Belleville Town Council Meeting (Video) – Nov 3, 2014

Well, considering there hasn’t been a Town Council meeting for some time now, there was bound to be gunfire of one kind or another.

First of all, far be it for me to argue linguistic semantics, but after checking several different sources, the Merriam-Webster dictionary only provides three distinct definitions of the word corruption, not “six or seven” as stated during the public comments. You’ll understand after you watch the video.

Corruption   noun kə-ˈrəp-shən

Corruption is a pretty powerful term to use, and shouldn’t be tossed around in such a casual manner to describe everything that looks remotely fishy. Just sayin’.

Also, of particular interest here is that the Mayor and the Council are looking into the possibility of forming a committee to investigate the Belleville Board of Education, and the financial misconduct that lead to a staggering 4.8 million dollar budget deficit.

Considering this reckless financial mismanagement has all but crippled the school district and will eventually be visited upon the Belleville taxpayer, I don’t think I’m alone in saying that the Council needs to take action to hold these individuals responsible for the irreparable damage they’ve done to the education of the students, as well as to the financial well-being of the township.

On a side note, considering the language of the statute regarding the formation of this investigatory body uses the very broad term “citizens”, and not specifically “residents”, I would like to go on record as being willing to volunteer to be a part of that committee, should there be an opportunity to do so. Keep me in mind, gentlemen.

Enjoy the video.

~ Griff

Update: Here is the NJ state statute that town attorney Tom Murphy is referring to (thank you Michael S.):

40:81-16. Council to act as body; investigating committees

It is the intention of this subtitle that the municipal council shall act in all matters as a body, and it is against the spirit of this subtitle for any of its members to seek to influence the official acts of the municipal manager, or any other officer, or to interfere in any way with the performance by such officers of their duties. Nothing herein contained shall prevent the municipal council from appointing committees or commissioners of its own members or of citizens to conduct investigations into the conduct of any officer or department, or any matter relating to the welfare of the municipality, and delegating to such committees or commissions such powers of inquiry as the municipal council may deem necessary.