Something is Rotten in Matawan and the Plot Thickens

Workshop Meeting - Councilmen Bunyon, Malley, Mendes and Mullaney were all a minimum of 20-30 minutes late for the meeting. No apologies were given to the Council, nor the residents who patiently awaited their arrival, by the Councilpeople for their tardiness. Mayor Buccellato discussed changing the time for the Workshop meetings or having them on a different day from the Council meeting as a solution to the problem. Councilman Mendes stated it would be better if it started at 6:30pm. Although complaints about the length of the Borough Council meeetings were discussed by the very people who were late, they had no solutions and most certainly did not act in such a manner as to expedite the meeting. As a matter of fact, the majority Council are responsible for running so late. Council, instead of campaigning ask pertinent questions and move on.

Observations - The Workshop concept is an excellent way of observing our elected officials at work. Although we cannot comment, it does allow the public to observe the Council at work. The negative side is that it presents a Forum for politicking. Executive Sessions should remain for discussing personnel, money, legal matters and the like.

Borough Council Meetings - Quite frankly, based on what we heard and observed there is something rotten in Matawan. A Resolution to Withdrawn all Quotes for Professional Services and send out another request was insisted upon by Councilman Mullaney towards the end of the Council meeting. This will make it the 3rd such request. This Resolution was then read aloud by Mayor Buccellato. Of course, this took more time. Ironically, no one on the Council complained about the time spent. Within the context of this Resolution it was stated, Mary Aufseeser, interim Mayor, ordered a Request for Quotes for professional services, i.e. Borough Attorney, Prosecutor, etc. without the Borough Council's consent. Thereby voiding the previous "good faith" quotes. Any one who has observed Ms. Aufseeser, when she was Mayor, knows she never answered any residents questions without deferring to the Borough Attorney, Borough Administrator or Council members. OK, so I'm no Perry Mason, but that sounds like a cover up. Is Matawan now open to litigation? Why didn't the majority Council deny whether Mary Aufseeser acted without the permission of the Council. Now we find it hard to believe that Aufseeser took it upon herself to tell the Boro Administrator and the Borough Clerk to send out RFQ's and no one on the Council knew about it. Do they honestly want the public to believe Mary Aufseeser, while interim Mayor, knowing that Paul Buccellato, the Mayor elect of Matawan, woke up one morning and decided that she and she alone would tell the Borough Administrator and the Borough Clerk to publish a request, then upon receiving the quotes from candidates (attorneys) decided to interview said applicants without the Borough Council's consent or knowledge? Could it be Mullaney wants Matawan to hire attorneys of his choosing, more than he wants to protect the Borough or former Mayor Aufseesor from litigation. Prior to any other Bloggers criticism, we quote the paragraph referenced of the Resolution 08-02-40:

'WHEREAS, some time after November 15, 2007, the former Mayor, without authority of the Council, and prior to the Council rejecting the first RFQ proposals in open session, directed the clerk to issue a second Request for Qualifications for the position of Borough Attorney without authorization of Council;"

Bull S--t!

Comments: Isn't this illegal? Since Councilman Mullaney insisted this Resolution be presented at the Borough Council meeting at the last minute (another reason why the meetings run late) knowing full well this could place the Borough in jeopardy, why didn't the Council members clarify whether Aufseeser did so without the Council's consent? Why did Mullaney wait to the end of the meeting, when coincidently, all the Reporters had left to insist on the Resolution being added to the Agenda. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, then it's a duck. What is the majority Council hiding?

Now here is another interesting fact, Rosemary Malley, wife of Councilman Malley, wrote a letter to the Editor of the Asbury Park Press criticizing Mayor Buccellato. Call it a coincidence, but it sounds to me that they were trying to distract people from the real issue.

Girls Softball League Field - It is being delayed for valid safety issues brought up by Councilman Mullaney. However, he did manage to get Maser Consulting to do soil testing at Gravelly Brook Park in the hopes of putting a softball field at that location.