MontClairVoyant: Montclair – Where the Suburb Meets Complicity

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,

Your thoughts on the April 24 lawsuit by two Black firefighters against Montclair, the fire chief, the township manager, and other defendants?

Sincerely,

A Burg Named Sued

While seeing your signature evoke the song “A Boy Named Sue,” my thoughts are that Montclair has many progressive residents but lots of regressive “leadership.” Town slogan: “Where illiberalism makes liberals ill.”

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,

Anything to add about “leadership”?

Sincerely,

Concurrent Lee

As I write this on April 26, the Township Council STILL hasn’t fired the township manager after two women sued him last fall for allegedly creating a hostile workplace. Some people collect coins, the manager collects legal actions.

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,

Weird hobby. But back to the firefighters’ lawsuit. The gist of it?

Sincerely,

A Case About Race

The two plaintiffs charge that the promotion process was rigged in favor of white candidates. After reading details of the suit, I’d say those plaintiffs are collectors of…credible allegations.

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,

Their suit — read verbatim by many plaintiff-supporting residents who spoke at the April 25 Township Council meeting — does indeed ring true.

Sincerely,

Ring of Fire Department

“Racism is as American as apple pie,” and Montclair has a slice.

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,

Before the firefighter and hostile-workplace lawsuits were filed, could the mayor and other Council members have exposed much of this stuff?

Sincerely,

Squandered Opportunity

Yup. They should’ve publicly denounced wrongdoing — and tried to do something about it — months ago. Two councilors made strong efforts in that regard; some of the other five (including the mayor) could run for reelection next year on the platform “Where the Suburb Meets Complicity.”

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,

Ah, a riff on “Where the Suburb Meets the City.” Should the accused fire chief, like the accused township manager, lose his job?

Sincerely,

Bea Gone

I’ll answer that question with a question: Does Cedar Grove — where the two officials reportedly live — border Montclair?

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,

So, have we been seeing “Cedar Grove values” rather than “Montclair values”?

Sincerely,

Brad Ford-Avenue

No town is defined by only two people, but Montclair is certainly responsible for hiring and keeping controversial officials who may live elsewhere. If Cedar Grove opens The Museum of Modern Corruption, I pity the docents.

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,

Getting back to the township manager, there were reports that he and his situation might be the subject of a public hearing tomorrow morning, April 28, in the Council Chambers. Thoughts?

Sincerely,

At the Not-Okay Corral

If the hearing does happen, holding it at a time when many residents are working shows once again that some Montclair “leaders” are much less transparent than…um…the water from a fire department hose.

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.