Dear Editor:
During the town council meeting on December 17, Mayor Barberio questioned my motives for attending town council meetings. The answer is obvious, I am concerned about the direction Parsippany is moving in and I have the right to speak.
Many years ago I first met you at a mutual friend’s house when you were first running for office. Dr. Weisberg asked me to come and meet you because he thought you had good ideas for Parsippany. I admit that I liked what you had to say back then and I even voted for you twice. However, since then, you have changed, when I see you at council meetings I do not recognize the person I met many years ago. Mr. Mayor, you need to take a look in the mirror. You now act as a bully at council meetings which is easy to do when you always have the last word and only answer questions that you choose to address. The other questions often go unanswered or the famous “we will get back to you on that” reply is your answer. Most replies never come or are repeatedly postponed. So yes it is easy to look smart when no follow-up questions are permitted even when you pose a question to residents in attendance or make comments about their motives.
So please do not attempt to imply that I am going to meetings for any reason other than the fact that I am a concerned resident. Situations within Parsippany have changed as they do elsewhere, that is why I attend the council meetings when the opportunity allows me to do so. I have been upfront with my opposition regarding PILOT Programs, however, that does not make me a bad person or that I am wrong. Mr. Mayor was the amount of residents that turned out on December 28, 2023, to say they were against the PILOTS lost on you?
As for your stated intentions of being a regular guest on the Bill Spadia talk show and then later stating your door was open for discussions seems disingenuous to me. If you have time to speak on the radio whenever given the opportunity, why was I told your calendar was booked solid for the next three months? This happened about eighteen to twenty-two months ago. You didn’t have fifteen spare minutes for three months?
In closing, do not vilify others who challenge you on things in your agenda. We also have the best interests of Parsippany in mind. Simply because you have lived in town forever does not mean others do not have better ideas than you, and it certainly does not entitle you to a lifetime job as mayor.
Richard Suarez
