Township Employees Barred from Council Committee Meetings
Rift between administration and council may be growing
Mayor Stephen C. Acropolis' administration will now bar township employees from attending meetings of small committees of the township council.
In a letter to township council members this week, Business Administrator Scott Pezarras said the mayor has decided township employees should not attend the committee meetings of three council members, and questions about township business should be submitted in writing.
"I can't ask the council president any questions in public because he refuses to answer," said Acropolis. "What I decided to do was to have everything put in writing. If the council has a question about a project being done, put them in an e-mail and we'll answer them for you."
Council President John Ducey said Thursday that the move is "not in the best interest of the taxpayers."
"It would be nice if council members had equal access to our township employees and professionals, because that is how work gets done," said Ducey."For [the] Business and Finance [committee], various discussions take place. Scott Pezarras attended and gave information. We have no other access to him. It would only hurt the citizens of Brick, because we're going to be making decisions without input as to what the effect is."
Councilman Dan Toth also voiced concerns about the decision, including the fact that township secretaries would presumably no longer be able to take meeting minutes.
"We want to be compliant with the mayor's wishes, but we also have to make sure the taxpayers aren't negatively affected," he said.
Acropolis defended his decision on the committee meetings, as well as his decision to require requests for information from employees to be submitted in writing. He said previously, it was not known what type of discussions were taking place between employees and council members. Putting requests for information and responses in writing will help in that regard.
"That way we have evidence as to what, exactly, is being said," said Acropolis.
JD
6:11 am on Friday, October 5, 2012
Note to Ducey and Council....
Just vote "NO" to everything on the agenda... including bills to be paid...
Hire a new attorney for council.
brick strong
5:08 pm on Friday, October 5, 2012
This is Ducey against ACROPOLIS ...Has not a thing to do with any other council member
JD
8:44 pm on Friday, October 5, 2012
Need a change..
you are wrong about that... lots of people dispise Acropolis... not just ducey.
JHill
7:25 am on Friday, October 5, 2012
Here we go, Acropolis making everything ten times harder and will end up ultimately cost us taxpayers more money because he is being a baby.
I can't beleive that this guy is actually going to go down as a worse mayor then a guy who went to jail!
Cat
7:48 am on Friday, October 5, 2012
Mr. Mayor, what the heck!!!! I have been e-mailing you/and or your assistant for months regarding to a problem I have been having, that hasn't been fixed for years. First it was the problem of the engineers and the road dept. then it was the problem of the MUA, now it's back to the enginneers. Did get a phone call from the engineering dept. saying they will come out and look at my problem,.....that was a couple of weeks ago. You would think that with the threat of west nile virus and water standing in front of my house for more than "24 hours" and up to three days at a time, they would take care of this. Oh well just e-mail the mayor people, and all your problems will be addressed.
Resident
8:59 am on Friday, October 5, 2012
The laser surgeons in this town put black top on top of black top raising the street levels causing your problem. Anyone with half a brain or cares for that matter would have removed the asphalt layer/regraded and replaced avoiding the runoff issue. They didn't care then and they don't care now as they want you to put out your money to raise your grade to cover their mistake......
Alex W
9:04 am on Friday, October 5, 2012
Cat,
Contact the State code enforcement and file a complaint. Simply send a fax to Carmine Giangeruso his fax #609-984-7718. Explain to Mr G your problem and he will assign an investigator.
Jordash
6:10 pm on Friday, October 5, 2012
I have had the same problem. I emailed Ducey five times to no avail. I called and still no response. Finaly I saw him at the diner with other old Brick Dem hacks and he did answer my question. I think one of them is getting a job in Brick.
Mrgrumpass
8:06 am on Friday, October 5, 2012
Township Employees Barred from Council Committee Meetings.
This is a peeing contest I wonder who will win?
JD
8:45 am on Friday, October 5, 2012
Yep...
Acropolis is acting like a child...
Hurting the republican party and future candidates...
Joseph Woolston Brick
8:27 am on Friday, October 5, 2012
Just counting the days until November 2013 when the people of Brick send a giant email to Acropolis via the voting booth saying "Your fired". It won't say it in words but in a numerical language I'm sure even Steve will understand.
