republicans on fed level blocking, and debt limit increase every penny even for middle class tax cut...local repubs bond bond bond..never thought i'd say it...wheres the tea party?

This should be budgeted not Bonded, These guys just skirted the entire budget process and coincidentally held their meeting at 2 pm on a friday before New Years Eve. Hell, has a spot waiting for you....

In 14 minutes, that's how long the Meeting lasted, the Committee spent $2.1 million dollars. Mr. Breeden sounded like a person who was once in charge of our School system. That person talked about "free money", which turned out to cost the Taxpayer millions. The same will happen here. Lenny, by voting no, gave the Mayor a chance to do the right thing, that is vote NO. He could have forced the Committee to divide the bond for equipment only, but as his last act as Mayor, he did the wrong thing for Barnegat Taxpayers. So I guess, the beat goes on....

Wow! it just gets better all the Time. Mis Management from top to bottom!

The BPD is mismanaged when it comes to buying equipment. What Chief would allow their officers to drive cars with high millage. 1 that is interested with feathering his own cap. The wasting of manpower used to get National Accreditation is an example when they already had state accreditation which is enough because its patterned after state policies and laws. How do you expect an Officer to remember 470 policies and procedures. Most police Officers rely on instinct and common sense. Now, they have to say wait, and look up the proper procedure before they act. The Patrol Officers are the most important part of the PD, Yet the Detectives are paid more and are handpicked, They don't get take home cars,

Every one of you has a good and important point. And the only way this will change is if WE change it.

Mike Howard lost by a mere 11 votes. We had a man whose head was on straight. A man who served us all as a brave cop but yet the township bought the tripe offered up by his opponent.

Mr. Melchiondo and Mr. Cirulli will be out of the starting gate following tomorrow's reorganization meeting. WE need to stop them if tax stabilization is to become a reality. The history of these two on the committee must be exposed and not allowed to be swept under the rug. They have cost us all a ton of money and they have helped lower our property values by making Barnegat one of the highest taxed towns in all of NJ. Wow, what a claim to fame that is!

Mike Howard, I am talking to YOU. YOU MUST run again. Do not sit on the fence. Come out swinging without delay. Rally the voices you hear on these pages as your support team. There is much work to be done.

Mr. Howard, Barnegat needs you on the committee. You WILL make a difference.

Please run.

When a town budget is at or beyond its survivable limit, the correct decision is to stop all unnecessary expenditure. The town management has clearly indicated that we are in a severe economic state due to a variety of factors. These include the lack of State support, claims of tax loss due to assessment appeals, rising population and last but not least expenditures on fun but unneeded town events and fluff. To claim that the need to bond for “routine” expenses such as keeping up our fleet of vehicles shows a lack of prudent use of our limited resources. The fact that we have a relatively low town debt does not justify going on a spending binge to solve our problem.

They're learning the Federal Budget method of spending!
Gas Guzzling SUVs for everyone!
Ladder trucks for the safety of all the Skyscrapers in Barnegat!
Close the moldy school and put the savings into the budget we obviously don't need it anyhow eliminated the Principal, Asst Principal, all the staff and level the building. You'll save a ton of $$$
Someone needs to look into the crooks putting the taxpayers deeper in debt. Anyone out there work for the Attorney Generals office, we seriously need to look into this obsurdity that's takes place here, on a REGULAR basis! I can't believe that this is all legal.
I look forward to the day the bunch of them get lead out in handcuffs.

Well DPCK, can you or anyone else on the fire dept handle the equipment Mr light body has called into question? A very fair one at that.
I support the men and woman on the fire department but as they themselves are taxpayers do we REALLY NEED to spend this money at this time?
That's the point he was making and can easily be proved , Right?
The missing radios and gear are chump change compared to cost of a questionable need for a $900k truck.
But again, we need to insure the safety of those in all the skyscrapers here in Barnegat.

John B Taxpayer, Why would I want to handle Fire Equip ? I am not a firefighter so I have no reason to handle such equip, Right ? All my information comes from years of being a Media Reporter (now retired). Consider this as well...... The condo's located on the bay sitting atop wooden pylons catch fire during a Nor'easter. If you own one of them condo's do YOU want to wait for a piece of apparatus to respond from another town ?

It's about spending money we don't have. Period.

