Mayor delivers civics lesson
to Manalapan Boy Scout troop
By dave benjamin
Staff Writer
MANALAPAN — Meeting Boy Scout requirements can mean getting a lesson from the mayor.
"The meeting was the idea of the Scouts [so that they could] meet a requirement for First Class Rank advancement," said John Barrett of Boy Scout Troop 157. "The troop has many Scouts who need to attain this requirement."
The badge requirement aims to give Scouts an understanding and awareness of how government works and why service is an important part of being a responsible citizen.
"This was a good opportunity for inviting the mayor to our troop meeting to speak on the topic," he said.
At a recent meeting, Mayor Drew Shapiro spoke to the Scouts about different forms of government, how the township government does its job and the need for community volunteerism.
"Does anyone here know what form of government we have in town?" Shapiro asked the Scouts.
With answers ranging from democracy to committee, the mayor set out to explain how the Township Committee form of government works, how a mayor is selected and how other departments of the municipal government — such as the planning and zoning boards, recreation and other departments — function to help residents.
Shapiro described the role volunteers play and how people volunteer to work on municipal committees and boards.
"If no one volunteered, we’d be in a lot of trouble," the mayor said.
Shapiro pointed to the upcoming "Manalapan Under the Stars and Stripes" event, scheduled for June 14 at the Manalapan Recreation Center, as an example of how volunteerism works.
"All volunteers work on Manalapan Day," Shapiro said. "Volunteers decide what happens on Manalapan Day, what kinds of food will be there and who will be the vendors. These people all give their time and energy and are busy right now planning for that day."
Shapiro told the Scouts about the commitment volunteers make to attend meetings. He said some committees and boards meet two or more times each month.
"This is community service," the mayor said, comparing community service to the service provided by the Scout leadership.
"If nobody did it, then we wouldn’t have it," Shapiro said. "Just like there would be no Scout troop if the leaders didn’t volunteer to serve."
Shapiro fielded questions from the Scouts on topics ranging from how Manalapan’s mayor is elected, to how long the mayor serves, to zoning, tree removal, school taxes, sports and budgets.
For the most part, Troop 157 is run by the Scouts, Barrett said.
"Our senior patrol leader is John Tedesco and our assistant senior patrol leader is Bobby Barrett," he said.
"Both of these Scouts are currently working on the rank of Eagle Scout. The actual contacting of the mayor was done by Assistant Scoutmaster Steve Levine. The troop has about five assistant Scoutmasters who help the Scouts with activities such as this," Barret said.
Troop 157 has about 60 Scouts involved in a variety of activities. One Scout who recently achieved the rank of Eagle built a meditation garden at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Gordons Corner Road, where the troop is chartered and where it meets.
Troop members are currently collecting old, worn out American flags so that the flags may be properly disposed of in a formal ceremony.