Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Matawan's New Quarterback, Mayor Paul Buccellato

In the words of Councilman Mike Cannon at a previous Borough Council meeting, "there's a new Sheriff in town." Well, Mike, Matawan has a new "Quarterback!"

Mayor Paul Buccellato was sworn in at last night's Council meeting by Sen. Joe Kyrillos. The Mayor's two sons held the bible for the swearing in as his wife, Ronne, proudly snapped photos. In attendance were Freeholder Rob Clifton, former Monmouth County Sheriff Joe Oxley, former Councilwomen Debra Buragina and Donna Gould, and former Councilman Neil Mendelsohn. Former Mayor Mary Aufseeser was not in attendance.

Never saw so many residents at a Council meeting. Must say it was exhilarating to see such enthusiasm!

Buccellato presented an ambitious program for the Borough. He explained that he and the Council work together to bring Matawan into the future. Several of his plans are to conduct Workshops prior to Council meetings to discuss the Agenda. These meetings are open to the public for observation purposes only. Questions may be asked when the floor is open to the public at the Council meeting. Nothing was mentioned of Executive sessions (closed to the public meetings,) which seemed to be the norm for the previous Mayor's administration. Buccellato is encouraging transparency in government. Another plan is to form citizen Committees for review of the Transit Village and Main Street Revitalization Report. He stated that he and the Council would like to hear from residents, business owners and property owners on what their vision is for Main Street.

Acknowledgement was given to the Borough employees, Volunteer Fire Dep't and First Aid along with the Police Dep't. Former Mayor Mary Aufseeser was thanked and wished well by the Mayor and Council for her 2 years of service to the Borough.

In an effort to control spending the Mayor called for a meeting of Matawan's CFO and Borough Attorney along with Department heads and the Borough Council to review State and Municipal requirements for purchasing procedures. He also asked for expenditures to be accompanied by a Budget Analysis that shows the impact on the Budget.

The Planning & Zoning Board is charged with updating the Borough's Master Plan. One item to be reviewed will be signage, commercial/retail and political. Glad to see that item being reviewed.

Monies remaining from a bond issued in 2005 for the Borough Recreational Facility and used for various improvements at the Lake Lefferts Lakefront, he'd like to have the Council review and consider using for Gravelly Brook Park.

The Mayor requested that the Police and Fire Depts along with Matawan First Aid assemble with a resident committee to oversee a memorial design competition for the four Matawan residents that died on 9/11. The committee will recommend to the Mayor and Council a design for this memorial as well as its location. He also directed the Borough Attorney to draft a resolution for the next Council meeting establishing a fund raising trust account for this purpose.

Impressed with Mayor Buccellato's including the citizens in the planning of the Transit Village and the Main Street Revitalization, one can only trust that the entire Council will work together with the citizens in the best interests of Matawan's future. Leave individual egos at the curb!

If we have forgotten anything, please feel free to comment. For now, we are cautiously optimistic....and of course...hope to see you at the next Borough Council meeting in February.

30 comments:

matawan advocate said...

Just read an article in the Independent, wherein Mary Aufseeser had some unkind remarks about Mayor Paul Buccellato. WOW, Buccellato sure was benevolent when it came to her...too bad she couldn't be a gracious loser!

Truth In Matawan said...

Like the idea of civilian involvement on all those committees! We hope it's more than just window dressing. For some reason, we feel it'll be for real.

Anonymous said...

No one has any opinion on what Malley had to say at the end of the meeting?

Anonymous said...

Paul has his work cut out for him in Matawan. But I believe he is more than up to the task.

matawan advocate said...

Malley never spoke before. He was never an advocate for the Police Dept., Fire Dept., or First Aid. Ironically, Mullaney says nothing but didn't you notice Mullaney's hand up Malley's back so he could move his mouth? Unless things change, Malley will be Mullaney's puppet this year. Word is Malley won't run for another term, which makes him a perfect candidate to be Mullaney's henchman. That is our opinion.

Anyone think differently, please feel free to comment.

Anonymous said...