The township had a meeting open to the publics comment and questions on 12/19 at 7 pm . At that time questions about the need for aerial apparatus and related equiptment could have been answered. As for Mr lightbody , I wont disparage him in this forum but will say this while he was member of the barnegat fire co ,did he object to this truck then . I will let the audience drawthere conclusion to sush a question. Thank you all

Horizontal reach is just as important as height. Scrub area and usable apparatus footprint are also key factors. Mr Lightbody being a experienced firefighter as your are you should also be very well aware of how fast flashovers occur,but if your not sure i will tell you . Flashovers can occur from as soon as 2 minutes into the fires progression, that doesnt give us a very large window of opportunity to get to the second or third floor for purpose of rescuing a trapped occupant. We can all rest assured Sir, that in the event it was one of your loved ones trapped you wouldnt want to wait for neigboring towns to arrive on scene. When you disparage people publicly it shows your ignorance to the real issues,and your agenda shines through

I agree.... thank you to the BFD! I have family members that are firefighter and I think they're crazy but God bless those who do it!
But the politics of bonding vs budgeting is Just WRONG, as simple as that.

Mr Eric Tomas it is our great pleasure to provide your family,as well as all of the other residents and its familys in this township the best service we all can provide to you. Like i said in a previous comment i will not allow our fire company or any other fire or ems orginazation,that the ranks are made up of very hard working men and women to be verbaly abused by digruntalled former members. Volunteer firefighters have state required classes including (basic firefighter one) that class alone is 160 hours long not to mention the incident command classes and tactic and strategies classes. All of which are very long classes requiring many hours . Those hours of training up at the academy are also volunteer hours , that doesnt included monthly drills and such . In conclusion,i will reiterate disgruntalled former members will quite frankly stop at nothing to promote there personal vendetta. I will also take this opportunity to thank the township for its support and hard work this year and look foward to working with everyone again for another awesome year in 2012 . Happy new year to all of our residents and we hope you have a healthy and prosperous year !!

According to a professional Fire Chief with 43 years experience in an urban area, a "quint" is the proper equipment that should be bought by the BFD. It's a combination fire truck and pumper which is more then adequate for Barnegat.

Correction a Quint is a combination ladder and pumper fire truck. You can purchase the ladders according to the heights that you need to successfully fight a fire. The Fire Dept. in Barnegat is great asset. A pis Fire Dept. would be an economic disaster for Barnegat.

Reply to Jerry Harper: aren't you part of the GOP Org. that put these guys in?

Mike Howard: you were very good at the debates, but you have to stand up at Council Meetings and state your views. You could beat these 2 GOP candidates if you get a good running mate in 2012.

As a Home Owner, I fully Support the Passing of the Bond. Our Firefighters an Police, Need the proper Equipment to do the jobs. Also the other depts. need there equipment also. HORRAY ! ! ! As for the meeting vote: It was anounced at the last public township meeting. As a special meeting for the sole purpose of voting the Bond. If everything, that is listed in the Bond = was in the regular township Budjet. All You Self Centered Heckling Sad People = would Cry, Complain, ETC. Anyway. You all are truely very sad people. Sell your Houses and move back to where you came from.

Mr. Mugs preceding message was brought to you by Cirulli/Melchiondo 2012. "Doing more with more". You poor people who will be losing your house and healthcare this year are "Self Centered Heckling Sad People", "Cry, Complain", "Sell your Houses". Boss Cirulli now runs this town so pay up, shut up, our move out! Thank you for your support.

If anyone is twisting and perverting other people's somments, it is Mr. Mug.

The focal point here is the failure of the township to adequately budget for its' needs. Please do not laud Mr. Breeden. Were he as competent as you would have others believe then bonding would be minimal instead of a seemingly routine way of doing business.

Discussing the affairs of a town is not chronic crying and complaining. Underscoring shortsightedness and poor business decisions is a manifestation of civic responsibility. Your cacophony of attempted ridicule is simply silly.

None of the five wise men on the committee are new kids on the block. And their mediocre track records and tap dancing to the cadence of the boss system are what have made Barnegat a tax collector's orgy.

REALLY. you do make me Laugh. OK, what ever.

Mr. Thomas, I find the heartless comments of Mr. Mug disturbing. If this the way the new Mirage run Township thinks you are quite right when you say " Welcome to Barneghetto". Also, what happened to the comments made by Mr. Lightbody?

