Council may rename park after Penniplede BY KAREN E. BOWES Staff Writer Joseph Penniplede MATAWAN - Borough officials are considering renaming the Jackson Street Park after the late Joseph Penniplede, a former councilman, fireman, police and fire commissioner. At the Jan. 16 Borough Council meeting, Councilwoman Meghan Mullaney began to cry when she proposed that the park be named after "Joe P.," as he was known by many. The councilwoman's father, Councilman Joseph "Bud" Mullaney, seconded the motion right away. Borough Attorney Pasquale Menna interrupted, saying the idea must be formally introduced as a resolution at the next council meeting. Penniplede died in December of 2004 at age 59. He was serving his fifth term as a councilman at the time of his death. In other borough news, despite losing the support of his political party and the chance to run for re-election, former Councilman Neil Mendelsohn vowed to continue fighting borough hall until he dies, an event, he estimates, that won't be for at least another 30 years. Mendelsohn spoke out at the same meeting. "When are we going to be rid of that guy - that guy being me?" Mendelsohn said, quoting an unnamed source. "I'm 58. The average life span in my family is 92. You do the math." Among other criticisms, Mendelsohn questioned if the council had been successful in finding a missing Kwanzaa decoration. Mendelsohn was upset the decoration was not on display in December. Councilman Mullaney charged back, saying Mendelsohn should have found the missing decoration himself. "Why didn't you make it your responsibility to find out where the Kwanzaa [decoration] was?" Mullaney asked, noting Mendelsohn was the former recreation liaison. "I guess I made the mistake of assuming the right thing was done," Mendelsohn replied. Mendelsohn added that perhaps, "I was a little remiss. I hope that next year it will be out." "It will be," Mullaney said.