Following further research, here is what was ascertained, to the best of my knowledge. Wow, I sounded like a lawyer!
The Democratic Party has 15 days from the day the letter of resignation is received by the Borough Clerk to submit 3 potential candidates to replace Councilwoman Mullaney on the Borough Council. The Council then has 15 days to accept or reject 1 of the 3 candidates. Should the Council reject all 3 candidates or there is an impasse, the Matawan Democratic Party has 30 days and will appoint someone without Council approval.
In either case, the residents of Matawan will not have a say until the November 2008 election.
For all you newcomers or residents who have forgotten, now here is where the “cheap political tricks” come in. In 1999, the same “stunt” was imposed on the residents when Joe Thompson after he lost his bid for Mayor resigned from the Council. The Democratic Party of Matawan filled this vacancy by selecting Jim Shea who lost his bid for Borough Councilman (at that time we were not so politically correct) the same year.
Cheap tricks or history repeating itself. You wanna bet that Robert Bunyon (the lowest vote getter) is one of the three candidates. Will that mean Bunyon will be representing the people of Matawan? Is this what they call “by any means necessary?” Time to change the rules and give the people the right to chose who represents them!
The Democratic Party has 15 days from the day the letter of resignation is received by the Borough Clerk to submit 3 potential candidates to replace Councilwoman Mullaney on the Borough Council. The Council then has 15 days to accept or reject 1 of the 3 candidates. Should the Council reject all 3 candidates or there is an impasse, the Matawan Democratic Party has 30 days and will appoint someone without Council approval.
In either case, the residents of Matawan will not have a say until the November 2008 election.
For all you newcomers or residents who have forgotten, now here is where the “cheap political tricks” come in. In 1999, the same “stunt” was imposed on the residents when Joe Thompson after he lost his bid for Mayor resigned from the Council. The Democratic Party of Matawan filled this vacancy by selecting Jim Shea who lost his bid for Borough Councilman (at that time we were not so politically correct) the same year.
Cheap tricks or history repeating itself. You wanna bet that Robert Bunyon (the lowest vote getter) is one of the three candidates. Will that mean Bunyon will be representing the people of Matawan? Is this what they call “by any means necessary?” Time to change the rules and give the people the right to chose who represents them!
8 comments:
Someone sent in a comment referring to the Republicans doing the same thing. In error it was erased. Please resend and it will be published.
As I recall my answer is that neither party should be able to do that. We could be progressive and change some of these antiquated regulations/laws.
Dear Matawan Advocate: You may be a bad lawyer, but you are also a bad historian. Jim Shea sought a vacated Democratic Council seat after the Democratic leadership ABANDONED the seat. Jim Shea felt that Council representation should be 100% even if the vacated seat is a minority seat. There was no political incorrectness. The decision of Joseph Thompson to vacate his seat did not take place until after he lost the election. He was not trying to pull a flim-flam, he just decided to quit after he lost his Mayoral campaign. He had quit once before. Jim Shea felt that this seat should be filled, and guess what, all Republican members of the Council felt the same way. Jim Shea was appointed to the vacated seat by all members of the Council. Jim Shea then attended every Council meeting the following year. I believe that Jim Shea's name was placed in nomination be Republican Councilman Joseph Penniplede. Sincerely, Jim Shea
Another republican traitor speaks these guys change partys like underwear. they dont know what they believe in. fakes and photo op hawks. anyone who says partys dont matter is a fraud, and also believe in the tooth fairy i bet.go away our town is a by product of the council you served on... thanks
Mr. Shea, Did you run for Council and lose the same year Joe Thompson ran for Mayor and lost? Following your loss, did you or did you not fill the vacancy Joe Thompson left on the Council?
There is no intention to besmirch your name, merely state what happened.
Do you really think that anyone who orchestrated this would admit they did it intentionally? Only Joe Thompson knows what his motive was for resigning.
Thank you for commenting on this blog. Appreciate your input.
At Matawan Advocate's request, here is my post again.
I might be blind, but I don't see the "trick", cheap or otherwise. When Mayor Clifton left to go to Freehold and do a good job watching over our money by giving out contracts to the highest bidder, didn't Bea Duffy get appointed? That was part of the political and governmental system involved at the time. Business as usual, in other words.
The REAL problem comes from having a governance issue intermingle politics. In other words, it is ludicrous that the party leadership gets to nominate someone. What if the person resigning is an independent? Anything that legitimizes the political parties in this matter and gives them responsibility for governance--and having them submit names in an official process certainly legitimizes them here--is wrong wrong wrong. Parties should (if anything) help people get elected. They shouldn't be responsible for running our government.
The process should be simply that the council meets and comes up with a new person. Or more realistically, the mayor appoints someone, to be ratified by a majority vote of the council. Something along those lines. We all know it will be political anyway, but out and out having the respective parties pick it is borderline insanity.
Also, to anonymous: You continue to be an idiot. Good luck with that.
T.I.M YOU LIVE IN FANTASY LAND YOU ARE A TRUE DUMMY. I TELL IT LIKE IT REALLY IS, AS CRUDE AS IT MAY SOUND. SOMETIMES I DO AGREE WITH YOU BUT SOME OF THE THINGS YOU SAY ARE LIKE RETADTED AT BEST. PARTIES SHOULD HELP PEOPLE GET ELECTED LOL THEN WHAT AFTER THAT HAVE THEM GOVERN WITH THER OWN MINDS LOL ARE YOU AN IDIOT COMEON GET REAL. BOTH PARTIES HAVE AN AGENDA. WHAT WE NEED IS AN INDEPENDENT NO PARTY. KEEP DREAMING MY FRIEND AND GOOD LUCK WITH ALL THAT.
JimShea@gmail.com must be having a bad flash back. When Jim Shea was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Joseph Thompson, the Council was in control by the Dems. The year was 1999. The only Republicans on council at the time of the appointment was Joe Penniplede and Rob Clifton. Even now, years later, the truth is distorted.
The APP is reporting the following:
Tapped for the unexpired term are Mary Rose Malley, the wife of current Councilman William Malley; Lonnie D. White, a retired police officer; and Robert T. Bunyon, who ran on the Democratic ticket in the Nov. 6 general election.
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