MontClairVoyant: Public Disapproval Forces Vote on Township Manager’s Removal

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,

With four women suing the Township or making sworn statements against the manager for creating a hostile workplace, has there ever been municipal misogyny quite like this in Montclair?

Sincerely,

Fiasco Minus Tabasco

Not that I recall during the 30 years since I moved here. Yes, I arrived in February 1993, when the only residents with smartphones were those who rubbed a Smarties candy on their land-line phones.

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,

And it’s been three-plus months since a second investigation of the manager was authorized after a previous probe found his “leadership” was indeed toxic. So it’s great that the Township Council, at its February 7 meeting that bled into February 8, FINALLY started the process of firing the on-paid-leave manager.

Sincerely

More Hostile Than a Hostel

Thanks to Councilor-at-Large Peter Yacobellis (with an assist from Councilor-at-Large Robert Russo) and intense pressure from an understandably angry public frustrated that the wheels of justice were moving more slowly than snails who don’t shop at Fleet Feet.

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,

Yes, many residents called for the manager’s firing during the past few months, and many of the 120 or so residents who packed the Council Chambers on the 7th repeated those calls in public comments.

Sincerely,

Bea Gonn

The delay in initiating the ouster of the manager certainly put a dent in Montclair’s progressive reputation. “I can’t believe what you say because I see what you do,” said James Baldwin, author of “Go Tell It on the North Mountain Avenue.”

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,

Not sure you have that book title quite right. Yes, some elected and appointed local officials have seemingly protected the manager to an extent. What possible “dirt” does the manager have on those Montclair “leaders”?

Sincerely,

Roger Mud

I watched the old “Ajax laundry detergent is stronger than dirt” TV commercial on YouTube several times in hopes of some enlightenment, and concluded that…the ad’s white knight on horseback creeps me out.

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,

In addition to the workplace-hostility situation, the manager also has been criticized for how he performed his duties — with one of various examples the atrocious deal renewing the firefighting services Montclair provides Glen Ridge.

Sincerely,

Hoses and Hosed

To underpay so much, Glen Ridge “played” Montclair like a Stradivarius violin — the first of which was made in 1666, when fire trucks kept stalling because the diesel engine wasn’t invented until 1892.

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,

And wasn’t the manager in charge when there were strong allegations of nepotism and racism relating to the firefighter-promotion exam?

Sincerely,

Eleanor Riggedbe

He was. Given that and the Glen Ridge deal, it would be a travesty for the Council to agree to the fire chief’s recent brazen request for a big budget increase. “Very Brazen” would be a great name for a rock band.

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,

In addition to the admirable and spirited public comment (mostly from women) about the fire deal and the fire exam and the need to oust the township manager, what else did attendees talk about at Tuesday’s Council meeting?

Sincerely,

Topics Topography

A number of residents called for a complete ban on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers in Montclair. I totally agree — those nasty machines are hugely noisy, extremely polluting, and threatening to my copy of O. Henry’s short story “The Last Leaf.”

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,

Other February 7 attendees spoke about the proposed Lackawanna Plaza redevelopment, with some saying the images of the plan don’t come anywhere close to conveying just how massive the project will be. Comment?

Sincerely,

Christopher Wren-Derings

Those images are so conveniently misleading that I’m surprised there wasn’t a Lackawanna diorama using the Monopoly board game’s tiny plastic buildings.

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,

Plus all the additional traffic! Still other attendees said way too little of the municipal budget is geared toward Montclair’s many older residents. Heck, there’s been no director of senior services since the person who ably did that job became one of the women to leave after alleged bad treatment from the manager.

Sincerely,

No Eldorado for Elders

And Edgemont Park’s modest clubhouse is just not enough as a makeshift senior center. Clearly, that building can’t be described as Edgemont Park’s egotistical clubhouse.

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,

Moving elsewhere on the age spectrum, the Board of Education has passed a first reading of an amended policy that would free students from having to finish homework assignments on vacation breaks. Good move?

Sincerely,

Tired of Being Tired

Yes, and a large measure of thanks go to the BOE’s two student representatives for proposing the change. Hard-working students need a breather on their breaks — which should be a time for fun, friends, family, flapjacks, ferrets, and ferromagnetism.

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,

Overdoing the alliteration much? A concluding remark, please, and avoid words that start with “f.”

Sincerely,

Fred Flintstone

As I furiously fulminate in February, I look forward to the fully finalized firing of the no-friend-to-females township manager.

 

 

Dave Astor, author, is the MontClairVoyant. His opinions about politics and local events are strictly his own and do not represent or reflect the views of Baristanet.