Dear Editor:
By now, many of you have probably seen or heard about the Mayor’s recent accusations against me. Apparently, I was judged, accused, and removed based not on evidence, not on a direct conversation with me, and not on any verified statement—but on what amounts to “allegations of allegations.”
I want to tell you directly and unequivocally: nothing could be further from the truth. I did not make the disparaging statements being attributed to me. Period.
If you are going to publicly attack someone’s reputation after decades of service to this community, you should have something more substantial than political gossip and “someone told me that someone heard Frank say something.” That is not due diligence—that is hearsay.
I have lived in Parsippany for 60 years. I have served this community in many capacities—as a volunteer, a Board of Education member and President, a Council member, and a participant on numerous local boards and committees. I have given countless hours of my life to this town because I love Parsippany and firmly believe that giving back is every resident’s responsibility. I will not sit quietly while that record is tarnished by unsubstantiated claims.
Some have asked me to prove that I didn’t say these things. While it is nearly impossible to prove a negative, I can state to everyone—both those who know me and those who do not—that any claim to the contrary is entirely false.
What makes this situation even more troubling is what happened with Council President Judy Hernandez.
While I was sitting right in the audience during the Council meeting—immediately after being removed from my position—Judy texted me an apology. Later, after the meeting concluded, she admitted directly to me that the decision was based on “retaliation towards me.”
Those were her exact words.
Then, two weeks later, her story changed. I guess she was given a new script.
So I have a few very simple questions:
What happened, Judy?
Why did your explanation change?
What happened to the person who always wanted to do the right thing?
The public deserves an explanation.
If there was legitimate evidence against me, why wasn’t I contacted before action was taken? Why wasn’t I asked for my side of the story? Why wasn’t I given the basic courtesy and fairness that should be afforded to anyone before their reputation is publicly questioned?
One phone call could have accomplished that. Instead, the decision was made first and the justification followed.
And before anyone claims I was unwilling to communicate with the Mayor, the record shows otherwise. Prior to this controversy, I made several attempts to sit down and meet with him personally, but supposedly his schedule did not permit it.
I have documented proof of both these meeting requests and Ms. Hernandez’s text messages and comments.
This is not about my recollection versus someone else’s political spin. There is a record.
Healthy political debate is one thing, but launching a deliberate smear campaign against a dedicated public servant crosses a line. If there is evidence, produce it. If there is a witness with firsthand knowledge, identify that person. If I supposedly made these statements, tell the residents of Parsippany exactly what I said. Otherwise, stop presenting rumors and hearsay as fact.
After 60 years in this community and decades of public service, I am not going to be intimidated into silence, nor will I allow anyone to rewrite my record for political convenience. I believe in accountability—and accountability applies to everyone. The residents of Parsippany deserve the truth, they deserve transparency, and they deserve leaders who make decisions based on facts, not political retaliation, rumor, or hearsay.
I stand by my record, I stand by my integrity, and I am prepared to defend both.
Thank you to everyone who has reached out and supported me. I wish the absolute best to you, your families, and the Town of Parsippany.
Respectfully,
Frank Neglia
Former Parsippany Councilman
Former Board of Education President
Lifelong Parsippany Volunteer
