Township of Clark Mayor Bonaccorso's Statement

Press release from the Township of Clark:

June 10, 2020

During the assembly that took place last Saturday at Clark Town hall, I had an opportunity to speak to the crowd. As a public official, I felt that it was my duty to speak to all of those present in hopes of fostering an atmosphere of goodwill and progress between the citizens of Rahway and Clark. I truly meant it when I told everyone in attendance, "If I didn’t care. I wouldn’t be here.

"My goal when I spoke was to reiterate and affirm that we want Clark Township to be a place where everyone feels welcome. Looking back on what I said and seeing some of the public reaction to it, I see that I may have fallen short of that goal and I would like to clarify my answer to a question that was posed. An attendee asked me, "Are you pro black?" The answer is of course, and unequivocally, yes. I also truly believe that Black Lives Matter. The black members of the Clark Community, those who live here, those who work here, those who are visiting and even those who are just passing through are all an integral part of what makes Clark such a great place. I pride myself on the fact that I never judge someone based on their skin color; but, only on who they are as a person and how they treat others. I recognize that my remarks may not have accurately represented how I feel. Although I’ve been Mayor for a long time, I am still learning.

I said it on Saturday, and i will say it again, one conversation never fixed anything. Mayor Giacobbe also reiterated this when he told those present that if we don’t have a conversation after this event, nothing will change. So, with that in mind, let’s have one. The best place to catch me is in my office, where the door is always open. I look forward to seeing you and forging an even better relationship between our two great communities.

Regards,

Mayor Bonaccorso

This press release was produced by the Township of Clark. The views expressed here are the author’s own.