Mayor's goal is to end political bickering
I would like to take this opportunity to respond to News Transcript Managing Editor Mark Rosman's column in the Jan. 21, 2009, News Transcript.

As I stated at the Jan. 14 Manalapan Township Committee meeting, I believe that the public has the right to come forward and be heard at our township meetings and those who do should be treated with courtesy and respect.

It is my obligation as an elected official to honestly answer our residents' concerns. It makes no difference whether these concerns are supportive or critical of me or the governing body.

I believe in open government and the public's right to know. One of the reasons I fought so hard to televise our township meetings was to provide the opportunity for the residents of Manalapan to become knowledgeable and understand what their local government is doing and how it affects their lives.

What I attempted to do at our last meeting was to set some ground rules for the coming year as to how the public and the governing body were to conduct themselves and interact.

Over the past two years, I have seen our open public comment sessions degenerate into a forum for political, partisan and personal attacks.

I do not feel this conduct to be in the public's best interest and believe that it should stop. It is time for our community to come together to face the difficult challenges that lie ahead. It was and continues to be my hope that we can turn a new page and begin to conduct ourselves in a civil manner.

Perhaps I was not clear enough in my remarks or overstated my position concerning the various lawsuits involving the town.

If my comments were perceived as depicted by Mr. Rosman, then I was wrong. That was not my intent. I do not wish to violate any constitutional right of free speech and agree with Mr. Rosman is this respect.

However, I do want to end the political bickering and grandstanding that has occurred. Our residents certainly have the right to come forward and raise their concerns and I will respond appropriately.

However, lawsuits should be decided on their merits and in the courts, not through the media or the circus of misinformation that has arisen in this case (Manalapan v. Moskovitz). This only serves to undermine our legal position.

By stating some ground rules at the beginning of my term, it was my goal to end the political theatrics and begin a civil discourse. That still remains my goal.
Richard H. Klauber
Mayor
Manalapan