Dear Editor:
In my ongoing efforts to dispute Mayor Gonnelli’s “zero” rating of my accomplishments, as I promised I would whenever an occasion would come up, I submit the following.
At the last council meeting (July 24) as I was citing a few of my many accomplishments while serving Secaucus, (15 years as a Board of Education trustee, 5 years as a Housing Authority Commissioner), Deputy Mayor John Bueckner for reasons best known to him, made the following statement. “Now that would have been an accomplishment.” Some background to inform you readers is needed to understand the circumstances that lead to Bueckner’s statement. Permit me to explain.
Something came up during the meeting that gave me a second opportunity to address the council. It had to do with this meeting being televised. I told the mayor and council how happy I was with the council meetings being televised. Reminding them that if they checked my record, I was the one constantly hammering Team Elwell majority to do so.
My battles with John Shinnick, Elwell’s designated councilman (who was assigned to stonewall my efforts) is a matter of record. So, in essence, I was claiming this as another one of my accomplishments. I also informed them of my failed efforts over the years to have Board of Education meetings televised. That is when Deputy Mayor John Bueckner’ made this statement? “Now’ that would have been an accomplishment.” Was that statement intended to minimize or discredit my accomplishments that I had called to the attention of the mayor and council that night? It definitely was not a complement.
However, his statement, whatever his intent, has now motivated me to renew my crusade to have Board of Education meetings televised, and I intend to do so at the Aug. 30 board meeting. Will this be one more accomplishments that I can boast about, at a later date?
Time will tell.
Tom Troyer
Former Board Trustee