Middletown GOP Chooses Accountability

By J.J. Sullivan, III
Correspondent

MIDDLETOWN- A move to establish an advisory committee charged with quarterbacking the township's annual spending plan failed to garner support amongst the Republican majority, who voiced reluctance to restrict involvement in what was described as an inherent responsibility of all elected municipal officials.

The resolution put forth by Democratic Councilman Sean Byrnes was voted down, 2-3, during last nights meeting at Town Hall, with votes splitting along party lines.

Mayor Gerard Scharfenberger, Deputy Mayor Pamela Brightbill and Committee member Thomas Wilkens all offered lengthy comments on their objections to the initiative.

Byrnes said the efficiency in completing the complex fiscal process would be improved if individuals were given clear responsibilities regarding the handling the budget.

He also made a surprising revelation about a lingering contamination issue with the town's Arts Center; asserting that enhanced oversight could provide a much needed solution.

"I don't feel it is effective for each member of the committee to attempt to oversee the budget process," Byrnes said. "I am concerned that such a subcommittee could have prevented certain adverse things from occurring."

According to the first-term committeeman, "I was surprised to learn recently that the Arts Center has had contamination issues for the last eight years and nothing has been done about. We have an issue there that might have been addressed by this sort of oversight. This issue should have been resolved and it has not,"

While abstaining from commenting on the contamination mentioned by Byrnes, perhaps failing to find relevance, the dissenting voters instead addressed the budgetary process and the broader implications. They also discussed what the duties of an elected official should entail, and how that fits into the handling of municipal tax revenue.

Wilkens commented on the priorities of a municipal official.

"Perhaps I disagree with Byrnes in saying that the budget is our paramount responsibility," he said. "I believe that the oversight, the analysis, the participation, the interaction and the preparation should not be downgraded or limited to the function of two committee people."

"I would not be comfortable abdicating my ability to participate in the budget process from the very beginning," Scharfenberger asserted. "I cannot see the benefit of limiting it to two individuals. We have five individuals who equally owe the taxpayers their full attention and their full input."

"It is important for the public to understand what our role as elected township committee members entails," Brightbill said. "Our function is to oversee policy and enact ordinance."

She said it was important to keep all members involved in placing compensated professionals who run day-to-day township business, as well as selecting and coordinating with the township administrators and the department heads, all of which the Deputy Mayor said were available to officials at all times.

"Each one of us is elected to oversee the administration of those processes and policies that are in place," she said. "I would personally never feel comfortable talking to a resident without being able to give them specific information about a line item or an expenditure because I was not on that committee. We are all part of that [budget process] as elected officials."

"This is my third time through the process and I find it works amazingly well," she said. "I will always be, and have always been, fully committed to this budget process," inferring that it was incumbent upon each member of the governing body to diligently take part in every facet of the allocation of tax monies.

According to Wilkens, "Everyone on the committee should be advised on the conditions of the budget, they should be meeting with department heads and they should be participating to the fullest extent possible. The process is currently open to the public, and by limiting those who are tasked with the objective, I believe we may close that off."

Wilkens said that new efficiencies for next year's budget have already been identified in talks with newly installed Township Administrator Anthony Mercantante and CFO Richard Wright.

"The creation of a budget is a very long, arduous process," said the mayor, "and I know this year we had a de facto budget committee because not all of us were involved in the process from the onset, and I think it was a good thing. I don't see how limiting it in anyway serves the taxpayers."

Democratic Councilman Patrick Short cast the second vote in favor of adoption.

Short praised Byrnes for "thinking outside the box" and said the budget advisory committee would have been a great step toward correcting the increased expenditures facing local taxpayers.

"It's a way to separate our wants and our needs. I did not read it is as reduction of the 'membership' in the way they look at the budget. I thought it was just the opposite, allowing us to refine the focus and provide greater detail," he said.

"If we are looking to balance our budget next year, this is a true mess."

Byrnes said the subcommittee was the first of others he would advocate in the future. The proposed budget committee would have featured two outside financial professionals or members of the community.

MoreMonmouthMusings welcomes J.J. Sullivan as a correspondent. Sullivan is also a correspondent for Greater Media.