A t the Jan. 15 Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA) meeting in Oceanport, a frequent critic of FMERA asked twice for speakers to speak into the microphones, noting that he is hard of hearing and could not hear the speakers. I could not hear those not using microphones either, and one other meeting attendee told me he could not hear the speakers who were not using microphones.
He was approached by two members of the state police who seemed intent on removing him from the room. I yelled out that I could not hear either. I was not able to actually hear what the police were saying to him; however, he was replying that all he had asked was for people to use the microphones.
The bottom line is that it is extremely inappropriate for a state agency to use the state police to intimidate critics and threaten with removal from meetings the critics whose only crime is to ask speakers to use their microphones.
I might add that I have made the same request from the audience of other meetings — not FMERA — numerous times over the years — and a few times as a member of boards — and never had the police threaten me with removal from the meeting. Bob English Eatontown