I enjoy Mr. Mug. His comments are entertaining. If he ever switches from his vitriol to fact-based rebuttals, perhaps he could be taken with seriousness. But that won't happen.

I, too, am curious as concerns Mr. Lightbody. He raised some scathing allegations. However, lacking probative factual support, they remain just that - allegations.

Barnegat is a town headed for trouble. Property values will be sluggish to rise from the cellar. And, as home foreclosures rise and there are fewer to pay taxes, the cost burden on those remaining will, most certainly, increase.

As 2012 begins, coffee mug in-hand, in Barneghetto.

I guess if you complain about what someone writes they take it down. So i guess the truth hurts and they had it removed. It is funny because if i said i was for the truck i would be a good ole guy. But a ladder truck needs a 35 foot distance from the building to the road where the ladder goes. Now drive in settlers and show me a road where you can fit a pumper and a ladder truck down and set it up at the same time without cars and trucks on bothsides of the road. If truck is not set up right it will cause major damage to the ladder. And yes if your that worried about what i said just ask me in person. I will not post anymore on here. I stand by the truth and my remarks sorry. I am not against anyone here but the truth is that i was asked to leave because i wanted to write up several firefighters for misconduct stemming from numorous charges but the chief finds that if they are yes men and from the main station an officer from the sub station has nothing to say. And what i heard on the scanner the other day proves the chief is working and commanding fires while on duty on his other job in town and getting credit for it. Now how does one do that and does not answer calls during the night? fOR ANY QUESTIONS LOOK ME UP

AS FAR AS CHUMP CHANGE FOR OTHER EQUIPMENT IF THEY DID NOT DAMAGE OR URINATE IN THE BOOTS AND OTHER THINGS USED BY MEMBERS THEY DID NOT LIKE AND WAS FORCING OUT YOU WOULD NOT NEED TO REPLACE IT. THE DAMAGE AND TAMPERING WITH THE PERSONAL FIREFIGHTING GEAR WAS SO BAD AT THE SUB STATION THEY PUT CAMERA'S IN THERE AND THEY STOLE THEM. THE RADIOS ARE NOT CHUMP CHANGE EITHER. LIKE I SAID DON'T THINK YOU KNOW IT ALL UNLESS YOU LIVE IT. THESE ARE THINGS THAT COULD BE CONTROLLED IF YOU HAD FIREMEN AND NOT BOYS IN A MANS JOB.

Why are comments being removed from the Patch? I just received a notice that some of Mr. Lightbody's comments were talen down and I myself have found no problem with his Free Speech. If he lied in his posts, then prove he did. I didn't see any curse words in his posts, so what's the problem? As far as I can tell, the Constitution is alive and well and hanging out in Barnegat, or did I miss something?

MR. HOWARD,
I TOLD THE TRUTH SIR. AS YOU KNOW WHEN YOU TELL THE TRUTH THEY CRY FOUL. BUT THATS OKAY I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE. AND AS FOR FIREFIGHTER TRUCKIE1219 I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE RECORDS OF ALL THE FIRE TRAINING THEY HAVE DONE? I DID NOT KNOW AND YOU MAY SEE FOR YOURSELF ON TUESDAY NIGHTS AS JOE PUBLIC A BROWN PAPER BAG BEING CARRIED INTO A FIRE HOUSE ON THAT NIGHT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A DRILL OR TRAINING NIGHT. MANY TIMES THE NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREET. COMPLAIN AT 1-2-3 AM ABOUT LOUD ABUSIVE LANGUAGE COMING FROM THERE. I HOPE TRUCKIE1219 IS NOT THE FIREMEN THAT DRIVES A TRACTOR TRAILER AND SAYS HE IS A TRUCKIE LADDER MAN. BECAUSE HE WAS TOSSED OUT OF SEVERAL FIRE COMPANIES AND WHAT HIS OTHER PART DID I WOULD BE ASHAMED TO COMMENT OR SHOW MY FACE IN TWN AND TO BRAG ABOUT IT I FEEL SORRY FOR YOU AND YOUR KIDS. IF YOU ARE WHO I THINK YOU ARE.. SEE THEY EVEN BRAG ABOUT THEIR ACTS I DON'T NEED TO LIE. LMAO...

MR HOWARD CONTACT ME ANYTIME

If this man is right why are we rubber stamping the waste of taxpayer money?
Can't someone investigate this and stop the stupidity?

