By Paul Goldfinger, Editor@Blogfinger.net
February 13, 2019. Ocean Grove, New Jersey.
The source of information for this article is an interview with Jack Bredin, Ocean Grove citizen activist whose credibility has been established for years on Blogfinger and at many meetings of townships across northern New Jersey for over 40 years.
At the January 28, 2019 Committee meeting, a resolution was being discussed having to do with the hiring of coastal engineers to consult on some unnamed projects in Neptune Township.
Jack Bredin went to the microphone, as is his right, to comment on that resolution. As he began to speak, he barely uttered a few words, when the new Mayor, Carol Rizzo, cut him off sharply and said, “Speak on the resolution only or be removed by the police.”
Jack sat down, but he thought that he was being deprived of his right to “equal standing” in voicing his opinion in public. He saw it as a way to intimidate a citizen from speaking publicly. In all his years of public speaking, no mayor has ever spoken to him like that before.
He planned to speak again on this topic at the next meeting which was on February 11, 2019.
That night,on Feb 11, at 6 pm, the Committee held a workshop to discuss the same topic. Jack was there, but no citizen may speak at a workshop. So Jack went to the Committee room and sat down among the fairly large crowd that was present for the main meeting. He sat with some officials from the OGHOA who witnessed what happened next.
The Committee sat down at the dais, and then Mayor Rizzo entered the room. But instead of going to her chair, she walked up to Jack Bredin, pointed a finger at him, and in a voice that was heard by all, she said, “You remember that if you speak on a resolution, speak only on that resolution, or I will have you removed by the police.”
Jack knew, from his many years of attending official public meetings of this type, that such a removal would cause him to be arrested and searched at police headquarters.
Once again, he felt that the Mayor was trying to intimidate him to prevent his freedom to speak his mind. He thought that since everyone in the room heard her, that this was also an attempt to suppress speech by the public. He saw it as having a “chilling effect on the public’s right to know.”
Jack thought that her behavior indicated that this new Mayor was going to have a cruel style of governance as her trademark, one that would favor closed doors instead of transparency and open dialogue with the public.
The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs has guidelines for public officials, and the Mayor’s outrageous threat to him seemed like a clear ethics violation. Neptune Township has no board of ethics, so the only recourse for a citizen is to lodge a complaint at DCA in Trenton.
Jack says, “The new Mayor is horrible and she does not know how to run a public meeting.” But Jack will not be intimidated and he will continue to speak at Committee meetings. As for the Mayor’s shocking actions, he won’t say if he will lodge a complaint.
Editor: Recently another OG citizen complained about the way his wife was treated by the Mayor when she tried to speak at a meeting regarding 5G risks held in Shark River. Blogfinger interviewed that citizen, so we know about that development.
THE ISLEY BROTHERS “Freedom.”
“Say what you want to say….freedom”
Tommy Gee: Interesting suggestion. It could possibly humble the arrogant committee?
Editor’s note: At Blogfinger we have suggested, on many occasions, that the HOA hire an attorney who understands land use law and municipal governance to provide consultation from the perspective of the citizens.
This is needed because we cannot trust our elected officials or their advisors such as their lawyers, planners, engineers, and high placed bureaucrats at Town Hall, or, unfortunately, the Camp Meeting Association when it comes to the future of our town and our “community.” For that matter we can’t trust the Home Groaners either.
An ad hoc committee of citizens should form to represent the “community of residents.” And then a fund raiser for us, should enable financing of such professional help.
We don’t need to “humble” the Committee, we need to be sure that our rights are being respected and that the Committee places the best interests of the citizens at the top of their list. We need to find our way through the curtains, smoke and mirrors.—-Paul @Blogfinger.net
Mr. Bredin needs to contact an ACLU lawyer or Rutgers law student who would be glad to accompany him to the next meeting.
Paul I remember how strong you were with the Dover General Hospital and St. Clare’s. I am sure you will know how to handle this outrage.
Sure leaves a good taste in the mouth about the new Mayor……….Not!
She needs a class in diplomacy and people skills. Is this what we vote these people in to act like? Geez!
Using police threats to suppress opposing opinions? Seems like Ms. Rizzo and the Township Committee are developing a taste for fascism.
Is this really the same person that advocated for transparency in government in the article linked below?
A little bit of power can really change a person.
http://mycommunitysource.com/top-stories/monmouth-county-candidates-invited-to-speak-at-mtdo-meeting/
Jack is an Ocean Grove treasure who consistently cares about the interests of OG residents. Carol Rizzo’s behavior, as reported, is unacceptable and disappointing. Is she representing our interests?
I believe that Ms. Rizzo holds a position on the OGHOA. The OGHOA payed for an attorney to research and address the OGCMA leasehold and their ownership of all property in OG. Ms. Rizzo is sitting on that report by the attorney knowing it will put a monkeyrench into the North End Development.
Could this be why she is withholding the OGHOA attorney’s report from the public while attacking and intimidating Mr. Bredin.
There is big money to be made by any politician who is able to push through the North End scam to feather their nest egg.
This is an interesting connecting of the dots. Kevin–Care to explain?
I seem to remember a little time past that Blogfinger was telling us to watch for the actions of the new Mayor. Well, the same disturbing actions that were taking place at the OGHOA are now roosting at the Neptune Committee. Hold on to your seats people of OG, this Mayor is going to give us a very bumpy ride.
Kevin Chambers