A resolution authorizing the township to seek bids for improvements to Deerpath, previously pulled from the last Town Council meeting, has returned to the agenda for this weeks council meeting.

This development comes on the heels of the controversial approval of a $450,000 resolution connected to the Westside Drainage Project.

Before Ms. Akiri addressed the council at the last meeting, multiple speakers took the podium, with some speaking uninterrupted for up to nine minutes. The clip below highlights the exchange between Ms. Akiri and Council Members regarding Deerpath and the Westside Drainage Project.

What the video fails to capture, are the comments and conversations made by political operatives behind Ms. Akiri as she spoke.

Council meetings are meant to provide an opportunity for the public to ask questions and share comments on any topic.

Unfortunately, municipal and state governments often make significant decisions during the holiday season, a time when public attention tends to wane. We saw a similar scenario last year with 11th-hour changes made to the Land Use Ordinance.

While we hold Ana Minkoff in high regard, it’s worth emphasizing that Deerpath was a listed agenda item on the 11/18 meeting, pulled just before the meeting began, during what was supposed to be a formal council meeting. 

The decision to put it on the Agenda as the same meeting celebrating Ana was the Council’s decision.

Adding to the troubling dynamics, Dr. Foregger—who did not even speak at the meeting—became the subject of some good old fashion public poking. A former mayor, a former council member, the current mayor, and Council-member Couto all made “jokes” at his expense. Couto’s timing on it seems almost perfect.

These so-called “just a joke” moments appear to consistently target certain individuals during a public forum meant for serious government business.

What do you imagine would happen if members of the public went up to the podium and joked about “wrestling” the mayor?

What if a group of people just showed up to Ana’s good bye meeting to comment on and on about how former Council Member Bavoso and former Mayor Woodruff kept spitting out bad numbers on the Municipal Building (by millions) while complaining about residents taking the town to court for improperly blocking access to documents?

I’m sure we would be subject to another cringe-worthy lesson on kindness from the same Councilwoman who agrees with all the “facts” of a Township Employee calling out a Council-members spouse during a Town Council Meeting.

The conduct displayed—interrupting and cutting off residents while allowing audience members to mock them—raises serious concerns about whether the council respects the spirit and purpose of the public comment portion of the meeting.

For comparison, watch a BOE meeting to witness how members conduct themselves during public comments.

Read More Town Council Agenda and Meeting Summaries

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