I am not able to attend meetings due to wrk but heard there was mention of merging departments with another town. Was it Aberdeen again?

matawan advocate said...

Consolidating services was mentioned. Check our notes and get back to you.

matawan advocate said...

Which comment do you mean regarding Malley?

Truth In Matawan said...

We recall hearing Malley speak at plenty of meetings--usually to chastise, quite forcefully, Mr. Buccellato about something they disagreed on.

Our impression of him is that he's nobody's puppet, and further, not a man to be trifled with. He doesn't suffer B.S. lightly.

matawan advocate said...

Oh please Truth! Malley may be a nice guy but that doesn't make him a good Councilman. If as you say you attend meetings, how many times did Malley speak and not know what he was saying, nor did he make sense. We also attend Council meetings, could it be that the only time Malley was chastising, rather forcefully, the former Councilman Buccellato, now Mayor, was when Malley didn't understand what Buccellato was saying?
We disagree with you, it is our position that Mullaney silently manipulates the strings.

matawan advocate said...

Anonymous, Councilman Malley did mention consolidating Police, DPW and other departments with Aberdeen, Keyport and other municipalities. However, this has been mentioned previously again and again with no results. Aberdeen in our mind doesn't have an incentive to consolidate. Perhaps Councilman Mendes will investigate consolidation further, it is his Committee. Last year it was Malley's committee and nothing was done.
Let's give Mayor Buccellato and the Borough Council time to adjust to the new ideas the Mayor has brought to the table.

Anonymous said...

It is time to look at things to consolidate and merge in this town. First things first, DPW needs to go. They are not much more then an overpaid landscape company with the equipment for snow removal and sanding/salting the roadways. Once that is done I believe that we need to focus on what is important PUBLIC SAFETY. That starts with the police department. They should be enlarged by a few more officers. Hearing that most of the time there is only 2 officers patroling our streets is frightening for residents and the patrol officers themselves. This leads to First Aid. I spoke to an officer a few years back who was waiting with me for a first aid ambulance while my wife was in agonizing pain. The ambulance from Matawan never came, it was from Keyport. He told me that this was beginging to be normal. He also told me of an idea that was brought up to have the police department takeover the first aid so there is fulltime coverage. The idea was to hire part time officers with EMT status to man the first aid building. The men and women could also be used for other special events and parking issues. Now that is good thinking. Last the Fire Company. We need to condense the buildings and Departments. It is ridiculous to have all of these buildings with trucks. Waste! 2 buildings 4 trucks is plenty. A new hook and ladder? Yes! I hear some of these departments have 1 or 2 members. No good, shut them down and turn off the power in the buildings.

Anonymous said...

I am looking forward to hearing more about the citizen committees. I would like to get involved with that.

Anonymous said...

This is in response to Main St Manny's ideas.

Yes, we do need more police on the department. Having them take over the First Aid? That will cost. The First Aid Squad is all volunteer. They own their own building and ambulances, not the town. While waiting for the ambulance, did you ever consider volunteering your time?? That is how some of the volunteers became members.

Right now, Matawan First Aid is answering more and more of their calls and some of the surrounding towns calls.

Fire companies are the same. They need volunteers also. You have a job, family, and a home??? So do these wonderful men and women. But they care about Matawan!!

Maybe if people helped out instead of complaining, Matawan would be better off all around.

Anonymous said...

How much money do you think is wasted because the DPW refuses to do all the work in town that has to be bid out? Like water main breaks and other underground jobs that they wont do? I think you have to keep an employee to drive the Street Sweeper that is about to fall apart. Sell the building, the equipment and hire a landscape company. Old Bridge bids out for snow removal. You would have to save $$$$. Consolidate in town before you look outside.

matawan advocate said...

Hi Exit 117A welcome to our little corner of the world. Will keep everyone posted on the committees as more information becomes available.
Thanks for stopping by.

Anonymous said...

I am a senior citizen. I am not in any shape to go on calls with the first aid otherwise I would. It would cost to pay for service! Are you putting a price on life? I would hate to see the police doing CPR on someone while waiting to see if its a good day for members from the first aid to come to a call. With a paid first aid you will never have to wonder. With a special police run first aid you will not have to wonder and it will be alot cheaper then a paid service. We do have more senior citizen buildings going into that Preserve place.

