How Many More Debacles Do We Need in Our Town?

At the October 13 meeting, the Township Attorney disclosed foreclosure proceedings against the former Vonage property. That jaw-dropping announcement demands answers: what financial due diligence did the mayor and the township do before agreeing to the Vonage redevelopment plan?

Residents questioned the Vonage developer’s finances, wastewater plans and sewer extension. With foreclosure proceedings now reported, what financial and environmental due diligence justified the Township Committee’s decisions? Why did residents have to hire their own experts to demand answers about wastewater risks that the Township should have addressed from the start?

The Bell Works Data Center application raises an even harder question. The applicant’s attorney now says the Township Committee reviewed the data center’s ‘Test Fit’ in November 2025 and confirmed its consistency with the redevelopment plan. The applicant now invokes that finding despite the planning board’s engineer’s objections about the footprint. What scrutiny supported that Township’s endorsement, and why wait eight months to introduce a ban?

JCP&L says it coordinated with Township officials. Why were residents left demanding answers after giant poles appeared? Who was responsible for ensuring residents were informed before construction began?

Why trumpet $21 million in school support by combining past tax receipts, road infrastructure spending and distant projections? Where was the honest accounting?

Then there is the mayor’s article invoking his official title while promoting favored BOE candidates and criticizing a challenger in a nonpartisan election. Where is the ethical judgment in blurring the line between municipal leadership and school board campaigning?

Leadership is not marketing or sleight of hand when problems surface. It means being ethical and doing the right thing for the town through sound planning, due diligence and transparency.

When we vote, we must elect leaders capable of delivering that.

“…nothing but the highest integrity is required of those who serve in government.”

— Ronald Reagan.

Prakash Santhana

Former Holmdel Deputy Mayor