Council Prattles And Yammers About "Fiscal Responsibility" After Approving Largest Spending Increase In Township History; Haelig Says DMUA "Should Be Fixed, Not Dissolved"

Video: Click Here: GOP Council Attacks Brush!

This article is Part I; Mayor Brush's response will be Part II.

It was not very diplomatic and some of the figures were wrong as mayor Paul Brush handed the Republican council a six page report recommending the dissolution of the Dover Municipal Utilities Authority so the township could make use of DMUA assets.

The report was apparently prepared by township administrator Fred Ebeneu and Brush in response to figures and data supplied by DMUA executive director John Broome.

Storm Of Protest From The Republican Council

At the recent council meeting, the mayor ran into a storm of protest from the Republican council, who appointed the commission majority that squandered DMUA reserves needed to keep the $225 sewer rate stable, and produced a single-year budget deficit of $5.3 million, a cumulative deficit of $14 million since 2001.

$5.3 Million Deficit May Be Largest Ever In NJ

The $5.3 million deficit for the current year may be the largest single-year budget deficit in the history of local public agencies in New Jersey.

Council President Gregory McGuckin complained that "there is no analysis on the alternatives here," and asked what the consequences were to the township of taking over the DMUA's bonded indebtedness.

Inteso Says Brush Is "Disingenuous"

Councilman Carmine Inteso said Brush's proposal to extend a $150 credit to the ratepayers as part of the dissolution process "smacks of politics" and called Brush's dissolution proposal "disingenuous."

Inteso, one of the most disingenuous public officials on the planet, joined with former DMUA chair Virginia Haines four years ago to begin the process of looting DMUA reserves, a process that led to the huge current DMUA reserve and budget shortfall.

One Of The Most Disingenuous Officials On The Planet

"DMUA uses their surplus to plug holes in their budget," Inteso said.

Hill Says It's Poor Fiscal Policy

Councilman Maurice Hill called Brush's proposal "poor fiscal policy," but did not mention his own complicity in the huge township tax and spending increases, and crony hirings that kicked off the new government.

Councilman Brian Kubiel told Brush: "You want us to divest an entity that has millions of dollars in reserves in 6 weeks," said Councilman Brian Kubiel. "I find this appalling," Kubiel said.

Kubiel Helped Township To Record Spending Hike

Kubiel was one of the Republican Council members who voted on the day the new government organized to hand County Chairman George Gilmore a contract to "adjust" the township administrative code to allow dozens of crony appointments that ended up saddling taxpayers with the largest spending increase in township history.

Brush complained that the Republican council refuses to meet with him on a regular basis, so he has to do business by letter.

DMUA Stooges Changed The Meeting Date So
Haelig Couldn't Attend Council Meetings

Veteran DMUA Commissioner Robert K. Haelig Jr. could not attend the council meeting because the DMUA meeting is held the same evening as the council meeting since stooge commissioners appointed by the GOP council changed the DMUA meeting date to keep Haelig from attending council meetings.

But the 25 year commissioner repeated after the meeting that the DMUA problems could be addressed "if the Republican leadership would allow the commission majority to act on the budget deficit instead of constantly making it worse."

"The DMUA should be fixed, not dissolved," Haelig said, "and I hope this dialogue settles along those lines," he said hopefully.

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