Allen Cannon
Titusville
I am a member of the public who took the time to attend the March 28 Hopewell Township Committee meeting. I was greatly disappointed and offended in reading the letters that appeared in a recent Hopewell Valley News by Mark Iorio, Hopewell Township’s GOP municipal chairman, and Todd Brant, who has served as treasurer for the campaigns of Republican Committee members James Burd (our current mayor), Michael Markulec (our former mayor before Mr. Burd) and Kim Johnson.
While both Mr. Iorio and Mr. Brant do seem to acknowledge that Mayor Burd could have been more inclusive in the way in which he handled the hiring of the township’s new judge, they spend the majority of their time chiding the two Democrats on the committee for complaining too stridently about Mayor Burd’s handling of this issue.
Mr. Iorio further states: “It is one thing to argue an issue in earnest and yet another to allow a meeting to dissolve into a scolding session.” I contend that frustration often creates tension. I am left to wonder how many times a member of the committee should have to express concerns. At what point does the behavior concerned become an obvious ethical violation? Our current committee seems to be aligned by party. The minority might as well just be dismissed as their objections fall on deaf ears. What is worse is that the mayor, knowing full well that his selection would be approved, did not hear the pleas to evaluate the process further.
Mr. Iorio also states: “There were also several residents who came up to the podium to discuss their displeasure with the process. Some were civil and others were not.” Well, I was one of those people.
It seems to me that any time our political leaders (and their backers) chide the public for voicing their concerns, they do a disservice to democracy. I am a veteran of 25 years of voluntary service to our nation. In that time I have willfully defended democracy and freedom in Grenada, Korea, Europe, New York, Washington D.C., Afghanistan and Iraq. The enemies of democracy are both foreign and domestic. I am blessed to have made this Valley my home. My criticisms of local politicians and their policies were referred to as “uncivil,” or “bickering” or “insulting.” As anyone can see by looking at the footage of my statement (at www.HVDemClub.com), there was nothing rude in my comments to the mayor nor in my plea that he would at least reconsider his process before the vote took place.
On the contrary, I find their mischaracterization of my exercise of my fundamental political rights to be “insulting.” I find the policy of excluding committee members from the selection process of our new judge to be “uncivil.” I find the appointment of this new magistrate in our community, without adequate debate or analysis or plain old neighborly discussion, to be exactly what I fought against while serving my country at home and abroad.
Mr. Brant says: “The work of the members of the Hopewell Township Committee is to address the concerns confronting Hopewell Township, and not turn the committee meetings into a political theatrical event.” On the surface, this seems reasonable enough. Of course, the concerns confronting Hopewell Township are what the Township Committee should be concerned with! But when the majority bulldozes the minority party’s representatives on the committee, when it prevents them from even being a part of the process of choosing our township’s new judge, there is little left for them to do but voice their concerns and dissatisfaction with the process.
Mr. Brant calls this creating a “political theatrical event.” I call it representing the interest of the entire community. Both Mr. Iorio and Mr. Brant feel free to exercise the rights that our Armed Services protect with their lives. The Constitution is historically reaffirmed by those who give their lives to ensure all have equal rights. Mr. Iorio and Mr. Brant insist that some respect should be shown to those who disrespect the office and the community they are sworn to serve. That suggestion is as insulting as ignoring the community one swears under oath to serve.
The democratic process is too valuable to good order and peace to be selfishly pushed aside on an egotistical whim unless, you are one who does nothing to contribute to its protection. Politicians should see their representation of the people as an honor. It is disheartening to have proof in the mayor that we are not all represented and there is no interest in the concerns of the community. While you gentlemen may applaud the mayor’s lack of response, I contend that it was not civility that held his tongue, but his inability to explain his process’ link to the Constitution and democracy.
You gentlemen should highlight the process and examine it. All of us are not blessed to be eloquent in our conveyance of our perspective. We are, however, protected in our right to express our perspective. I think we all agree that we should expect our representatives to represent us all, not merely themselves.
