Spin and Deflection at Township Meeting

 A New year and its same old same old in Lakewood township as the people are shut our by the governing body high taxes traffic unaffordable homes, after 20 years you would think the committee would try something new by appointing a new mayor but the 3 republicans on the 5 seat committee voter for the Democrat mayor for another term.

The way it was done in year 2025 is even more shocking as they swore themselves in over a computer screen electing a Mayor for New Jerseys 4th largest city.

The heat was on again on the committee by residents and media for refusing to return to in person meetings like every town city govt in the country. As

The big elephant in the room 

The mayor and committee are petrified to face Lakewood residents face to face Ina public meeting and be criticized for what they have done to Lakewood while they still hold on to power. The other committee members joined the mayor with excuses that they know are not the reason.

The mayor and deputy mayor tried conflating remote online services available and people working remotely post covid, with the reason why they don't have to hold in person public meetings. Ccomiteeman Akerman also spoke about how people changed post covid but non of that answered why they won't have in person meetings.

The excuses given do not add up as  Menashe Miller went on a long ramble about how post covid  everything is done remotely and online and more township servicers are available online without having people show up to town hall.  

What he may not understand is that one has nothing to do with the other. It does not justify disrespecting Lakewood residents by not showing up to a meeting in person like every town in New Jersey and governing body in the country is doing. The lies are just not sticking as they know deep down they are wrong. 

During the public comment section a reporter for the APP said they have data showing how township meetings have been cut in half from 55 minutes in person to 28 minutes online. The public comment has gone way down via the remote option as some meetings have no comments  at all compared to pre covid

Another resident called out the committee for denying human interaction in a public forum  with a give and take conversation and not adhering to the oath of office. The mayor  responded that out of a town of 150,000 maybe only 300 people have signed a petition for a return to in person meetings, therefore they feel no obligation to return to town hall. 

Committean Lichtenstein responded that he would love to have a one on one conversation face to face with a resident who called in. Yet he did no offer to do so in public at a meeting where there's accountability.

This committee gave themselves a $20,000 raise last year while raising taxes on poor Lakewood residents. People are paying a few hundred dollars more on their monthly mortgage payments. In a few weeks the committee will vote again on salaries, based on previous year's expect them to give themselves another raise.