By Audrey Levine Staff Writer
MANVILLE — Some things happening at the Borough Council meetings don’t fit into news stories or other reporting of the meeting, but are interesting — or entertaining. Here are some observations of Monday’s Borough Council meeting:
In a war of words, Mayor Lillian Zuza faced off Monday with independent candidate for Borough Council Rich Onderko about salaries and health benefits for public officials. After several minutes of trying to place blame for the high increase in taxes, Mr. Onderko returned to his seat, having said that public officials should not accept high salaries and benefits.
As Mr. Onderko walked away from the microphone, Bill Mitterko, of North First Avenue, called out, “He’s right, we’re all fed up!”
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One resident proved that new is not always better when he spoke to the Borough Council about rising taxes because they continue to purchase new items.
John Mehalick, of Dominic Street, questioned why the borough is always buying new equipment and constructing new buildings, when other towns in Somerset County are making do with what they have for now to avoid spending money.
”The mayor has spent money like water,” he said. “Everything is new in this town.”
Mr. Mehalick also questioned why departments in town, such as Public Works, have more than one secretary in the office, though members of the Borough Council could not pinpoint any departments in that situation.
When questioned why he had a second secretary in the office for several weeks, Phil Petrone, director of Public Works, replied, “She was a high school intern.”
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If left up to borough resident, and former mayor, Rudy Nowak, Manville’s Police Department might just be smaller in the coming year.
Mr. Nowak said that borough officials should use the fact that several employee contracts, including the police department’s, expired Dec. 31, 2007, to lower salaries. Mr. Nowak said that employees cannot expect a large raise because of the current economy and Manville’s recent tax rise.
”If they can’t accept a lower salary, they should look elsewhere and we can lower the staff,” he said. “They can walk if they don’t like that we’re tightening our belts.”
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It was a case of a missing sign when Bill Mitterko, of North First Avenue, took his dog for a walk behind Wal-Mart, on North Main Street, and said he found about 15 trucks with their engines running.
He said, in looking around the area, he found a sign facedown on the ground which, when turned over, said that trucks should not be left on when parked.
”(The ground’s) a good place for it,” he said.
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After she assisted him in taking care of excess waste on his property from a neighbor’s dog, Mr. Mitterko publicly thanked Amanda Sinou, health inspector with the Manville Board of Health, for the help she provided.
”Now I’ll have to give her a raise,” quipped Borough Administrator Gary Garwacke after hearing complaints Monday about officials receiving supposedly too-high salaries.
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He said he’s ripped enough shirts, so Paul Lebedz, of South 13th Avenue, approached the council to request that someone remove the nails sticking out of poles where plywood signs have fallen down on the corner of Brooks Boulevard and Main Street.
”I think we need a bulletin board for signs, and not allow them to be put on poles,” he said. “I think we need an ordinance (to prevent the nails).”
Borough Administrator Gary Garwacke said that the poles themselves are not owned by the borough, but that he would look into getting the nails removed in specific locations.
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He would like people to feel more comfortable walking underneath the underpasses, so borough resident Rudy Nowak requested that the borough clean the area that is “laden with garbage.”
”Someone in the borough should have pity on the people who want to walk there,” he said.
Borough Clerk Phil Petrone said the borough had recently taken care of overhanging trees in the area, but would look into cleaning the garbage, despite the fact that the underpasses are owned by the county.

