Partisanship dominates Middletown Township Committee Meeting

By JJ Sullivan III
Correspondent

MIDDLETOWN- Monday night, emboldened Democrats unabashedly voiced their grievances with the Republican majority, setting the stage for an exciting finish to a momentous municipal election.

Allegations of veiled partisanship and political motives made for an intense workshop Mon., Oct. 6, as members of the committee exchanged insults, accusations and guarantees after an unsuccessful attempt to put a motion on hold initiated a heated discussion over the nature of politics in the township.

The vote to continue forward with reestablishing the final aspect of the invalidated 2004 master plan sparked fireworks between longtime partisan rivals, with opposing sides accusing their counterparts of engaging in either political plotting or electoral gamesmanship.

The debate over the rezoning of an area intended for the controversial town center triggered the in-house bickering, featuring personal attacks and unethical inferences, after first term Democratic Committeeman Sean Byrnes openly stated his belief that a motion was rushed to action so it could be introduced before the elections on Nov. 4.

Things got personal by the meetings finale, as the Republican mayor was called a GOP puppet after stating that the Democratic minority was arguable subject to the influence of former state Senator Joe Azzolina, Sr. and his developing company, Mt Hill.

Tabled, or booked solid

The attempt to stall the elimination of an existing Development District zone failed, 2-3, with votes cutting across party lines. Democratic Committeeman Pat Short requested that the ordinance be tabled because of the lack of proper discussion, a motion seconded by Byrnes.

Both members of the Democratic minority felt that they had been excluded from the creation of the ordinance, favoring the delay, the lack of inclusion outside of public meetings becoming a perceived deficiency frequently opined by Short as an adverse symptom inherent to GOP reign.

"I would like to question our process [of adopting ordinances]," Short said, referring to the lack of involvement on behalf of the Democratic representatives on the committee.

The requests went unheeded and the motion passed, 3-2, creating a new Active Adult Community (AAC) zone intended to replace the area meant to house the controversial town center.

"The greatest likelihood is that our petition will not be not successful," explained Byrnes. If so, Byrnes said the committee may be stuck with a plan similar to 1994 master plan, and in doing so, miss an opportunity to make the proper adjustments sought by the court.

Short said the action just taken guarantees the development of this property by Mt Hill.

"You are not allowing due diligence to take place," he added. "You are disallowing discussion in an open forum. I am surprised you are not even gathering information from [municipal officials.] I don't know how anyone feels about it. I feel we are basically allowing this developer to move forward."

GOP Support for AAC

The AAC ordinance is one of the basic precepts of this whole situation, according to Mayor Gerard Scharfenberger.

"Working here and acting as if this is something that just came up 48 hours ago is astounding to me," he said. "Nothing has changed, this is the original ordinance from Day 1. I took the initiative over the weekend.

"I do not subscribe to the Doomsday scenario mentioned before," he continued. "This is a very contentious issue and has been for years now. There's emotions on both sides but we cant let that get in the way. everyone is so familiar with this project, this ordinance should be nothing new."

Deputy Mayor Pam Brightbill said the AAC ordinance was the missing piece of the puzzle regarding the 2004 master plan reintroduced at the last Planning Board meeting. "[The AAC ordinance] is the only thing that is missing from the [2004 master plan]," she asserted.

"Well, frankly, [this ordinance] has been on the table for 7 years," Scharfenberger contended. "I talked to the Planning Board Attorney before the meeting and I have done a lot of research before coming here tonight, going over my voluminous notes all weekend about the town center and the 2004 master plan. I don't see the problem in introducing it, and having two weeks before we pass it."

Brightbill supported the sentiments of the mayor, who added that the ordinance would first have to go before the Planning Board.

Recently, that board reinstated the master plan deemed void by the three-judge panel based on the incorrect understanding of previous municipal events.

The 2004 master plan had been thrown out by the appellate court based upon the erroneous belief that former Mayor Joan Smith cast a vote either for or against its adoption, something the Planning Board member said did not happen.

She also said the next meeting of the Planning Board was scheduled for Nov 5.

Claims of exclusion

Both Short and Byrnes said they were excluded from discussions involving the ordinance, and were only given information from the Township Planner on Friday.

According to Short, "I am implying sometimes things are not discussed in the open. I am implying that small groups are meeting, making these decisions and not including you as a public and certainly not including members of this board, and tonight is a primary example of this taking place. "

Byrnes concurred, taking the implication a step further.

According to Byrnes, there was no reason this should show up on a Friday without any prior discussion.

"We made a very simple request for two more weeks [of data collection] that was rejected," Byrnes said, "And I don't think it is any secret why this was rejected. I think there is a desire to get this before this years election, because, god forbid, [either Democrat] votes against this, it can be used during the election. I am frankly dismayed that we are being rushed into consideration of this ordinance.

Byrnes said he expected to hear comments about alleged Democratic support for Mt Hill when people commented during the second vote in favor of adoption.

"I am just here to tell people we are not in support of the town center," Byrnes said. "I am also not in support of this governing body making decisions that are politically based. Much of this history comes down to a fight between Mr Azzolina and [the Middletown GOP.] I do not want to see this town use its resources to continue fighting a personal fight."

One less headache

"Frankly, next year, I wont miss the partisan game," Committeeman Tom Wilkens said during last night's workshop meeting, responding to a comment yet talking about municipal politics in general."[The game] where others consistently try and paint your motives as either corrupt, self-serving, heartless, soulless, based upon lies or undermining of the Democratic process."

Wilkens, addressing comments made by the Democratic minority during the Oct. 6 meeting, exemplified a contentious gathering reflective of the upcoming November elections in which two seats are up for grabs.

"To me," said Wilkens, "campaigning in Middletown becomes more about motive and intent and less about substance."

According to Wilkens, it gets to the point where enough is enough.

Out of the five, however, he is the only committee member who has had their fill, with a hard fought race deciding the fate of the governing body's reigning party.

Two seats are open in the upcoming elections, and this combative meeting only evidenced the hardhitting and aggressive nature of Middletown politics

Arguably influenced?

According to the mayor,"I was very disappointed to hear Mr Byrnes say that this was politically motivated especially when the developer of the town center has been very supportive of both Short and Byrnes."

"I knew it was coming," Byrnes said with apparent frustration.

"I think its only fair to point that out. An argument can be made that your acting in the interests of the developer," said the mayor, to which Short quietly yet audibly called for a point of order under Roberts' Rule.

"Thats out of line," Short said over the mayor. "Point of order."

"These are my comments," Scharfenberger said, attempting to continue.

The ranking Democrat, failing to control his impulses, declared his displeasure at having his point of order go unrecognized, exclaiming:"And I can say Peter Carton is pulling your strings like a big ol' puppet, Mr Mayor."

The comment drew a reproachful utterance from an individual seated in the public, as well as a few shock-induced inhalations.

Continued Scharfenberger, "The developer [of the town center] supported Byrnes last year financially, so we have to keep that in mind when these decisions are made on both sides."

Things settled down by the end of the meeting, but the message was clear: The war for Middletown Township Committee will soon reach a fevered pitch, for better or for worse.