Mendham Mayor Responds to Cyber Bullying
Mendham Boro Mayor Neil Henry weighs in on Facebook page alleging misrepresentation.
At the July 16 meeting of the Mendham Borough Mayor and Council, Mayor Neil Henry responded to a request to hear persons present on the regional school feasibility study. At the conclusion of the evening, Henry polled his council and it was unanimously decided they would stay the course with the three options, including the contested "mega" K-12 they decided on last month.
Four days later, a Facebook page called "Neil Henry Does Not Care About His Constituents" was launched. The first post stated:
"At his 7/16/2012 Mendham Borough Council Meeting, the vast, vast majority of Mayor Neil Henry's constituents voiced opposition to including the single, K-12 mega-district in the proposed feasibility study for the West Morris Regional High School District. At the same meeting, Mayor Henry orchestrated a council vote in favor of including the K-12 mega-district within the study. Neil Henry does not care about his constituents. Please share any comments you have made during council meetings or conversations you have had with Mayor Henry that have clearly fallen upon deaf ears."
Several follow up posts calling for residents to speak out went unanswered, but Henry responded with a statement to Patch.
"I am elected to serve all residents and business owners of Mendham Borough, openly and honestly. I've served as a councilman for six years and Mayor for almost six and have always made myself available to anybody who would like to share their opinions with me, either in person, over the telephone or via email. Mendham Borough is not a big town so its easy to find me.
People who have reached out for me over the years can certainly vouch for my accessibility. I remain open to speak with anybody on any issue at any time and would encourage anybody who wants to speak with me, to contact me directly rather than hiding anonymously behind a facebook page or a post on the Mendham-Chester Patch. Anonymous facebook pages and blogs are cowardly acts and do not deserve any type of response or attention from anybody, at anytime."
So what do you think? Did Mayor Henry listen to his constituents?
cv
2:44 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
I guarantee CBS and Arrington Nation started that hate Facebook page.
Domino
3:06 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
I think Mayor Henry is a fair-minded individual who listens to the people of his community and tries to do the best for everyone. It is almost impossible to believe that an adult set up the facebook page that attempts to smear him. The end result is that instead of convincing the other communities that their point of view is the most beneficial for all 5 towns, Mendham Township continues to alienate every other governing body in the regional district. That facebook page has the handiwork of Button and Cioppettini written all over it.
cv
7:05 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
@Domino I really believe thats what the Mendham Township folks want. If this keeps up and they won't allow the studies to move forward nothing will ever change around here except that CBS can continue to b***h about WT not paying enough. How immature ure as to set up a Facebook page like that.
Walter White
9:28 am on Friday, July 27, 2012
Our thoughts: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Neil-Henry-Does-Not-Care-About-His-Constituents/261669153949040?ref=hl
Harvey
10:43 am on Friday, July 27, 2012
The "vast, vast majority" to which the anonymous coward refers is five people from Mendham Boro. Most people who came to the meeting were from outside the Boro.
Sam Fairchild
11:55 am on Friday, July 27, 2012
It is patently ludicrous to think that Neil Henry is tone deaf to his constituents. It is equally ridiculous to conclude that the goons who set up the totally misleading Facebook page have any interest in helping the people of the Mendhams or the Chesters. These guys know full well that any solution to the education funding allocation problem can only be solved (1) in Trenton with a change to the 1971 law that created the problem in the first place, or (2) in full cooperation with the fine people of Washington Township. Therefore their efforts to ignore the Trenton path and alienate the people of Washington Township clearly prove that they have other intentions. Disruption usually is a ploy to distract attention. All of us must ask ourselves "away from what?" Long live Neil Henry! (And that is from a resident of Mendham Township who believes all of the goons behind CBS are fully toxic to the well being of our communities)
cv
12:15 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
Yeah Sam Fairchild!!!!!! .
Harvey
5:49 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
The poll itself shows what a sick joke this Facebook page is. 10 for, 3 against. Oh yes. A vast, vast majority. Clearly, citizens are clamoring for what CBS says they want. Pathetic. Sam Fairchild's assessment is on target.
Linda Alexander
11:30 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
Thanks Sam for voicing what many are thinking and may be afraid to post - if you are NOT afraid, post away! Let's hear from the rational voices in our wonderful FIVE communities and drive out the sick, pathetic, frightening voices of CBS, Jamie Button, and any of their followers. We have never learned what exactly CBS and followers are afraid of, except possibly having contact with, oh my goodness, people from Washington Township! I would love to hear from Arrington, Button, Ciopettini, Donato, et al as to what their issue is exactly. They have finally gotten what they wanted - a committee formed to fund a feasibility study - and now, guess what? They don't want it, it seems. Irrational, crazy, ludicrous - dismissed!
Rich Krieg
9:21 am on Sunday, July 29, 2012
In the past I have often been on the other side of issues with Mr. Fairchild and Ms Alexander. I am pleased to agree with them both here. What are we afraid of in a truly objective study. As in the past I see Mr. Henry's detractors behaving like children. If I can't pick the team I am going to take the ball and go home. Typical of cowardly bullies. If this is going to go forward we need an all encompassing study. How else will we be able to make an informed decision.
cv
9:41 am on Sunday, July 29, 2012
As a WT resident it is so nice to know that we really arent hated by our neighboors. I moved here 2 years ago and fed into the fact that CBS spoke for our neighboors. It is nice to know we all want change . Lets band together to rid our beautiful towns of hate and discontent.