State Senator Barbara Buono and Linda Baum, Democratic candidate for Middletown Township Committee, 8/25/12 facebook photo
Middletown Library Director Susan O’Neal submitted incomplete and haphazardly organized emails between herself and Linda Baum, a past and present Democratic candidate for Middletown Township Committee, in response to Judge Lawrence M. Lawson’s ruling last week that the emails are government documents subject to the New Jersey Open Public Records Act.
MMM received the 298 pages of emails which include numerous duplicates, many truncated pages that cannot be fully read and omit relevant attachments, late this morning from Middletown Township via OPRA request. The emails can be viewed via Scribd at the end of this post.
The emails reveal a ongoing endeavor between O’Neal and Baum to undermine the oversight of the library by its Board of Trustees and the Township Committee. Additionally, Baum and O’Neal planned to use the library to forward the political objectives, including political fundraising, of Baum and the Middletown Democrats. Middletown Democratic Chairman Don Watson was copied on several of the emails.
In his ruling dated July 1 denying Baum’s motion to thwart the release of the emails requested by Middletown Clerk Heidi Brunt on behalf of Township Committeeman and Library Trustee Tony Fiore, Lawson wrote that Baum argued the emails have “absolutely nothing to do with the official business of the library” and do not relate to public operations.
Lawson wrote that “Baum argues that she has no relationship with the Library, nor is she an agent of the library in any respect.”
Linda Baum trying to convince voters to support her last summer. facebook photo
Linda Baum, a past and present Democratic candidate for Middletown Township Committee, presents herself as an advocate of open government and transparency. She even wrote an article on her campaign website about how citizens can made Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests.
Yet, when it comes to her own email correspondence with Middletown Library Director Susan O’Neal, Baum is far from open and transparent. She sued the Library Board of Trustees and Township Clerk Heidi Brunt to prevent her emails from being released under an OPRA request made by Brunt on behalf of Township Committeeman Tony Fiore. Fiore is the Township Committee’s representative on the Library Board.
Judge Lawrence M. Lawson ruled on Monday that Baum’s emails with O’Neal are government records and must be released per the OPRA request. Lawson’s decision can be viewed here.
Baum argued that the emails were private, had nothing to do with Library operations, and could be used against her politically.
Fiore asked Brunt to file OPRA requests for the emails that O’Neal exchanged with Baum and Melanie Elmiger from January 2012 and May 15, 2013 when it became apparent that Baum and Elmiger had information about Library business that had only been discussed in executive sessions and was not yet public.
“I look forward to seeing the emails that Linda Baum attempted to illegally block from the public,” Fiore said, “It is a shame that her frivolous lawsuit will cost the taxpayers of Middletown and the Middletown Public Library thousands of dollars that could have been used for other purposes.”
Investigators from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Middletown Township Police Department are seeking the public’s help with information regarding the shooting death of a 30 year old man from the Leonardo section of the Township.
Anthony Capella, 30, was found dead from a gunshot wound in his home at 17 Roop Ave on Wednesday evening, June 19 at approximately 8:25. The Middletown Police responded and contacted the Prosecutor’s Office for a joint investigation.
Acting Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramicconi asks that anyone with information pertaining to the shooting contact Detective Brian Weisbrot of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-800-533-7443 or Detective Adam Finck of the Middletown Township Police Department at 732-615-2100.
By Tony Fiore, Former Middleotown Mayor and Current Township Committeeman
I am writing today to ask you to join me in support of three extraordinary county leaders who deserve our support on June 4th; Sheriff Shaun Golden, Freeholder Director Tom Arnone and Freeholder Deputy Director Serena Dimaso. As the Mayor of the largest municipality in Monmouth County, it should come as no surprise that I have had many first hand experiences working with Shaun, Tom and Serena on a number of issues and initiatives. While I can point to a number of needed improvements that they have helped to bring to Middletown, it is not my intention. Instead, I’d like to share with you my experience working with them during one of the most difficult and challenging times in our township’s history.
Superstorm Sandy’s impact on Middletown was unprecedented. Thousands lost their homes and everyone lost power for almost two weeks. When we needed to secure our devastated bayshore for safety and security, we couldn’t depend on the federal government to get us the necessary resources. However, we could depend on Sheriff Golden. Each day Sheriff Golden would hold a personal call with both myself and the Township Police administration. Through his efforts, officers from as far as Mississippi came into Middletown to help us secure our most affected areas. At his direction helicopters with night vision flew over our bayshore to prevent and catch looters and others who came in to prey on our victims. Through his leadership, we were safe. I received a call or text message from him every day asking for our needs until power was 100% restored and we were back to some semblance of normal.
Former Waveland, MS Mayor Tommy Longo tours Sea Bright with Mayor Dina Long in February. Longo, three other Gulf Coast former mayors and former Congressman Gene Taylor will address the Bayshore Conference of Mayors on May 17 in Keansburg, Photo: NJ.com
A group of former mayors and a former congressman who led their Mississippi communities to recovery from Hurricane Katrina are coming to the Jersey Shore next week to share their knowledge and experience with New Jersey’s mayors and senior municipal officials who are continuing to deal with the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy.
