(L to R): J. Randy Bishop, Kevin McMillan, Mayor Michael Brantley, Mary Beth Jahn, and Eric Houghtaling (Neptune web site photo)
The Committee meeting on September 22 was sparsely attended. Michelle Gannon, Founder of Mary’s Place, was the first to go to the microphone during the public portion where anyone can have five minutes to speak. She made a statement to clarify the timetable of their approvals since, she says, there have been some differences in the reporting of those events. Her timetable can be found in the comments below yesterday’s post “What did they know and when did they know it?”
Joan Venezia of Mt. Hermon Way in Ocean Grove (and a Trustee of the HOA) suggested that garbage pickup be changed to once per week instead of twice because the recyclable program has been so effective. She promoted this idea as a way for the township to save money. Committeeman Eric Houghtaling said that they would consider her idea, although he said that twice per week might still be needed in the summer.
Kevin Chambers of Ocean Grove read a statement about how the Township was violating the State RSIS laws. We have heard his argument recently on Blogfinger as part of the conversation about the absence of off street parking for Mary’s Place.
Note that the minutes of Township Committee meetings can be found online at Neptunetownship.org ( Township website link ) but usually there is some delay. The quickest way is to request an audio recording from the Clerk’s office.
When a resident rose to speak at this meeting to voice her concerns about garbage, sewers, parking and delivery trucks related to the proposed Mary’s Place, Bishop interrupted her several times. He seemed so anxious to dismiss her issues.
He was patronizing her. His voice was louder, and hers was meek, and it was as if he were patting her on the head and saying,”Your concerns are unfounded” and “I understand your concerns, but there are no issues.”
He said to her, “We’re not talking a hundred room hotel” when she tried to express the problems that those neighbors had with the Sampler.
He dismissed her by saying, “This, in essence, is a 10 bedroom home” arguing that this facility will be no different than any other home around there, only “a little larger than the current Mary’s Place on Broadway.”
In the end, Bishop and another person on the dais, performed a duet and said, “There are no problems with this project.”
Bishop owes that woman an apology for bullying her in public.