Reorganization in Middletown a Bonanza for Lawyers

Sunday was Reorg Day in Middletown and many political luminaries past and present were in attendance -- all of them Republicans. I met Chris Christie, who swore in Tony Fiore to the Committee. By a 3-2 vote along party lines we named a new Township Attorney, Mr. Brian Nelson. Mr. Nelson graduated law school in 2002, which means he probably passed the bar in December 2002. As best I can tell his background involves lobbying and providing advice on affordable housing and other municipal issues. I don't know Mr. Nelson, and I can't fault him for seeking the best position he can get, but it is clear to me that his appointment was political. He worked at the same firm with Peter Carton, who heads the Republican party in Middletown, and Mr. Nelson also served as the Director of the State Republican Committee. Clearly, the Middletown Republicans were looking past Mr. Nelson's lack of experience to award him a position with significant financial benefits. In so doing, they moved the far more experienced Bernie Reilly aside, but kept him on the payroll to backup Mr. Nelson. The resolutions appointing Mr. Nelson and Mr. Reilly allowed for $310,000 for each of them or a whopping total of $620,000. The total cost in 2008 for Mr. Reilly was $315,000, but Mr. Reilly performed all of the legal work now encompassed by these two appointments. Although Mayor Brightbill assured me at the meeting that she shared my cost concerns, my motion to limit spending for these two lawyers to fixed monthly retainers was voted down by the Republicans. More than anything else we did yesterday, this willingness to use taxpayers dollars to reward party loyalists upsets me. As it is, party affiliation significantly impacts how the Township is governed. Most of the Boards and Committees in Town are overwhelmingly populated with Republican Party supporters. Many of them do good work for the Township, but more balance would benefit everyone. When one party controls all aspects of local government, it breeds arrogance among the party leadership. Yesterday's appointment of an inexperienced lawyer to handle the work of one of the largest municipalities in the County is a perfect example. In the current economic climate, we cannot afford to pay two lawyers when one worked just fine.