Politics & Government

Letter: Mayor, Town Officials and Volunteers Busy Following Sandy

Letter to the editor submitted by Manchester Mayor Michael Fressola

The following was authored by Manchester Mayor Michael Fressola in response to questions a reader posed to him in a recent letter to the editor.

To Manchester Patch:

An individual using the phony name "Manchester Man" commented about my letter you published on 11/11/12. Let me address each and every one of his comments.

Find out what's happening in Manchesterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

He questioned why I indicated that I was a republican. The answer is very obvious. Even though I am a Republican, I resent the local Republican Club interfering in our nonpartisan election.

I will be happy to tell this individual that despite the loss of power, I was in Town Hall every day of the three days we were without power, meeting with our Police Chief and our leader of our Office of Emergency Management and his aide, consulting on all the moves we needed to make to handle all the anticipated problems. After that, I helped on a very regular basis setting up our FEMA and Red Cross distribution center, where we handled thousands of gallons of water, food, ice and blankets that were distributed to needy residents in all of northern Ocean County, with the help of many dedicated volunteers. Where were you "Manchester Man"? In addition, I handled hundreds of phone calls from residents needing help. The distribution center is still open as I write this.

Find out what's happening in Manchesterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"You wonder what the Manchester government is actually doing." I suggest you take a ride with our Police Department or our Public Works Department or our Office of Emergency Management or spend some time volunteering at our distribution center at the Manchester First Aid building on Colonial Drive.

I don’t go to Council meetings because under our form of government the mayor has no input in Council business. Our government is modeled after the federal government. The President does not go to Congress or Senate meetings unless invited.

Route 70 is a state controlled road and Route 571 is a county road, neither is under the Township control. Every effort we have made to improve safety on this intersection has fallen on deaf ears.

I sincerely hope I answered your questions and concerns. If not, why not stop hiding behind phony names and schedule a meeting and come into Town Hall and confront me. My door is open.

Michael Fressola
Mayor, Manchester 


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