The group will be speaking at a meeting of the Bayshore Conference ofMayorson Friday evening May 17, 7PM, at Anthony’s Restaurant, 65 Church St in Keansburg. All mayors and senior municipal officials of towns impacted by Sandy are invited, according to Union Beach Mayor Paul Smith, the conference president. Those wishing to attend should contact Smith via text or phone call at 732-713-0506. If someone who should have gotten an invitation didn’t, this is it. Readers are encouraged to pass this post on to their mayors.
The Mississippi delegation, comprised of former Congressman Gene Taylor and former mayors Brent Warr, Eddie Farve, and Tommy Longo, is being flown to New Jersey free on charge by Southwest Airlines. Their lodging is being donated by Dominique Ervin, General Manager, Hampton Inn of Neptune/Walland Sal Cannizarro of Immediate Care Medical Walk In of Hazlet.
This mayors helping mayors project is the brainchild of author and former CNN correspondent Kathleen Koch. A Bay St’ Louis, MS native, Koch has dedicated herself to supporting survivors of natural disasters since Katrina. She is the author of Rising from Katrina: How My Mississippi Hometown Lost It All and Found What Mattered and is donating a signed copy as a door prize for the conference. She was sent to Japan by the U.S. State Department in March of this year to deliver her message of Resiliency and Words of Hope to the survivors of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami of the second anniversary of that catastrophic event.
According to historian John King, the property taxes were the issue that drove Highlands from Middletown. Highlands leaders were not happy that their neighborhood was sending $1000 to Middletown and only getting $500 in services.
The project assessed 540 municipal websites in New Jersey for content, ease of use and citizen interaction.
Red Bank’s site earned an Honorable Mention, coming in 22nd on the list of 540. Five other Monmouth County sites were in the top 100, barely. Spring Lake’s site is ranked #82, Manasquan #89, Tinton Falls #91, Belmar #93 and Marlboro #95.
In the immediate aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, Governor Chris Christie and Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa warned New Jersey businesses, gas stations, hardware stores, food stores, hotels and other retailers who had electricity and were able to sell life sustaining products and services to a vulnerable public against price gouging. By the end of November, one month after Sandy hit, Chiesa’s office was investigating thousands of gouging complaints and had filed at least 10 civil rights lawsuits against hotels and gas stations.
In the November 28 release announcing the lawsuits, Christie said,
“The last thing people put out of their homes in a natural disaster should have to confront is price gouging from unscrupulous profiteers,” said Governor Christie. “It’s illegal, offensive and completely opposite the spirit of cooperation we saw just about everywhere else in our state in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. I encourage more of the same treatment from the Attorney General for any other instances of price gouging he discovers.”
A Star Ledger article posted Tuesday morning raises questions as to whether the State and 43 municipalities were gouged by the Florida contractor, AshBrit Environmental, that was awarded a $100 million no-bid contract to clean up state roads and waterways and allowing municipalities to hire the firm without going out to bid.
Dr. Gerry Scharfenberger, PhD, is slated to become Mayor of Middletown Township on Sunday January 6 when the Township Committee reorganized for 2013. Committeewoman Stephanie Murray will be Deputy Mayor.
Scharfenberger, an archaeologist who teaches at Monmouth University, is the Director of the State Office of Planning Advocacy within the Department of State. A Township Committee Member since 2005, he previously served as mayor in 2007, 2008 and 2010.
Murray, the owner and co-founder of Crescent Moon Press, is serving her first term on the Township Committee.
Under the Township Committee form of government the Mayor and Deputy Mayor are selected annually by the Committee Members.
Governor Chris Christie told first responders and volunteers from Monmouth County’s Bayshore that he will seek an second term as New Jersey’s Chief Executive while speaking at a Season of Service event at the Port Monmouth Fire House in Middletown Township.
Christie said that his family unanimously supported his seeking a second term when they discussed it over the Thanksgiving weekend. He said that Hurricane Sandy played a role in his decision. “I think the one thing that strikes me right now is I have a job to finish. It would be wrong for me to leave now.”
In his remarks to the volunteers assembled at the fire house, Christie said, “I will not forget you,” as spoke of New Jerseyans determination to rebuild after the storm.
Democrats reportedly considering a challenge to Christie include Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Senate President Steve Sweeney, former acting Governor Richard Cody, State Senator Barbara Buono, Assemblyman John Wisniewski and Assemblyman Lou Greenwald.
The Democratic nomination is Booker’s for the taking. Booker is also considering a run for U.S. Senate in 2014.
Monmouth University Pollster Patrick Murray told The Star Ledger, “Bruce Springsteen would have to run against Chris Christie to make this a fair fight…But having said that, we’re still a long ways from next November.”
The Christie campaign has set up a temporary website here and is accepting donations here.
and is donating a signed copy as a door prize for the conference. She was sent to Japan by the U.S. State Department in March of this year to deliver her message of Resiliency and Words of Hope to the survivors of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami of the second anniversary of that catastrophic event.
Dr. Gerry Scharfenberger, PhD, is slated to become Mayor of Middletown Township on Sunday January 6 when the Township Committee reorganized for 2013. Committeewoman Stephanie Murray will be Deputy Mayor.