Concerning Morgan vs the Mayor, I’d like to ask some questions that would help clarify this disheartening situation for me. I believe that most of us would benefit from gaining more information rather than the cloudy spins we’ve been getting repeatedly from both sides. Here are my questions:
1. For Morgan: What information was needed by you that the mayor did not divulge? What was the vote on?
2. For the Mayor: Why didn’t you supply the information requested?
3. For Morgan: What is “a reasonable amount of time?” A month? 6 months?
Historically, how often are requests made by council to the mayor, where the mayor has a history of not supplying the requested information? Is this an anomaly or business as usual?
Mitch Brodsky
West Windsor
Reporter Cara Latham asked each of the litigants to respond.
Morgan, in response to question No. 1: “One request, never answered, was whether the Mayor would receive from Department Heads zero-based budget submittals, as well as the alternative scenarios discussed at the October 21 [2009] Council meeting during the statutorily mandated budget meetings held shortly thereafter. Without that information, it was impossible to make an informed vote regarding the Mayor’s budget proposal and the implications of budget cuts.
“The CFO called one of my budget suggestions illegal. The Mayor has admitted in a sworn statement that he has ignored my request for a citation to that law.”
Morgan, in response to question No. 3: “Days or weeks, depending on the availability of the information.
“Ignoring Council requests was business as usual before the lawsuit. Requests are no longer ignored, but responses often contain material misrepresentations of fact.”
Hsueh, in response to question No. 2: “During Councilman Morgan’s unsuccessful campaign for Mayor in 2009, he brought criminal charges against Councilwoman Geevers and me which were found to be without merit by the prosecutor. He then attempted to file his own criminal complaint, which a judge rejected.
“Every year, the Administration receives numerous requests from Council for information. Those requests are either answered at Council meetings or in writing by the Business Administrator. Mr. Morgan has demanded that, once a written request is made, then the Mayor alone must answer in writing. It is an absurd construction of the law which has led the Court to dismiss that lawsuit not once, but twice.
“Mr. Morgan has been a council member for over 12 years and it is only now, since losing the mayoral election that he complains of not receiving timely information.”