Who in town hall is qualified to know what the right equipment need is? Where are they getting these recomendations?
It's long overdue, the NJ Attorney Generals Office needs look at what's going on here, to the point that there is so much cronyism and a real likelihood of criminal wrongdoing going on here.
I suspect someone is profiting on these deals!

Mr. Lightbody u r correct Truckie1219 is the man who drives the tracter trailer

Dennis,
i can show you articles and other facts of when i ran for fire commissioner in Toms River and it will show you on how on the mark i was with theem years ago. the equipment abuse, duplication of fire trucks, hiden money for conventions and alot of things that was later learned in an audit that was done after i said and wrote all this down. It is also a fact that when you call these men out they get abusive and throw you out of a service that is needed for a community not for a country club setting. I will be the first to admit i have a big mouth but when you see the abuse don't ignore it do something about it. And i promised myself i would and do it right with truth, facts and concrete evidence like i always collect. Yes i know truckie he knows his stuff to an extent but it is for the satisfaction of his friends there. He complained about how he hates cops and they all stick and how he was thrown out of 4 different fire companies because he thought he was chief before he went through school and wanted to drive and operate lakewoods ladder truck but they laughed at him and threw him out. So the other things he com[plained about at the fire house like the drinking answering calls drunk and told me as an officer i should do something so i did and i was asked to leave.

And to think the chief up holds the law. i know i am right with all the negitive feed back like in Toms River. I told you i have nothing to hide and hide i will not... Chris grow a set and be a man your a officer now and you do not act like one and should not speak out of turn when your an offender of the wrong you complained about to me... thaank you and hope to answer more questions..

Who's gonna drop a dime to the Attorney Generals Office?
25 Market Street Trenton, NJ 08611-2148
(609) 292-4925
Chris Christie built his reputation over this kind of abuse/corruption.
I think this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Taxpayer Revolt!
These people will spend you into the poor house!

Good for you Mr Lightbody!
Bullies can push only so hard, before it's their turn!
Town hall has reached that point of abusing taxpayer money.
Hope the Patch is there when somebody is led out in handcuffs!

PLAY BALL!

Apparently there's more the someone peeing in their boots.
The fact of skirting the budget process and burdening us with unknown expenses is what's going on here, Thanks to Mike howard, for pointing out the way these people are going "around" the way they spend our money. Like ball parks new school buildings and Police and fire vehicles. All of which should have been budgeted NOT Bonded! All looks like a gift from the heavens when it's the work of the Devil!

It seems as though one side of the story is being told about incidents involving the Barnegat Fire Company.
the call that is being referred to is this...The driver of the truck and his crew were accused by Mr Lightbody as being drunk. This complaint was made before it was even known at the fire scene who was on the truck. The fireman driving is a 30 yr respected member of the fire company whose strongest drink is coca cola. His crew had not been drinking either. The police did respond to the firehouse after the fire call and questioned the member and deemed the complaint as unfounded. As far as being 2 miles away from the call..this is an exaggeration. The GPS unit in the fire truck showed a connecting street to the address of the call...2 blocks away but that street was a paper street. The yelling over the radio was from the officer on scene.. Mr Lightbody was not told by the chief to leave the company. That can't be done by one person. There are guidelines for that action and proper channels must be gone threw. It is a positive thing that the chief is sometimes in the position as a police officer to be able to inform the fire company of the status of a call before they get there and are able to take over the call. The chief does not drive or operate the fire trucks...many have and still do but their job is to run the fire scene.
Thank you to the people of Barnegat who support the Fire Company. They might not be perfect...noone is..but they are dedicated to serving .

They original thread was about Paying for these vehicles not the people that operate them. The only ones not speaking here is the people that pulled this little stunt to begin with.
And secondly do we REALLY need this type of firetruck?

Funny how the editor banned and removed all of Mr. Lightbodys comments while nothing is done when when a different poster on other stories made criminal accusations against someone (and used their name). This same poster then used vulgar language and even that did not result in action by the editor. Mr. Lightbody you were not treated with a consistent, fair editorial policy. Actions much worst are condoned here. It would seem that if you speak out about anything regarding the township you will be removed, but if you attack the BOE (the current enemy of those in power) and make false criminal charges against them, that is ok with the Barnegat Patch. These are indeed sad times for Barnegat.

"Budget and save, do not bond and borrow, no matter how low the interest rate."