Chief Wahoo
10:00 am on Friday, October 5, 2012
why even wait until Nov. 2013......its time people take action ......it amazes how people are brainwashed into thinking they have to sit and wait until Nov.2013.....you only live once people , DO SOMETHING NOW !
Joseph Woolston Brick
5:56 pm on Sunday, October 7, 2012
Wahoo, because it would take a longer time to recall the mayor at this point, than how long he has left in his term.
Paul Pallante
8:45 am on Friday, October 5, 2012
Acropolis is covering his own arse...I won't defend his childish behavior, but in a toxic environment like he is in, you can't blame the guy for getting it all 'on the record'.
Joseph Woolston Brick
5:59 pm on Sunday, October 7, 2012
He created his own "toxic environment". You would think the town is Amish the way people are shunning him especially people in his own party.
Jerry Belle
8:50 am on Friday, October 5, 2012
If there have been discrepancies in the manner of "he said", "she said" between employees and committees then having a written (email) trail of evidence is not a bad idea per se...however, the way Acroplois comes off as a bully is off-putting and the taxpayers are getting tired of of it. As for Toth's statement that, "....voiced concerns about the decision, including the fact that township secretaries would presumably no longer be able to take meeting minutes." Why would an email policy preclude them from taking minutes? The minutes should be recorded and put onto a disc for preservation. Nothing beats hearing the spoken word for clearing up issues of what was said and what wasn't said, correct? This overall bickering needs to end or we need to vote them out.
Joseph Woolston Brick
6:04 pm on Sunday, October 7, 2012
Getting tired? Most people in Brick have been very tired of all the shenanigans going on at Town Hall for a very long time. I have a feeling the next election, will be one of the most highly attended in years, especially if Acropolis tries to run again. That in my humble opinion would be the biggest waste of time and dollars for the Republican party, The Democrats could probably run Fidel Castro and win at this point, that's how tired most people are in Brick.
mom in brick
10:28 am on Friday, October 5, 2012
I emailed the mayor in February of 2011-still have yet to get a reply. I am disgusted at what has become of our town government. We elected these people and they act like a bunch of 2nd graders! The meeing last week was a disgrace. Our mayor and all of his cohorts should be ashamed of themselves. They are worried that there reign is over and now they are trying to protect their over paid no show jobs-well they didnt give a crap about the people they layed off in the last 3 years did they? Nope. So I dont feel sorry for any of them-but I do think its time to clean this mess up and work on the township problems. He is making such an ass of himself..... and he just doesnt see it.
Cat
11:22 am on Friday, October 5, 2012
thanks Alex W....I just may have to do it.
BW
12:12 pm on Friday, October 5, 2012
It's my ball and I am taking it and going home because you wont play my way. What a freaking childish thing to do. Like a 3 year old having a temper tantrum.
Is it Nov 2013 yet?
Cat
2:15 pm on Friday, October 5, 2012
can anyone say "recall"
Concerned about Brick
2:02 pm on Friday, October 5, 2012
Very scary. I am embarrassed to say I live in Brick. The mayor wants everything reduced to writing but he is such a bully that many fear he will find a reason to fire them or make their life miserable. Brick Town Hall is a hostile environment when the person in charge is a bully. Sad state of affairs.
Ryan Meyers
12:14 am on Saturday, October 6, 2012
Just ask any of the cops if the Mayor had cars photograpghed if they had his rivals bumper sticker on their personal car, during the last election. I agree, it has become a very sad state of affairs in Brick.
sjc
2:35 pm on Friday, October 5, 2012
what is the process for a recall?
Brick
4:04 pm on Friday, October 5, 2012
Why recall he has another year left just vote him out
Lori Morrison
7:06 pm on Friday, October 5, 2012
I am sure that all township employees, including secretaries will be banned from any council activity. Let's see who is in attendance at the next council meeting. If the mayor is not there don't expect the attorney or BA to be there either. They are employees of the mayor. I had hoped the mayor would make an effort to work with the council, but that was a pipe dream. At the rate we are going partisan politics is going to destroy this town.
I have spoken
4:47 am on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Everytime Stephen C. Acropolis opens his mouth he gets closer to "POLITICAL SUICIDE"