Middle Notes.

Middle Township Meeting DR SMITH

October 3, 2016

Cape May Court House –Of the 20 items on the agenda of the regular meeting of Middle Township Committee most were routine. Most of the action took place in the audience Former Committee member Dan Lockwood as well as Patricia Taylor both of whom are candidates for the Committee seat presently held by Mayor Michael Clark. There was no interaction between the two which was not the case with two other members of the public. Melanie Collins who attends almost every township meeting, sat quietly in her seat while Whitesboro resident Rosie Jefferson spoke her mind regarding two topics of concern to her, the position of recreation supervisor Robert Matthews and that of Melanie Collins. Jefferson was concerned about a letter sent to the Herald newspaper criticizing the recreation department. Matthews was also criticized for his initial response of,  “No comment.” Something he later corrected and offered a fuller answer to the writer. Committee member Tim Donohue, the lone Republican, responded directly to Jefferson who intimated that politics was at play in the entire letter writing matter, asking at one point “Did you dictate the letter for her?”. This was vigorously denied by Donohue, who maintained that there were legitimate concerns raised in the letter to the editor. Donohue and Jefferson got into it again when Jefferson her reiterated her chronic request that Melanie Collins be removed and replaced as liaison between the Township and the Concerned Citizens of Whitesboro. At the end of the discussion all knew Collin’s position was safe. Atlantic Cape Community College professor Helen McCaffrey also address Committee about the theft, vandalization, and destruction of TRUMP/PENCE campaign signs. She told of witnessing two young men destroying one of the signs in front of her on Route 9 and of hearing complaints from other residents who had signs on their property seeing the same.  She spoke eloquently on respecting the free speech of others and promoting civil discourse or she warned “We will be nothing but a Banana Republic.” (The video is posted on the Independent/Examiner )

A Citizen Speaks Against The Attack on Free Speech in Cape May.

“An attack on one is an attack on us all.”

This is part of the credo for NATO and it is appropriate for all Americans to adopt and to follow because it is true.  When any of our freedoms are attacked, all of them are attacked.  We must guard them closely, even when it makes us uncomfortable.  The right to Free Speech  was of such concern to The Framers that it was mentioned in the First of our constitutional amendments.

Whatever your political stance wanton distraction of another’s property is unethical and illegal across this great nation, even when that comes in the form of political advertising. Yes it is true, buildboards and posters that are not from your party can not be ripped up and or ruin because you dont like that other party.  We need to be willing to have a difference of opinion, and be civil, before we can have an honest exchange of ideas. Smashing, twisting, and destroying  that which offends does not encourage understanding, it encourages revenge and discourse.  Help us to stop this behavior, promote discussion, and, by reporting anyone seen destroying political propaganda, do so with out fear of reprisal.

Thank you,

Your EIC,  DR Smith

MIDDLE MUDDLE

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER

May 10, 2016

Middle Township- The Regular Meeting of Committee Township took place May 2 to a standing room only crowd. They came to see and maybe even start some fireworks. No one was disappointed.

There were winners, losers and combatants. There were plenty of fireworks especially between the former MAYOR, Tim Donohue and recently elected DEPUTY MAYOR DeVico. The two elected representatives for Middle Township did everything but engage in hand to hand combat.

Donohue complained that he was not given the opportunity to give his input to the proposed budget.

He basically said This budget sucks and blows, De Vico retorted that he only received the budget proposals from Donohue on the previous Friday at 3:30 leaving him no time for proper review before submission. MAYOR Clark, sitting between the two, kept calm and carried on.

“Yosemite” Sam Kelly of Swainton, an alleged Eagles season ticket holder, and regular Public Meeting attendee , made it obvious that he was clearly in the DeVico corner. Should be an interesting year.

Rumblings, murmurings and general unhappiness were heard in the standing room only crowd as the budget passed along strict party lines 2 to 1.

During the period set aside for questioning a resident was not allowed to ask the former mayor of Middle what his specific QUALIFICATIONS were for his $60,000 plus bennies position with public works because it was not an agenda item. But if she had been permitted to do so she would have inquired: Were they -ENGINEERING?? CIVIL or STRUCTURAL??? CONSTRUCTION ??? HORTICULTURAL????? OR was it just POLITICAL .

Well everybody can go relax at a lovely local hotel as long as they can pay the HOTEL TAX INCREASE.

Pie anyone ?