Andrew Speaks!.....

[admin]

Unfortunately, not here on this site but here is his latest letter.

newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2008/0820/letters/026.html

Mayor, council do not want to be confused with the facts
I t's "silly season" again and I can't say that I am surprised to see the reaction out of my town leaders at someone questioning their actions. Once again, we see the shell game that is so often played, this time in the form of a letter signed by the Freehold Borough mayor and Borough Council ("Mayor and Council Take Issue With Candidate's Letter," News Transcript, Aug. 6). Let me say first that I don't have issue with the entire governing body in Freehold Borough. There are a couple of people up there who I honestly feel are decent elected officials, but when you all sign your name to a letter such as this, you all deserve the criticism.

This all started with a letter from Ted Miller ("Council Members' Taxes Covered by Raise They Voted For," News Transcript, July 16) in which he questions the council members voting to give themselves a small and insignificant raise, while asking for more from the other town employees in terms of health care contributions.

The response from our mayor and council does not even address the issue of the raise. Instead, they twist it around and try to claim he is attacking them for collecting a salary … talk about your misdirection.

Their letter goes on to say the comparison Mr. Miller makes between our council and surrounding towns is unfair. They prefer to compare their salaries to other county seats … but I fail to see how that is a more accurate comparison, and unfortunately, they don't explain that point to us either.

What is it about being in a county seat that somehow affords you the right to earn a higher salary than other towns in your county? Enlighten me, please.

In the grand scheme of things, the numbers are relatively insignificant … but as always, it the principal of the issue. Take a look at it in the simplest form. We have a town that has a certain number of people in it, is a certain size, and is essentially built out (no room for new construction).

Our elected leaders are paid a certain amount of money for the time they dedicate to the town. Now, if I look at the town next to mine, which has many more people living in it, is much larger geographically, has a larger commercial tax base, more roads to maintain, etc., and they have leaders that are not only making less money, but are running that town with fewer people at the helm (most surrounding towns have five elected officials as opposed to our seven), I am forced to question why they are able to do that and we here in Freehold Borough are not.

When you compare towns like Manalapan, Howell, and even Middletown to Freehold Borough, it boggles the mind. Someone please explain to me how five people can run Middletown, spending about $20,000 on salaries, or even Manalapan spending $33,000 on salaries, while Freehold Borough at 17 percent and 33 percent the population of Middletown and Manalapan, respectively, needs seven people who cost us over $58,000 in salaries.

This is the issue that I wish the council and mayor would have addressed, rather than talking about how they, too, contribute to their health care coverage if they choose to accept it. Or how about why the municipal budget has nearly doubled since 2000? Another question they ignored in their response.

I started this letter by saying that I am not surprised by the reaction of our mayor and council. They have never reacted kindly to anyone who comes at them with real facts or real issues, so why would this be any different? Too many folks walk around this town feeling that as long as we continue to plant flowers on Main Street and repave a road here or there, everything will simply work itself out.

My father likes to use a certain phrase to describe people that I have adopted as well, because it perfectly describes the socalled "leaders" of my town, and unfortunately a large number of their supporters. "Don't confuse me with the facts" is what he feels some people believe. It seems to be the mantra here in Freehold Borough.
Andrew DeFonzo
Freehold Borough

[adefonzo]

Aug 21, 2008 16:20:55 GMT -5 wlisa54 said:

Maybe the pay & benefits weren't high enough?
www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080820/NEWS01/808200377/1282/LOCAL06

Tinton Falls council president resigns
By Keith Brown • COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU • August 20, 2008

TINTON FALLS — Tuesday's Borough Council meeting started almost exactly like any other that preceded it: There was a roll call, the Pledge of Allegiance was recited, the minutes from previous meetings were approved.

And then the council president quit.

Brendan Tobin, who was serving his second four-year term and had only recently been elected to the council's top spot, resigned in a move that left everyone on the dais stunned.

"I'd like it known that I'm tendering my resignation, effective immediately," Tobin said during the portion of the meeting normally reserved for reports from council members. "I've been thinking about this decision for a long time."

Then, he left the dais, the meeting room and borough hall.

He refused to answer why he had suddenly quit.

Deputy President Gary Baldwin, who ran on the same ticket as Tobin in the last election, took over Tobin's duties running the meeting, saying only that he was surprised at Tobin's sudden departure.

"That was really unexpected," Baldwin said.

After some pause, the council voted to accept Tobin's resignation, with regret, making Baldwin the new chief.

Tobin, who first won a council seat as the top vote getter in the 2003 election, was elected to a second term on the governing body in 2007. His term expires in 2011.

The exact procedure for filling his unexpired term on the council, which is organized under a nonpartisan form of government, was unclear Tuesday night.

Later in the meeting, a measure championed by Tobin was left to die by the remaining council members.

An ordinance that would have changed the borough's employee manual, allowing council members to receive the health insurance package offered to borough employees, failed for lack of a motion to introduce it.

Tobin was one of three council members who elect to accept the health benefits package, along with councilmen Michael Skudera and Duane Morrill.

Councilman Paul Ford once accepted the benefits but has since given them up. And Councilman Gary Baldwin has never accepted the borough's health plan. Mayor Peter Maclearie, who at one time also accepted the health benefits but has since stopped, had removed funding for the council's health benefits in the most recent budget. Tobin had opposed the move.

