Resident questions motives of Marlboro’s mayor

There is a new form of pay-to-play evolving in Marlboro’s politics. In it’s latest version an individual contributes to a campaign and is awarded a position on a board or commission instead of receiving municipal contracts. Sadly, this new version potentially has a more devastating effect on a town.

I have been the most vocal opposition to Marlboro’s affordable housing plan, put together behind closed doors by our mayor.

I was accepted by the state Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) as an official objector to the plan. Understand my objections were determined to be valid in substance ... I doubt I’d have been brought to the mediation table if I simply wanted the buildings to be purple.

Because of my “litigation,” I was denied a seat on a committee empowered to “advise” the Township Council of alternative housing options to satisfy our future affordable housing obligations; I was one of two applicants to apply for one of five positions, to date none have been filled.

However, frivolous litigation initiated at the request of the mayor through the Republican chair Mitch Jacobs, at a cost to the township that I understand to be close to $20,000, did not impede township resident Marc Barenberg, who gave $1,250 to the mayor’s campaign, from being appointed to a voting position on the Planning Board.

I have twice publicly offered the mayor an opportunity to explain the rationale behind this glaring double standard. He has chosen to remain silent.

Frankly I’d be less concerned if the mayor had taken $1,250 to steer a paving contract in a particular direction, that can only cost us money; $1,250 for a Planning Board seat can easily and adversely effect our way of life.

The mayor’s list of accomplishments so far include a huge raise for the mayor’s secretary; doubling the prosecutor’s workload by eliminating the other prosecutor; hiring the reporter who covered the election for the News Transcript — no doubt a reward for his unbiased reporting — as a full-time aide, I guess to do the job the mayor was elected to do.

A law regarding non-compliance by affordable housing units seems good until you realize the town itself has been non-compliant for 20 years and is the largest violator of COAH rules.

I understand the mayor intends to announce a run for state Assembly. As the self-proclaimed beacon of ethical standards I’m sure he will resign as mayor since we all know the problems associated with dual office holding.

Paul Schlaflin

Marlboro