By JJ Sullivan III
Correspondent
MIDDLETOWN- Earlier this morning, a petition requesting the recall of Patricia Walsh from the Board of Education was filed with school district officials.
Three residents, apparently fed up with the alleged actions of Walsh, handed in the necessary papers, initiating the potential removal of the Democratic committee candidate from her position on the nine-member BOE.
The recall committee is composed of James Cody, Anthony Testa and Kathleen Bjenka, all self-described "parents, taxpayers and registered BOE voters."
The former school board president, meanwhile, has hopes of obtaining a seat on the municipal committee at the Nov. 4 township elections.
However, instead of concentrating on her campaign, she must somehow address accusations that she is responsible for increasing taxes, improperly disclosing loans and diminishing student safety.
Recall committee
A recall committee of three registered BOE voters must initiate the legal proceedings, providing their personal information to the recall election official, in the case of Middletown, BOE Administrator Bill Doering
After filing the papers at the central office, the recall committee must wait three days before gaining approval and commencing the arduous task of collecting signatures in their efforts to oust Walsh from the BOE.
The committee must decide whether to hold a special election to find a replacement for Walsh, or place a recall ballot in the election booths, putting the decision in the hands of the voters.
Recall Committee Chairman James Cody said the committee was simply seeking the removal of Walsh from the BOE, and would petition for a recall ballot only.
Cody said Doering would sign off on the document in three days, after which petitions would begin circulating as part of efforts to muster the necessary number of signatures needed to merit a recall ballot.
According to the recall committee, they must gather the signatures of at least 25 percent of participants in the school district's most recent election.
Cody said this would mean gathering approximately 2,000 signatures.
Recalls cannot be done within 50 days of the next BOE election, Cody said. The next scheduled election is for April 21, 2009.
Press release….
According to a press release distributed by Cody, "[the recall committee is] filing to recall Middletown school board member Pat Walsh on the grounds that she has neglected her duty to serve the taxpayers and children of Middletown. Walsh doesn't care for Middletown's taxpayers or children, but is merely using her position as nothing more than a stepping-stone to run for higher office once again. Our children and the taxpayers of Middletown deserve better."
Specifically, the recall committee cites three reasons as providing the impetus for their persistent efforts to take the longtime BOE member off the school district's governing body once and for all.
First, the press release suggested that Walsh had raised taxes higher than any official in Middletown history, alleging she has voted for increases of $50 million.
According to the press release, "This wasteful spending on sweetheart packages for school superintendents and botched turf field projects, have caused property taxes for the average homeowner to increase more than $1,400 per year now--for a total of more than $4,000 for every Middletown homeowner."
Secondly, the recall committee mentioned $30,000 in loans distributed to Walsh in 1998 and 1999 that were never properly disclosed.
A 2001 school ethics commission ruling dismissed charges against Walsh because of an inappropriately filed complaint. The administrative court did not address the issue of non-disclosure and free legal assistance because of procedural errors on behalf of the complainant.
While the earnings were not reported on school financial disclosure statements dating 1996-2001, Walsh has said all allegations of wrongdoing are examples of "irresponsible journalism" and "lies," refusing to elaborate when confronted with official records and declining to answer questions relating to the matter.
Thirdly, Walsh moved to vote for the installation of a cell tower on public school property, Middletown High School South.
"Ms. Walsh not only voted for, but made the motion to sell out our children's health and welfare to place a cell phone tower on school property," the release stated.
Additionally, according to Cody, "The box turf field has been a major issue because of the wasted tax dollars spent on inefficient oversight, which has forced numerous rounds of costly reconstruction."
If the recall committee successfully obtains the designated number of signatures, the issue would be put to a vote within the school district, with residents deciding either to cast out Walsh, or to allow her to remain in the BOE, should her campaign for Township Committee prove unsuccessful.
May the Force Be With Us
1 day ago
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19 comments:
Looks like Pat Walsh's shady past and bizarre behavior is finally catching up with her. Ask any parent who has a kid in a Middletown school, or anyone who has seen Pat Walsh at a meeting and they will shake their head in disbelief that she ever got a single vote.
I think when Mrs. Walsh started her campaign for the Township Committee, she should have stepped down from the School Board. I think the residents of Middletown should be kept updated as to how to sign this recall.
Something smells fishy with this. Are they going to recall all the other board members that voted for increased taxes? How can they try and recall her for the cell tower issue when our own Assemblyman, Declan O'Scanlon says how safe they are on school grounds. Here's what he said about a cell tower being placed at the elementary school in Tinton Falls when someone brought up the question of safety...
"The ambient level of radio frequency [RF] exposure around us all the time is probably 3 to 5 percent of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) perpetual exposure limit," said O'Scanlon. "A typical cell tower with four wireless carriers operating on it would increase that in the neighborhood of four-tenths of 1 percent.
