Mayor Meir, Lakewood frum mayor
APP:
Whether one agrees with Hobday or not, Cunliffe has followed through on nearly all of the pledges he made when he was named mayor at the 2005 organization meeting.
Cunliffe said back then that he wanted to revamp and improve the township's Web site, start a quality of life task force to address neighborhood issues, provide land for the construction of private schools, and resolve lingering construction issues with the $4 million John F. Patrick Sports Recreational Facility off Oak Street."...
In Lakewood, the mayor is chosen by the committee from its five members, instead of the public directly electing him. So at Sunday's organization meeting, Cunliffe will hand off the mayor's gavel to Deputy Mayor Meir Lichtenstein.
But first, Cunliffe was publicly congratulated by fellow committee members for his year in office. For his part, Cunliffe said he was most proud of:Starting a quality of life task force, which mandates the heads of the Police, Engineering, Public Works and Code Enforcement departments attend public meetings to address resident complaints. The township also started a hot line — (732) 942-5003 — for residents to call in and log complaints with the township.
Rebuilding the township's Web site, which now includes schedules of meetings, a detailed township history and contact information for municipal department directors.
Auctioning off 41 acres for private schools. The auctions fulfilled a 2002 campaign pledge made by Cunliffe and Committeeman Raymond G. Coles to help provide land needed to build more schools for the growing Orthodox Jewish population.
Resolving outstanding issues with the Patrick sports complex. Though all the fields won't open until spring 2006, Cunliffe said the facility will be a hallmark of pride once it opens."I think we did some amazing things in 2005," he said.
Cunliffe acknowledged the township has its critics who say Lakewood does not do enough to control growth or complain about tensions between different ethnic communities. He said township officials have worked hard to address problems, but more needs to be done."Yes, we're growing," Cunliffe said. "Our demographics are changing. It does pose a lot of challenges, but I think myself as mayor and the committee have risen to meet those challenges."
To maximize accountability there should be a direct election for Mayor.
Whether one agrees with Hobday or not, Cunliffe has followed through on nearly all of the pledges he made when he was named mayor at the 2005 organization meeting.
Cunliffe said back then that he wanted to revamp and improve the township's Web site, start a quality of life task force to address neighborhood issues, provide land for the construction of private schools, and resolve lingering construction issues with the $4 million John F. Patrick Sports Recreational Facility off Oak Street."...
In Lakewood, the mayor is chosen by the committee from its five members, instead of the public directly electing him. So at Sunday's organization meeting, Cunliffe will hand off the mayor's gavel to Deputy Mayor Meir Lichtenstein.
But first, Cunliffe was publicly congratulated by fellow committee members for his year in office. For his part, Cunliffe said he was most proud of:Starting a quality of life task force, which mandates the heads of the Police, Engineering, Public Works and Code Enforcement departments attend public meetings to address resident complaints. The township also started a hot line — (732) 942-5003 — for residents to call in and log complaints with the township.
Rebuilding the township's Web site, which now includes schedules of meetings, a detailed township history and contact information for municipal department directors.
Auctioning off 41 acres for private schools. The auctions fulfilled a 2002 campaign pledge made by Cunliffe and Committeeman Raymond G. Coles to help provide land needed to build more schools for the growing Orthodox Jewish population.
Resolving outstanding issues with the Patrick sports complex. Though all the fields won't open until spring 2006, Cunliffe said the facility will be a hallmark of pride once it opens."I think we did some amazing things in 2005," he said.
Cunliffe acknowledged the township has its critics who say Lakewood does not do enough to control growth or complain about tensions between different ethnic communities. He said township officials have worked hard to address problems, but more needs to be done."Yes, we're growing," Cunliffe said. "Our demographics are changing. It does pose a lot of challenges, but I think myself as mayor and the committee have risen to meet those challenges."
To maximize accountability there should be a direct election for Mayor.
posted by Yeshiva Orthodoxy
at 3:24 PM
15 Comments:
To maximize accountability there should be a direct election for vaad members.
You mean for the new vaad.
Lichtenstien would rather not be mayor but was begged to do so.
Moran Shlita? Can you please verify that info that you stated.
"That many Askanim pleaded with the Vaad and RY not to let this happen for many of the reasons that I stated."
"Some say it is a goodbye preasent because they are not going to support next election"
Doesnt matter who "they" support in the next election- The klal will be smarter this time around than just to listen to who the vaad endorses.
A frum community needs a frum mayor like kishke needs frosting.
It will surely make matters worse.
How can it not?
Everyone of those arguments could alsop have been made against voting to elect Langert/Gertner and placing a frum majority on the Town Council.
Of course, most posters here were on precisely the opposite side of that particular question.
The Mayor of Lakewood has no more power than any other member of the township committee. Anything that the township wants to do must be approved by a majority (three members) of the township committee. Lichtenstien being mayor will have no impact at all on the tzibur. It wouldn't make any sense, under the current system to have a direct election for mayor. What would we be electing exactly? The guy that gets to throw out the first pitch at the BlueClaws opening game.
Hmm. If Lichtenstein does that, does that mean his kids get thrown out of school???
"It will surely make matters worse.
How can it not? "
A little Bitachon, my friends.
If he does A good job as mayor no one will care what his Ethnic background is.Its not the gavrah they will look at its the Cheftzah.
"It will surely make matters worse.
How can it not? "
A little Bitachon, my friends.
I have full bitachon...
...it will make matters worse
"We would love not to have Frum commitee men at all if it was possible"
It is possible! We managed for many years without anyone frum on the township committee. (and w/o a vaad either for that matter)
Let's face it. An elected vaad will get us nowhere, b/c most people will vote for the candidates endorsed by the yeshiva, so we'll be back where we started from.
I agree that having a frum mayor is a bad idea.
I also heard that the reason the Vaad did not endorse Langert was because R' Mattisyahu was opposed to having a frum majority on the Township Committee. So I'm kind of surprised that he did not object to Lichtenstien being mayor, which, as others have noted, has no real influence and the potential for serious backlash. Maybe he did object and wasn't listened to.
OTOH, Lichtenstien himself told me, when he was deputy mayor, that the job consumed too much of his time (about 20 hours a week, was the figure he gave) so I'm a bit surprised that he would want to be mayor, which would undoubtedly take up more time.
Maran,
when did you become so smart that you know everything going on in town and how the town should work.
Maybe YOU should become mayor!
Post a Comment
<< Home