Four Questions for Council President Bomgaars

To the Editor:

Alexis de Tocqueville reminds us: "In America, the people get the government they deserve."

For those who have been watching the never ending bad judgment saga of Mr. Getzendanner, Tuesday night's Council meeting provided a new low. Fortunately, Tom's behavior did not violate the public's trust again. This time the disappointment came from Mr. Bomgaars.
 
Retired Judge Edward W. Beglin Jr.'s report was made public on Tuesday and Mr. Bomgaars had an opportunity to restore some faith in our Council leadership.  Unfortunately, this did not happen.
 
A quick review of some recent Getzandanner history might help:
 
• Last year, in a meeting attended by Councilman Getzandanner, Councilman Vernotico, City Clerk Hughes and City Attorney Barry Osmun, Mr. Getzandanner allegedly requested that Mr. Osmun commit insurance fraud by altering his legal bills to the City of Summit.
• This allegation was brought to the attention of Mr. Bomgaars, supported by the three eye witnesses attending the meeting.  Mr. Bomgaars chose to ignore it.   Later, at a public town meeting, Mr. Osmun was asked if the Getzandanner allegation was true and, as the City attorney, he publicly confirmed it.
• Mr. Bomgaars decided not to accept the eye witness testimony of the three others attending the meeting.  Instead, at considerable taxpayer expense, he arranged for the hiring of Judge Beglin to investigate the allegation.
• Incredibly, while waiting for the results of Judge Beglin's findings, early in January, Mr. Bomgaars appointed Mr. Getzendanner to the position of Law Committee Chair and to the Finance Committee, both involving a high level of public trust.
•  Tuesday night, Mr. Bomgaars revealed that Judge Beglin found the eye witness testimony undeniable.
• Astonishingly, Mr. Bomgaars informed the public that his remedy for this egregious bad behavior was to hold an ethics retreat, at additional taxpayer’s expense, for the entire Common Council in the near future.

Here are four questions that occur to me and perhaps to you:

• With three eye witnesses to the Getzendanner allegation, why did Summit taxpayers need to spend up to $5,000 to have Judge Beglin corroborate the allegation?
• Out of an abundance of caution, why didn’t Mr. Bomgaars postpone his power of appointment to Council committees until he knew the outcome of the Beglin report?
• How will the Beglin report impact Summit’s insurance costs?  Will Summit’s premiums go up or down when the insurance company is negotiating the renewal of our policy with a Common Council that includes Mr. Getzendanner?
• Most importantly, now that the Beglin report has confirmed the wrongdoing, WHY HASN’T PRESIDENT BOMGAARS DEMANDED MR. GETZENDANNER’s RESIGNATION?
 
–Opinion by T. Brett Haire