What's wrong with this picture?

I find it ironic that our former mayor, Sally Rinker, couldn’t make a decision without always conferring with a few select people to help her make decisions on policy etc. Although she didn’t always follow the good advice, she still continued to ask them for help when running for the mayor’s position three years ago. During Ms. Rinker’s mayoral campaign, she stated to me a few times that she wanted $120,000 a year in salary. Now she is “working behind the scenes” to make sure our present mayor, Vic Marotta, doesn’t get a raise for the full-time position as mayor. She is currently working directly in opposition to these same good people by pre-emptively undermining their first-class ideas and generally bad mouthing our mayor et al. What’s wrong with this picture? Is this sour grapes on her part?

Additionally Ms. Rinker has “jumped the gun” with the possible purchase of Camp Sussex. What homebuyer first has a home inspection and then negotiates a price on a house? She is putting the cart before the horse. Our mayor was given authority to only negotiate a price on Camp Sussex, not to purchase it. It is a given the township attorney and Township Council will make sure all appropriate tests are done before the sale of the camp is completed. How can you be against a proposal before all the facts are in? Ms. Rinker, Steve and MaryEllen Vichiconti, and a number of others are actively circulating a petition against a Town Council vote on Camp Sussex without having any facts. What’s worse, they are misrepresenting the facts and misleading people into signing their petition. Ask the people that live around Camp Sussex what they think is presently happening on the camp property. Ask them whether they would want the township to take over the property so our police force could regulate the activities on the camp grounds. I believe they are very much in favor of a change of ownership of Camp Sussex.

I am tired of the same crew of people screaming against that which they were formerly in favor. Our mayor and council have reduced township taxes, resolved many issues that were hanging around for years and have used our tax dollars wisely. You may not agree with all of our local government’s decisions, but overall they have done Vernon proud. When will Ms. Rinker and her followers just stop the underhanded and hateful talk about the people they formerly admired and respected?

Phyllis Pfeifer
Vernon