Marotta welcomes challenge

By Nathan Mayberg
VERNON — As a contentious mayoral race brews in Vernon, with two announced challengers to Mayor Victor Marotta, the sitting mayor says he is ready to face them.

"I am willing to meet anywhere, any place to a monitored debate," Marotta said on Tuesday.

Former mayor Sally Rinker and former deputy mayor Harry Shortway, who both ran unsuccessfully in the 2011 mayor's race which Marotta won, announced recently they are running again.

"I welcome Mrs. Rinker and Mr. Shortway to the election and I wish everyone involved good luck," Marotta said.

Rinker, who Township Clerk Lauren Kirkman confirmed handed in her petition Wednesday morning, said she has already called for debates and looks forward to them.

"It's pertinent that we have a debate and a real debate that will define the issues between the candidates," Rinker said.

Marotta defended his record against attacks by both candidates in their recent announcements while saying "I hope that this campaign will remain issue-oriented."

The mayor said he hopes there will be an avoidance of the "type of character assassinations that have been a part of campaigns in Vernon in the past."

Marotta responded to Rinker's calls in her announcement for a "truthful, respectful and transparent government," by saying "Vernon taxpayers and residents already have a truthful, respectful and transparent government."

Rinker scoffed at that suggestion by accusing Marotta of having "rolled back the hands of time" in terms of transparency.

She referenced a voter referendum that she supported to stop raises proposed by Marotta.

After voters rejected them, she said Marotta handed out performance bonuses to employees.

Rinker filed a lawsuit to stop the bonuses. A judge ruled the bonuses null and void but did not require the bonuses to be paid back to the town.

Rinker also objected to the way meetings are run in the town by saying meetings are held with "no debate, no discussion."

She accused Marotta of taking the bills list off the agendas and not responding to requests for reports.

"Marotta's idea of transparency is different than everybody else's," Rinker said.

Marotta questioned Rinker intends to increase revenue in the town, as she appeared to state in her election announcement.

Marotta responded to statements by Shortway calling for a forensic audit into town finances by saying the town's books are audited every year and that the calls for an audit "implies something that is non-existent."

Marotta suggested that Shortway should fund such a forensic audit.

Shortway said the forensic audit should be funded by the town.

"Government does cost money to run," he said.

Shortway said it would be different than the audits the town has been getting each year.

"We want to know where everything is," Shortway said.

Shortway said he has read the town's audits online for the last four or five years, but has not accused the town government of misappropriating funds.

In response to Shortway's questioning of the hiring of more than 20 new employees since 2011, Marotta said those workers include the replacement of employees who have left. They also include the hiring of part-time workers to replace full-time employees, with the amount of hours being worked are similar to when he took office.