New year, same old political infighting BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer MIDDLETOWN - A new year began for the Middletown Township Committee, but partisan discord between members continued. Last year, Committeeman Patrick Short was the lone Democrat on the committee and at various times clashed with members of the committee, including Mayor Gerard Scharfenberger, Deputy Mayor Pamela Brightbill and Committeemen Thomas Hall and Thomas Wilkens. This year, there is another Democrat on the committee, newly sworn-in Sean Byrnes, who sat and listened as the differences of opinion continued. "I'm often asked how we are doing in Middletown," Short said. "Financially, in our paperwork we are doing well. But I'd like to see how it translates toward normal citizens of Middletown. If we are doing OK, then why can't we afford an extra debris pickup?" Leaves are collected twice a year in the township, and Byrnes said that he would like to see them picked up more often. Though Scharfenberger did not take issue with this idea, he said it isn't feasible. "I would love to have 15 leaf pickups a year," Scharfenberger said. "How much is that going to cost? Where is that money going to come from? You're not going to cut taxes and increase services to generate revenue. It's just the reality." Short also had a problem with the reappointment of the law firm Gibbons P.C. as the township's bond counsel. Republican Party Chairman Peter Carton is the land-use team leader as well as director of real property and development for the firm. Short sees this as a conflict of interest. "This is a capable bond firm. However, a chairman of a local political party is a member of this firm," Short said. "It does not make a difference to me which political party he belongs to. But here we have a case where we have a political boss who gives the approval, the "head nod," for a candidate of his party to run in an election." Wilkens took exception to that comment. "I'd like to think it was the residents of Middletown who voted for me as the ones who put me on the board," Wilkens said. Short also said that the committee should have considered other firms for bond counsel. "If a candidate runs, wins the election and becomes a committee member, that same person now approves bonding that flows back through the firm where Peter Carton benefits. We do not have to put ourselves in this situation," Short said. "We have a competitive bid process where at least one other [bidder] was equally competitive which could have performed the responsibilities equally as well and gain the same results without placing us in a perceived/direct conflict situation." Scharfenberger disagreed with Short's assertion. "In a competitive bidding process, any firm in the country can send their proposal for their services," Scharfenberger said. "It turns out that this firm sent us the best offer, the best price, and they have a history of working here. Their work has always been top-notch and they have one of the top three bond attorneys in the state. Denying the people of Middletown the best cost and best service does not make sense."