I had to laugh when I read this article...keep an eye out in town...if anyone see's someone new moving in on their street named Tobin, let us know...

maybe we could use this as positive PR for the Boro...apparently the grass is greener here for Council members than it is in other towns!!

[admin]

Andrew,

Now that yo are back, I have to ask. Have you received feedback about your letter? Good or bad? and do you anticipate a response? good or bad?

[adefonzo]

Aug 26, 2008 17:16:23 GMT -5 admin said:

Andrew,

Now that yo are back, I have to ask. Have you received feedback about your letter? Good or bad? and do you anticipate a response? good or bad?

I have heard absolutely nothing about my letter. It seems to be a growing trend...when I write something, I don't get any sort of response...almost makes me feel left out somehow

[admin]

Aug 27, 2008 5:57:21 GMT -5 adefonzo said:

Aug 26, 2008 17:16:23 GMT -5 admin said:

Andrew,

Now that yo are back, I have to ask. Have you received feedback about your letter? Good or bad? and do you anticipate a response? good or bad?

I have heard absolutely nothing about my letter. It seems to be a growing trend...when I write something, I don't get any sort of response...almost makes me feel left out somehow

I am surprised, it is a strong letter that I would expect to hear agreement or disagreement with.

[adefonzo]

The ego maniac in me wonders if they simply don't have an answer for the questions I raised?

[fiberisgoodforyou]

"it was predominantly the Republican pundits who were bringing up some of the supposed shortcomings in her speach"

If not the Republican pundits, who else would? ;D

[admin]

Aug 27, 2008 18:47:00 GMT -5 lisas84 said:

Well, this to me begets the question: do you write and express yourself solely to do just that, with authenticity of self expression and therefore self gratification borne simply of the ability to communicate with clarity and conviction?

or

Is the motivation of writing to stir up the pot, to get a reaction? Which would then be a motivation not for expression but for manipulation and ego?

The first is noteworthy and respectable, the latter motivation is not worthy of respect.

Actually, I believe your second choice is a two part question. Stirring the pot to get a reaction in itself can be a very healthy thing. Sometimes it has to be done. To do so is not necessarily out of manipulation or ego.

[bergsteiger]

Aug 27, 2008 18:47:00 GMT -5 lisas84 said:

Well, this to me begets the question: do you write and express yourself solely to do just that, with authenticity of self expression and therefore self gratification borne simply of the ability to communicate with clarity and conviction?

or

Is the motivation of writing to stir up the pot, to get a reaction? Which would then be a motivation not for expression but for manipulation and ego?

The first is noteworthy and respectable, the latter motivation is not worthy of respect.

Pychobabble Alert!

Sorry Lisa, I feel as though you are just thinking way to much into it. Instead of wasting time discussing his inner feeling during the moments of his authoring the letter, discuss the content or not, it makes no difference why he wrote it.

[bergsteiger]

Aug 28, 2008 7:21:54 GMT -5 lisas84 said:

Reading for comprehension fundamentals, Bergsteiger: I was not referring to the letter itself, but the posts, lamenting and wondering why there has been no response.

Comprehension, maybe? Could be a case of poor writer expression.

[fiberisgoodforyou]

Aug 27, 2008 18:47:00 GMT -5 lisas84 said:

Is the motivation of writing to stir up the pot, to get a reaction? Which would then be a motivation not for expression but for manipulation and ego?

sounds like a narcissist

[admin]

Aug 28, 2008 7:21:54 GMT -5 lisas84 said:

Reading for comprehension fundamentals, Bergsteiger: I was not referring to the letter itself, but the posts, lamenting and wondering why there has been no response.

Your points were good ones, Lisa, I was not cutting them up in my responses. I asked about any feedback Andrew may have gotten out of curiosity. It is natural for others to react when they see something strong like Andrews letter.

[adefonzo]

Alright...let me clear the air...

I don't necessarily know in which category this will fall, Lisa, but let me say briefly and as simply as possible why I wrote this letter.

Obviously, first of all, I have a big mouth and I can't control myself from time to time...that we already know.

In this particular case, I read Ted's initial letter, and I thought he brought up a couple of vaild points. Then I read the response which was signed by all 6 council members and the Mayor, and I (still) don't believe they addressed the issues that were brought up in Ted's letter. Rather, they took the opportunity to get in "the last word" and make it sound like "the GOP candidate" didn't know what he was talking about. That didn't sit well with me.

I don't like it when anyone, in particular politicians and government officials, doesn't address the question that was posed to them. I truly despise the "dance" that too many people do when they are pressed with a tough question. They tend to talk a lot, but never talk directly about what was asked. And in this case, they talked a lot, didn't address the question that was asked, and in doing so, took a baseless shot against someone who is running against a couple of them in November.

Did Ted take a shot at them in his letter? Absolutely...but he took a shot at them based on facts. They took a shot at him based on how they decided to interpret his letter, which was wrong.

So (I know...I said I was going to keep this short), I didn't think it was right for them to have the last word on the topic since they never addressed the original questions. Misdirection makes me sick, especially when I see it coming from those who are supposed to be leaders.

Did I write the letter to get a response? Yes. Not a response that would feed my ego by knowing that maybe I got under their skin, or maybe I aggrevated them enough to shoot back at me. I wanted an honest response to the questions that I asked and that Ted asked before me. And the fact that I haven't gotten that response makes me lose more respect for our local leaders.