Anonymous said...

Why do they call it The Preserve anyway? What was preserved there? Looks more like a strip mine.

matawan advocate said...

The Preserve is currently doing site work which will prepare the land for building.

matawan advocate said...

Thank you all for posting and discussing your ideas on this Blog. You all have valid points. BUT and that's a big but you should be expressing your ideas at the Borough Council meetings. The Council needs to hear these ideas, otherwise, they don't know what you are thinking. They will continue to plod along making decisions thinking that's what you want. Again we reiterate....ATTEND BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETINGS...LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD. Remember it is your tax dollars at work.

Anonymous said...

More like what the majority wants and is good for them!

Truth In Matawan said...

The police wanted Malley removed because of the consolidation talk. While consolidation would benefit the citizens, some of them might lose their jobs and they--and the PBA--don't like that.

So don't blame Malley for the 2 municipalities not consolidating. And don't think Mendes will be able to do any better. Leadership needs to come from the top--and that applies to both towns.

Anonymous said...

There is no reason for the police to do EMS. The Matawan First Aid can set themselves up to bill for service and hire paid employees if they wanted to. If the borough wanted to hire EMTs and run a paid service they could do it a heck of a lot cheaper by hiring EMT's to do it instead of cops. Why do you need a cop to do it?

matawan advocate said...

Sorry Truth once again don't agree with you. Never heard the Police say anything about Malley. However, if they did they had cause. Malley did nothing to help with their headquarters on Main St. Never really was an advocate for improving their unhealthy working conditions. As a Union man can't help but wonder if he would have worked under those same conditions. Name one time when Malley was forceful in getting anything for the Police.

matawan advocate said...

Anonymous, we are trying to have open dialogue here. A defeatist attitude does nothing positive. Remember one vote counted. Also remember The Preserve supporting Democratic candidates only in the Nov. election. Well, one person calling them and questioning their support did make a difference. During the Special election for Mayor there were no political signs by The Preserve property.

Anonymous said...

What I was trying to explain was Special Police to take over the First Aid. Not full time officers. The special officers are paid by the hour and are probably cheaper then any full time service yo can find. This would def. be cheaper when still using Matawan equipment.

Anonymous said...

Matawan Advocate please post that I hit Annonymous in error. It was actually Main Street Manny that posted that last Annonymous post about the First Aid. Thank You!

Anonymous said...

Don't blame Malley for the run down Police department building. Paul B was the council person for years over that department. It fell apart when "HE" refused to have repairs done. The police even had a police car that had to be jump started with battery cables when he was council man over the department. Don't believe Me, ask the Senior officers of the force, they will tell the truth!!

matawan advocate said...

herky2, FYI, the Safety Committee, i.e., Police, Fire, Public Safety is an advisory committee. The Chairperson of that committee cannot allocate funds. They can advise or bring problems to the Council and public as they arise.

As regards the Police car, Mally had a Police car that had no spare. Had a flat and a car down until a spare was found. What is the point? In the interim the Police and Fire Depts seem to have respect for Buccellato.

Will do some research and get back to you on your statement re: Buccellato.

Can we assume you think Malley did a good job?

Anonymous said...

Hold on here! No one has done a good job when it comes to the police department. The only thing that it has done in the last 20 years is boost the man power to 1 officer. In the meantime it has gone down in rank. The building falling apart and not being kept up is every council persons fault in the last 20 years. It was no secret for years that it was falling apart. When borough hall moved into there newly converted building the police department was left behind to rot. The only reason anyone even cared was when the PBA complained about the mold in the building (which from what I understand still has not been taken care of). Do you really believe that the population is 8900 citizens? Not quite! We need officers and we need them now. The council should be listening to the requests from the Chief of Police and his officers. No one on that borough council knows anything about police work (unless they have formerly been in the system) or what these fine men and women go through everyday. Time to build the important things folks, THE FIRST RESPONDERS!