"So we are talking about a level of RF exposure that is extremely low. World Health Organization (WHO), the FCC and every other accredited entity that studied RF exposure have reached the same conclusion. There are no ill health effects from exposures way higher than this and certainly none at these levels," said O'Scanlon.
I wonder who is putting these people up to this. Also, I wonder what their connection to the Mayor or Deputy Mayor is. Have you looked into any of this?
Wow! things are going bad to worse for Walsh. I think she must answers all these questions to be able to get a seat on the council. Maybe she has a safe with checks. The longer she waits to comment, the worse these pit bulls are going to get.
One thing I dont understand: Can the recall signatures be collected now? Where is the petition? Why is there a three day wait?
Why should she have resigned anoymous #2? When Madame Burry ran and won her seat on the Freeholder board, she didn't give up her seat on the Colts Neck Township Committee...even AFTER she won. She didn't think the township would survive without her and seh was determined to finish it out.
So I ask again, why should Pat Walsh have given up her seat on the school board?
Excellent q's not-anonymous, but I met james cody at a meeting where he spoke. I was also refered to him by another vocal resident as a man who allegedly identified serious problems at the BOE. That said you í.D. Good issues with the recall
Cody has been Fighting the School Board of Middletown for a very long time. Nothing to do with the Township Committee.Just check with the Asbury Park Press archive?
It's not surprising he filed a recall on Mrs Walsh. She refers to herself as a Leader of the Board of Ed. It's great news to me that a recall is in effect. That Board is out of control, Mr. Cody has been very active going to Board meetings over the past years, many years. He is a person of action, and out for the best interst of the kids and taxpayers, as he has proven over and over again at the board meetings. This is just another action needed for the sake of the kids and taxpayers. Nice to see citizens involved
Jim Cody is a real stand up guy who has known for years the outrageous actions of Pat Walsh. I know dozens of people who are chomping at the bit to sign this petition. I for one, am fed up with people like Sharpe James, Wayne Bryant, Mims Hackett and Pat Walsh - people who have should have been in jail long ago and have managed to fly under the radar for way too long. Citizens like Jim Cody are shining the light on these characters. Thank you Mr. Cody, for standing up for what's right and thank you for fixing the field at H.S. North. Maybe now our kids can play on their home field.
ambrosiajr - you are a faithful partisan right to the end. Can't you see that in addition to her horrible performance on the BOE, Pat Walsh appears to be guilty of some serious crimes? This is not just speculation, it is based on solid documentation and her own words. This woman has done nothing but use her position to run for office. Do you know how many meetings I have attended where she was off doing something for one of her numerous campaigns? She is not only dishonest, but completely self-serving - exactly the kind of person who should not hole any elected office. Good luck Jim Cody.
Cody is not some republican political hack, he has in fact, been involved with helping the schools in Middletown for years, and obviously has a good idea as to what has been going on with Ms. Walsh.
ambrosia
what i forgot to mention was that the politically charged accusations contained in the press release were superfluous. No comment is necessary, just eligible parties, for the most part (from what i understand so far).
The timing of the submission is certainly subject to suspicion, but I met this guy indenpendently at a meeting and has been an outspoken source ever since.
I hope to get comments from Walsh and the candidates once the petitions are circulating in two days time (its late)
In the APP article released today regarding the matter, it is reported that the recall committee must receive 25 percent of all those who registered for the general election.
This is contrary to what I was told by Cody.
THe law states: "The petition requires the signatures of 25 percent of the registered voters in the jurisdiction, as of the last general election."
I still take the qualifying use of JURISDICTION as meaning the Middletown school district.
According to a 2003 article in the independent: "According to NJSBA regulations, in order to recall a board member, a group must establish a recall committee and file a notice of intention with the board secretary. That committee has to have a petition signed by 25 percent of the voters who voted in the district’s most recent election. A majority vote then must be attained in the next district election."
That would mean to numbers provided in the APP article were off by roughly 8,000 signatures (if this excerpt is correct in its assertion)
I wonder if Walsh will need to take another "loan" to hire an attorney as she promises in the Asbury Park Press article.
This is typical of the bully tactics of the Democrats - when their shady behavior is questioned. threaten legal action. Didn't little Patty learn her lesson the last time she tried the lawsuit route? No wonder she supports her "dear friend" Carolyn Schwebel - they both are enamored by the power of the lawsuit. Keep this in mind Patty, you are a public figure and everything contained in the petition and these articles is based on documentation and fact.
Obvioulsy Pat Walsh has never read NY Times v. Sullivan. You can't just go around threatening members of the public who disagree with you with lawsuits.
this is a complicated issue, but the fact remains she is not immune from any further charges until she interacts with the persistent local media
In all honesty - what can she possibly say? It is all there in black and white. The buzz around town is that there is a lot more that she is hiding. It is frightening to think that this is the type of person that runs for public office. No wonder this state is in the shape it's in.
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