Guest Column
Resident voices disgust at aspects of last week
Art Sholty
Guest Column
Resident voices disgust at aspects of last week’s argumentative Township Council meeting
I attended the Brick Township Council meeting Oct. 7 and was quite amazed at the remarks I heard concerning party-line politics. It was disgustingly one-sided and compared to school-yard bullying.
I must also state that I am a registered Republican, but consider myself an independent, having voted many times for Democratic candidates. Now I’m not too sure I ever want to vote Democratic again, all due to this inquisition. The only other thing that was missing was a hangman’s noose.
Interesting remarks were made by Councilman Steve Acropolis concerning a landscaping business using township property and equipment, all at no expense to the contractor. Two small buildings were constructed to house the landscaper’s tools, etc., and electricity was used to run a pump for water, all at no expense again to the contractor. Mr. Acropolis reported these possible infractions to the rest of the council, and was soon chastised by all in attendance.
You see, Steve Acropolis is the only elected Republican on the council. The rest are Democrats. No problem there, it’s the American way. However, the ganging up and mud slinging by none other than our own illustrious mayor, Joseph Scarpelli, makes me sick.
I have never heard such beautiful words come out of the mayor’s mouth covered in mud. Families were brought into the picture on both sides and accusations of politicking was heard many times because this is election time. Boo to both parties.
The one vital subject that Mr. Acropolis brought up was the fact that Mayor Scarpelli used a township vehicle to travel to New England for a vacation. This, in my way of thinking, is a no-no, using township property and equipment for one’s personal use. It’s very interesting, since the aforementioned landscaper used electricity and didn’t pay for it, either. Accordingly, it is my understanding that the council thought that the cost of the electricity was so minimal that it was not concerned about the lost revenue. Times this theft of services and others like it by 100, and it adds up to a township employee’s salary for a year. Now we’re talking. Will Mayor Scarpelli and the fiasco of the landscaper be investigated by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office?
An old saying in our Bible states, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." Mr. Acropolis brought forth information that, according to him, was given to the council many times before, in closed sessions, but was never acted upon. He also stated that the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office now has it and will investigate the matter. For this, Steve Acropolis, the lone Republican, was verbally attacked in front of the public.
Kudos go out to Steve for holding his ground and apparently researching the issue in question. It’s very hard to dispute the truth and even more difficult defending a violation.
Yes, Mayor Scarpelli, you eloquently made statements worth listening to, but flawed by not defending yourself on the alleged New England vacation, or whatever you want to call it. You’re good. You’re a real professional. You did what you had to do.
Give yourself a star. Mayor, I’ll bet you want to take back that "first stone."
Art Sholty is a resident of Brick.