Demand accountability from public servants

Joseph Lukac, of Manville
Monday, Aug. 13, I attended the Manville Borough Council meeting.
   During the meeting, a letter addressed to the mayor and council from the Manville school board dated June 13 was read to the public.
   The letter was concerning an incident that occurred May 19 at the Manville High School field during an event sponsored by the Manville Recreation and the Manville Municipal Alliance to raise money for the junior high school’s air conditioner purchases.
   The letter stated that, during the event, alcoholic beverages were being consumed, and cigarettes were smoked on public school property throughout the day.
   It also stated the entire day’s events were captured on the school’s security cameras and stressed the disdain and disappointment by the Board of Education, which I personally agreed with as a taxpayer and a parent of children in our borough.
   As the letter was announced to be read by the councilman, the Manville mayor wrongfully interjected and stated the letter could not be read to the public, which he was properly corrected by the Manville borough attorney that, in fact, as it was addressed, it indeed made it an open public document.
   During the open public portion of the meeting, I felt inclined to go up to the podium to voice my opinion on this matter as it is my right as a taxpaying citizen. As I addressed the mayor and council, I pleaded with them to take this matter for what it was — serious.
   I also asked if any laws were broken, and I was told the law only applied to underage drinking, but in a lower paragraph of the New Jersey law under State of New Jersey (2C:33-15), unauthorized bringing of alcoholic beverages onto school premises, it states, “It is a criminal offense in the State of New Jersey for any person of legal age to bring or possess alcoholic beverages on any property used for school purposes, which is owned by any school or school board. A fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to six months’ imprisonment.”
   I also made a straight point that what decisions they made on how to handle this situation was a moment for them to set precedence and raise the standard bar high for our borough’s image.
   As I spoke, I got the impression only a proud few were actually seriously taking my words into consideration.
   As the open public portion continued, an elderly gentleman asked why, with two council people and two Manville school board members present, not one had the dignity to put a stop to the infractions. At this point, one of the council persons actually shouted out a physical threat towards this citizen’s well-being.
   As this occurred, the mayor got up and immediately called for a recess and pulled the council person and the council president into a private room.
   I may be wrong, but I believe a recess has to be motioned, seconded and approved by the entire council before it can take place, truly unethical. I also believe the penalty for an elected official threatening a member of the public in an official meeting is punishable by immediate removal from the council.
   I truly hope all of our elected officials act seriously on these infractions, and, if they cannot, I plead with the media to do their due diligence and openly demand the proper actions be taken and the right thing be done for the hardworking citizens of our borough.
   To all my fellow residents in Manville, I hope you demand accountability from our elected officials when they fail to properly perform and act accordingly to the sworn oath they took when they were elected.