The Council’s Veiled Threats

We Will Just Throw You Out Of Your Home

We (The Council and Administration) have privately discussed THROWING YOU OUT OF YOUR HOME since you don’t have a CO (certificate of occupancy) and then we would just fix it as we see fit.

Jon Schwartz

After filming the Council Workshop Meeting on October 10th, 2019, I was approached by a fellow “Sea Brighter” and Council member, Jon Schwartz. Up until this day, I had never met or spoken with Mr. Schwartz. That changed, as we rode together in the elevator. He introduced himself and stated that he was glad to have the opportunity to speak with me alone.

For a moment, that part of me that always believes in the good of others, thought to give him a chance. He seemed sincere. After the prerequisite niceties, I was able to boil his point of view regarding 8 Center Street down to his following (and I paraphrase) statements that:

• We got screwed by the builder
• We got screwed by the engineering firm
• Only one councilman got screwed by the engineer
• We got screwed by the town
• We got screwed by all of the lawyers
• T&M told him it would cost only 70K to repair our house. They did “not” tell him that, of the three contractors they had provide bids, the one they chose was almost 50% less than each of the other two more qualified bidders.
• The town is completely unwilling to pay for the repairs themselves
• The town is completely unwilling to compensate us for the damages they caused us
• The Council and The Borough feel no responsibility towards us
• They feel that they are on the legal “high ground” and that any action they take is a “favor” to us
• They feel “NO MORAL” responsibility, or at least any that would expose them financially
• We should take anything they offer us and move on with our lives
• We should move out of Sea Bright
• We (The Council and Administration) have privately discussed THROWING YOU OUT OF YOUR HOME since you don’t have a CO (certificate of occupancy), and then we would just fix it as we see fit
• I’m only on Council til the end of my term and I’d like to “HELP” you

Of course! What did I expect? Something other than a politician? All of his positions fly in the “face” of just doing what is right. Who does the Borough and its Council represent? It certainly has never been us. All of this “here in Sea Bright we love our neighbors,” Kumbaya talk is just “LipService” followed by predictable political “photo ops” (posts or tweets).

He related a story about his father that was intended to guide us from our foolishness. Telling how his father would spend a small fortune to prove a penny point. I responded that some injustices are so egregious, so outrageous, that you have to stand up for what is right, even if it means martyrdom. This sensibility fell on his deafer than my ears.

So Mr. Schwartz, Council and Administration, just keep conspiring to remove us from our home. It’s as though your first shot at destroying our lives wasn’t damaging enough, you need another bite at that poison fruit.

May the “Schwartz” be with you — or not (Mel is rolling over in his coffin, or at least clutching onto his will)!