No Answer on "I'll take care of it."

The held at the Mendham High School was important for having happened at all.  Although not the shining example of leadership in action that we had hoped it might be, it was, nevertheless, a first step in a long overdue public discussion focused on structural change.  While most of the focus was on the rather narrow framework of school district consolidation, many of us hope to keep moving the discussion to encompass both municipal and school district consolidation as the only way to finally bring some sanity to the "multiple municipal madness" that defines New Jersey. 

While an appalling number of participants at the meeting sat silently, never offering any words of any kind, there were others who did speak out, sometimes constructively, and for others, not so much.

Again, I applaud our mayor, Ken Short, for speaking out so strongly in favor of studying consolidation of all municipal services amongst these five towns, including the operations of the local schools.  As I said at the time, this vital effort is going to meet resistance even as recent events have shown support is, thankfully, very real amongst residents and (most of) our elected officials. 

The skunk at the party was, and apparently still is, Mendham Township Mayor Frank Cioppettini.  .  As I've said before, this is one pissed off guy.  He didn't even seem to be enthused when Jim Button, his own towns' representative to the regional school board, told the assembled group that state funding for the kind of study needed was a done deal.  Mr. Button related his personal conversation with NJ Acting Education Commissioner Chris Cerf.  As he said, on the subject of state funding, Mr. Cerf assured Mr. Button that "I'll take care of it." 

Since then, as reported,   And nobody, not even people in his own town, seem to be able to get a response from Mr. Button.  Was he lying?  Was Mr. Cerf?  I mean, according to Mr. Button, this conversation was held in the presence of Governor Christie while the three of them had lunch together.  Maybe one of these days one of the three of them will give us a truthful answer.  Maybe.

But, in any case, there is a plan B.  Courage To Connect New Jersey, the non-profit public education organization that has been making great inroads all over New Jersey, has guaranteed to . 

Mayor Cioppettini's petulance cannot be allowed to stand in the way, especially as I know many residents of Mendham Township are very much in favor of this kind of study.  Let's understand that any study limited to only school consolidation which also fails to include complete consolidation, with all five towns melded into one taxing district, is doomed to failure.  They'll be winners and losers.  And the losers will make sure nothing changes.  Real consolidation, done right, will produce only winners.  Well, except for Mayor Cioppettini.  He'll probably still be pissed off.  Oh well.  Can't please everyone.

I urge everyone to contact your elected officials.  Support them in this effort.  Give Mayor Short all the support he's going to need because, as we see, he's going to need a bunch.