come to these meetings.'.

BOE member Nick DiFranco also took issue with some of Mr. Perry's assertions regarding Shared Services and the extent to which the BOE was involved in addressing issues with field usage.

The bottom line here is that Mr. Perry, accompanied by another unelected Committeeman, Rick Hibell (who did not speak) seemed out of his depth of knowledge when it came to not only how the BOE works, but how to effectively communicate within the boundaries of his own Township Committee. But this is what you get when you have a Township Committee where there is no accountability to the point of blatant nepotism. Watch the exchange in the video for yourself and decide (I’ve queued it to the start of Perry’s comments).

Other than what I’ve mentioned above, the Voting Meeting was relatively uneventful (with the exception of Board Member Leonora Caminitti referring to another BOE member as a 'sissy'), but you should still take the time to watch the entire meeting, which you can access …. HERE

And while you’re at it do me a favor, consider asking the BOE to work on their video sound quality. I appreciate the transparency of the taped meetings, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired.