Biff’s Town

In Back to the Future Part II, Hill Valley becomes unrecognizable after Biff Tannen gains power and influence. The town becomes louder, uglier, meaner, and more corrupt — a place where arrogance replaces accountability and ordinary people are treated like they are supposed to keep quiet.

That scene feels uncomfortably familiar in Holmdel.

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Under Mayor Rocco Impreveduto, too many residents who ask fair questions are met not with answers, but with lectures, spin, correction, or dismissal. A recent Facebook post from a Holmdel resident described exactly that: she asked a basic question about who was responsible for communicating with the Monmouth County Planning Board, and instead of receiving a respectful answer, she says the mayor shut her down over “terminology” — only for her to later find that he was wrong.

And now we have the latest example: the Township Committee meeting was canceled with only about five hours’ notice, supposedly because of a lack of quorum. But Holmdel’s own code says if a quorum is not present one-half hour after the appointed meeting time, the presiding officer — or the Township Clerk — may declare that there is no meeting. So why was the meeting canceled in advance instead of allowing the members who could attend to show up, put the facts on the record, and follow the process?

That matters because public meetings belong to the public. Residents plan their evenings, prepare questions, and show up because they expect their elected officials to face them — especially with Vonage sewage, JCP&L power lines, school funding, taxes, development, and property values all on the line.

This is what Biff-style government looks like: talk down to residents, dodge accountability, control the room, and cancel the conversation when it becomes inconvenient.

Holmdel is not Biff’s Town. It belongs to the residents.

And residents have every right to ask questions, demand answers, and expect elected officials to serve them — not silence them.

Read the resident’s Facebook post here: facebook.com/share/r/1JJHfeHSFt/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Elections matter- Vote for candidates who’ll work for the residents and be true public servants.

vote for Kristin Celauro and Ron Emma - 5E/ 4E on June 2

Prakash Santhana

Former Holmdel Deputy Mayor