>Scharfenberger Robo Calls Residents at 10:30 PM To Explain The Importance Of Recycling

>It seems as though I am not the only resident in Middletown to receive a “Robo” call from mayor Scharfenberger last night (mine came just before 9pm) many others received them also, some as late as 10:30 pm. I have been the recipient a number of emails this morning complaining about this Robo call.

The thinly veiled campaign phone call to residents was disguised as a public service message from the mayor, informing residents about the the importance of recycling and the Township’s Recycle to Save program.

One emailer said that they went to Town Hall, ran into Heidi Blunt, the Twp Clerk, and complained about the phone call that they received from Gerry Scharfenberger at 10:30pm last night. She was told by Heidi Blunt that she had received many complaints today from people being called late at night about this. Blunt stated however, that an outside company was outsourced for this process and that they(township) were looking into the problem today to prevent this from happening again.

Another wanted to know if “…those robo-calls have a cost associated with them?” and that they had “..already sent a message to GS via his election website (since I couldn’t find an email address/fax for the Mayors office) expressing my extreme displeasure… last night was such a thinly-veiled campaign message that it sent me over the edge…”

A few emailers are wondering what was so important about the recycling message that it necessitated a Robo call in the first place, after all the Townships newsletter Middletown Matters already devoted a full page to the Recycle to Save program in its latest issue that has been showing up in residents mail boxes along with a half page commentary by Scharfenberger himself talking about the budget as well as the recycling issue.

The one emailer raises a good point, what was the cost of these phone calls? The timing and necessity of the Robo call raises the specter of Gerry using taxpayer dollars to fund a portion of his re-election campaign which is of course unethical and illegal.

I would like to know the cost to the township was for last night’s phone call and if Gerry Scharfenberger has any intention of reimbursing the taxpayers for them.

>Letter: What Planet Do They Live On ?

>Here is the first offical post that makes it up onto the blog after my return. It is a letter from Barbara Thorpe who asked the question “what planet do they live on? “, which references a letter written by Tristan Nelsen, the failed former running mate of Gerry Scharfenberger, from his last re-election bid.

It should be pointed out that Tristan owes much to the local GOP establishment, she sits on many boards and commissions in Middletown and is herself part of the problem. Anyone that can justify an increase of 45% to the local municipal tax rate over the past 5 years, must be living on another planet, that goes for Ms. Nelsen as well as all the other supporters of the Middletown GOP, who burry their heads in the sand and refuse to see the truth:

I read with a sense of disgust the repeated letters supporting the mayor of Middletown by his party’s faithful cronies. The most recent one from the failed candidate who ran with Scharfenberger three years ago. Can’t imagine what planet she has inhabited in recent years because there is no denying the mismanagement of this township. The near forty five percent increase in the municipal tax levy in the last five years tells the whole story. No denying those figures ….no way at all.

The repeated lies and deception that this man engages in is beyond comprehension except it is explained by this man’s obsessive desire for re-election. He will do or say anything to achieve that goal. To hell with the people paying the bills in this township. He could not care less. He cannot be trusted to serve the people of Middletown. Far too engrossed in party politics !

It will take legislative action to ever remove supporting the schools from the property tax bill in New Jersey and to find a secure funding for the most important job the citizens of this community and this state have to do… the education of our youth. To think otherwise is delusional and selfish. It is incomprehensible to try and understand just when Mr.Scharfenberger thinks he could ever accomplish such a change in school funding without some extensive legal support for that kind of a change. But I guess I just forget that this man has never shown any regard for the rights of the people or respect for what is and is not legal. He never has had any reservation about what or who he tramples on to serve his own agenda.

COAH is the law in New Jersey. It has recently been reaffirmed and this state has been given five months to get back on track providing affordable housing. Only Sunday the Asbury Park Press printed an article regarding this very information There may be changes to COAH but it is not going away. Again this mayor is blowing in the wind !! Get real for a change !

The disregard for the residents of this community can be seen in the proposals for turf fields in locations nobody wants and at a time when we cannot afford them. Just grandstanding in hope of deceiving the people about his motives.He needs something to try and look good for re-election. Fix the problems of the flooding in the Bayshore that have been neglected for more than twenty years. The sneaky, underhanded actions and the neglect that has surrounded those efforts tells it all !

Try an honest effort to contain expenses and make the hard decisions to reduce the workforce,reduce bond expenses,and institute the necessary measures to properly plan municipal financial obligations. Can’t blame all the problems here on someone else so stop trying . Whatever plans this mayor claimed he had have never materialized . He never had any plan and the result is the exorbitant municipal tax increase this year.

Middletown will be a better community to live in when this man is gone from government here.

Barbara R. Thorpe
Middletown, NJ

>I’m Back!

>For those that have missed me these past few days, I am happy to announce that I am back.

I spent the past 5 days in Salt Lake City Utah, attending my grandfather’s funeral. William Wendell Morris was 96 years old when he past away on October 1st, he will be greatly missed by the many people that he touched during his time on earth.

So now that I am back there is an awful lot that I need to get caught up with. I’ll be posting things throughout the day so make sure to check in periodically.