We Garwood residents are apparently living the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over, and over expecting different results! Or maybe the governing body could be the one delusional and insane. (A Garwood councilman has the credentials for this determination.)
This year is unlike any other year in my past 25 years of attending Garwood council meetings. The readers of this paper’s articles and letters and on-line on Facebook have already seen the failure of the governing body to acknowledge repeatedly the liability caused by the deficient certification of the Fire Department’s Command structure. My last letter to the HAWK, putting the issue to bed, stated they probably will still think they’re right. And sure enough, came another letter from Councilman Kearney with odd confusing word salad and no apology.
The DPW short staffing issue reared its head recently, the residents finding the DPW is two full time employees short from the other year and then another two employees out on workman’s comp. Residents demanding this is wrong, but the mayor stating, they will wait until the DPW collective bargaining contract comes due. That certainly doesn’t help the lone worker on duty behind the trash truck having to haul every homeowner’s heavy trash cans over into the truck’s compactor. It’s a two-man crew.
The latest insanity happened to me expecting some normalcy thru the municipal budget hearing. A previous meeting, I asked to explain what is the “cap bank”. The mayor replied curtly, “it is a tool we use.” Come the budget hearing, I asked again, what is the “cap bank” and I referred to the auditor to explain, (which he did in depth). Just before that, the mayor short stopped my query saying, “I guess Mr Paterson doesn’t like my answer.” Really? I don’t like a useless, nonsensical answer? After my detailed questioning of the municipal budget, the Mayor opined as to why I hadn’t criticized the BOE budget similarly. Of course, she has no idea the two budgets are a completely different set up. But she must have ignored where I noted to the BOE that this year, due to the lucky large increase of $600,000 coming from the Vermella PILOT revenue to the municipal end, yet the Vermella now sending 15 students and one special ed child to the school district, the BOE should get $150,000 in PILOT share revenue from the municipal end. Yet they (i.e. the mayor and council) kept the share to the BOE flat at $50,000. The mayor obviously blanked out when the blame fell directly on her shoulders for this underfunding. When one sees the municipal spending going up 15 percent in two years, salary and wages up 9 percent in two years, and municipal taxes going up 12 percent in two years, one may conclude spending appears to be out of control. Which I did. To which the Mayor replied, “Mr. Paterson, our spending is not out of control.” I keep hoping for some honesty. Plus, the governing body continually interrupts and talks over each other, gives out disinformation so we wonder which dynamic is the crazy one.
To those watching, frustration in town regarding poor leadership is building and appears anger is starting to become palpable. One resident stood up at a meeting and yelled at the mayor, then was escorted out. Councilman Foley, who recently was elected, has psychotherapist credentials. I have requested him couple of times that he should get involved with straightening out this loss of focus on council. Instead, he has created a “Walking Garwood” program, going door to door asking resident’s concerns. He denies it is political, but is walking with his political cronies, Councilman Kearney and Mayor Blumenstock, which certainly sounds like campaigning since his short tenure is up this November.
Expectations of honesty, common sense, and proper governance, time and again? Are we crazy?
Bruce Paterson Garwood
