Longtime official to serve only 2nd stint as mayor Parkinson believes in efficiency, cutting through red tape

Staff Writer

By ELAINE VAN DEVELDE

Longtime official to serve only 2nd stint as mayor
Parkinson believes in
efficiency, cutting
through red tape


Patrick ParkinsonPatrick Parkinson

MIDDLETOWN — The mayoral team of Parkinson and Peters is making a comeback.

Although he’s been on the Township Committee for 15 years, Committeeman Patrick Parkinson, 54, has only served as mayor once, but that will change at the Jan. 6 township reorganization meeting, when he resumes the mayor’s mantle.

Joining him as deputy mayor will be Committeewoman Rosemarie Peters, who also served as deputy mayor when Parkinson was last mayor in 1990.

The reorganization is scheduled for 2 p.m. at town hall.

Parkinson, 54, a 24-year township resident who works as executive director of the Middletown Township Sewerage Authority and has a science management degree from Newark College of Engineering, said his "style of management is to establish objectives and hold people accountable for results." He also believes in cutting through red tape and effective time management.

Objectives high on Parkinson’s list for 2002 are: continuing to enhance the quality of life in the township by working on open space initiatives, continued upgrade of parks and recreation facilities, focusing on keeping a tight budget and taxes as low as possible, paying close attention to the master plan review, and forging ahead with more resident outreach.

"That’s important," Parkinson said of the latter. "I was very happy to see such a positive response to the neighborhood meetings conducted under Mayor Joan Smith’s leadership. Middletown is so large and there are so many different types of people and needs in the township. Reaching out to residents is the best way to get to the root of any problem or field input."

Making this or any endeavor successful, Parkinson added, is contingent upon keeping his Township Committee colleagues a cohesive team.

"Everybody has an important role in this township. Bringing all of our experience together and exerting a team effort is key to effective management on the governing body. I think we’re all well versed in township business and work well together," he commented.

To streamline daily business, Parkinson said there will be administration offices for the mayor, the public information officer and the mayor’s administrative assistant, located where the police chief’s offices used to be.

"This is great for the people in town," he said. "They’ll actually have a place to go to get in touch with the mayor directly. Going to town hall will be a productive trip for anyone needing to get in touch with me on an issue. I intend to be in that office weekdays from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., part of my time-management plan. This way, anyone who needs to contact me will know where I am and when and that township business is to be conducted during that time. Though, I’ll have to schedule that time to keep things running smoothly."

Among those other things on Parkinson’s to-do list are: making certain police, fire and other emergency services continue to have proper resources required to deliver all the necessary services and finding ways to better serve commuters, including acquiring a new train station.

"Middletown is the fifth largest community in the state," noted Parkinson, who has a special interest in mass transit as a member of the NJ Transit board of directors since 1994.

"Over 2,000 people a day frequent the train station parking lot," he said. "This is a commuter community. People move here because the township is not only nice, but because its proximity to the train and New York is convenient. We need to keep that large contingent of our residents happy."

Parkinson added that there is no longer a waiting list for train station parking permits due to improvements. "A lot of work has been done [but] there’s more to do," he said. "We’re about to open the new meters in the daily lot in which you can insert $4 and park all day."

Last but not least, the mayor-to-be mentioned the township’s excitement over the proposed new arts center at the former Banfield storage building next to the train station as another goal he hopes to see come to fruition.

"There’s just so much. As long as we cut the red tape, move things forward by getting any cogs out of the wheel, we can build on our successes and learn from mistakes to keep things going well in Middletown. I’m proud to be a leader in that process and look forward to 2002," Parkinson said.