I second that motion and demand that the councilman refund the township for the amount that he has plundered it. Here is another example of our public servants serving themselves at our expense.

I absolutley agree. It amazes me that this was even a consideration - I can't believe it is a fact!!! How many books could $25000 buy? And how much is Mr. Glover contributing to his health care benefits? Does the township pay 100%??? And is there anyone else (past or present) who has benefitted in this way? I guess I never really read the township budget. I think I will from now on...

Wow! It is only September and we are already being treated to the hypocritical and disingenuous horse hockey that Scotch Plains residents have come to expect from local politics. Mr. Power, in the interest of fairness, why do you not disclose that you are one of the coordinators of the Republican campaign this year? Why do you not demand that Republican Chairman Marty Marks reimburse the town for all the years he took medical benefits a Mayor and councilman? Why do you not ask Republican Campaign Chair Paulette Coronato to reimburse the town for the benefits she accepted in her many years as a councilwoman? I happen to agree with you that council and mayor should not receive benefits but neither should they be paid $5000 per year. Fanwood council gets $1 per year as do council in Westfield. The $5000 "stipend" was a Republican innovation and I have never heard anyone refuse that. In fact, when, at a public meeting, Councilman Glover volunteered to give up his $5000 payment if his fellow council members would also do so, the silence was deafening.

If it's part of the package, then he had every right to use
these benefits. I'd bet others have used the benefits too.
SP council/mayor get a lot more financial benefits than Fanwood council/mayor. I think In Fanwood, they get $1 and that's it.

I am currently an avid reader of the Patch and a loyal resident of Scotch Plains. I am thankful that this has come to light and I would hope that the Patch would make this a front and center issue rather then a blip at the bottom of the home page. This is a major issue and one that needs to be addressed immediately.

Coucilman Glover on his own website as pledged to "reduce the costs on all taxpayers." He wants to "save our tax dollars." He wants affordable recreation programs." As stated my councilman Glover, "We pledge to work every day to make Scotch Plains more affordable and improve our quality of life. It's a pledge we take seriously."
How can we take take candidate seriously when all along he has been taking a $25,000 benefit for health insurance for himself and his family for the past 6 years ($150,000). I dont care that it is a benefit offered, so why not take advantage of it. I dont care what past individuals have done. We all make sacrafices and as someone running for mayor and pledging change I think its a discrace to say that he takes that money whether or not its offered or not.

I leave you with this: Correct me if I am wrong but didn't Councilman Glover lead the charge to give back close to $100,000 of the sewer surplus to help offset tax increases?? Maybe he should have looked into his own own wallet for the offset to help stay under the cap.

Well done Councilman Glover - DO the right thing and step down

And to think that there are those who believe Fanwood's consolidation into Scotch Plains would represent an improvement (would Fanwood's representatives on the SP council get a raise?)....

This issue never existed when the Republicans were taking the money and benefits. Republicans are desperate to create an issue because candidate DePaola alienates voters every time she opens her mouth. I note in particular how she "blew off" the victims of the water main break and supported the gloating officials from NJ American Water over the interests of her constituents including an 80 year old woman living on social security. Running scared Mayor DePaola? The hypocritical fabrication of this issue may be the only chance you have of winning this election and not being returned to the anonymity you so richly deserve.

Local government is too big. While I am paying all these taxes everyone of these people are enjoying great benefits at my expense. I do not want my taxes to pay for any of these things. Go get a job at the private sector, and lay off all these useless people from the township from the library, why do you need all these people to run a library?, the court, the tax collectors and the list goes on !

Good morning everyone,

This issue was brought up briefly by a resident at the last council meeting. Councilman Glover did state he receives benefits from the town and that they are offered to every member of the council (but most noted taking them from their jobs). Glover also stated former Mayors have received the benefits in the past. In addition, he stated it is a political issue and it was brought up to the voters and brought up in the debates. There was also one final thing where Glover offered to give up the benefits to keep a public employee who they no longer had a budget for but he was told it was not necessary.

This is an issue now and wasn't years ago because it's against the law today:

see under bill S-3/A-2460:

http://www.njslom.org/letters/ml032310-gov-signs-pension-reform.html

Councilman Glover is taking $25k per year for benefits on taxpayers dime because he is getting special treatment by being "grandfathered in".

He wants to be our mayor. A leader leads by example and a real leader would have stopped taking these benefits under a special exemption once that law was passed. Looks to be a valid contrast for voters to consider.

Good point Mr. Oldfield...however, due to the financial circumstances with our State and Town's budget, the law was enacted in 2011 to eliminate benefits for part-time employees. It would appear that Mr. Glover has been "grandfathered in" and would otherwise not be eligible. Why does he believe that he deserves something above and beyond everyone else serving our community on the Governing Body?

Its almost as if Councilman Glover is of the mindset that people should "Do as I say...not as I do"

Residents are ultimately the ones paying out of pocket for such disregard to what is right.

Hi Nicole - thanks for the response. Can you please explain to me why the posting merited a lower spot due to it being a letter to the editor?

I saw that the erroneous letter to the editor from the Dems was up all weekend and through yesterday?

Thanks a lot

This is the one that I was referring to.

http://scotchplains.patch.com/articles/scotch-plains-democrats-call-for-common-sense-action-for-taxpayer-relief

Nicole,
Don't you think it would be appropriate to mention that Mr. Power is a prominent local Republican who is active in coordinating the DePaola/Saridaki campaign rather than referring to him simply as Scotch Plains Resident in the headline?

I had NO idea that this was offered to ANY of our elected leaders. I did know there was a stipend for the Mayor.. and I am ok with that. I would be ok with a stipend for the councilmen as well. But this is egregious. Is it any wonder the public funds are running dry? Republican or democrat.. this is wrong and a shameful waste of taxpayer dollars. I really need to start reading the budget more carefully.

Actually...Everyone should start reading the budget more carefully. My husbands head is going to explode when he hears this!

I'm Holden MaGroin and this is for Tsmith. How come you called the Dems letter erroneous?

er·ro·ne·ous adjective
1. containing error; mistaken; incorrect; wrong: an erroneous answer.
2. straying from what is moral, decent, proper, etc.

Using definition 1, it doesn't appear that the letter was incorrect or mistaken. And using definition 2, it doesn't seem to stray from moral or decent.

But as long as you use that word, I'd like to stay on the 2nd definition about moral and decent. I've posted below a series of links to the DePayola's "greatest hits" on the Patch articles.

They include her stance on cell towers, her correction of her stance on cell towers, her stance on Shackamaxon, her correction on Shackamaxon, the history of how she overthrew Malool (using figurative knife in back) and how a vote for DePayola will be a vote for Marty Marks. Happy reading.

http://scotchplains.patch.com/articles/mayor-malool-announces-bid-for-scotch-plains-mayor
http://scotchplains.patch.com/articles/scotch-plains-officials-speak-out-in-favor-of-police-merger
http://scotchplains.patch.com/articles/another-cell-tower-may-loom-for-scotch-plains
http://scotchplains.patch.com/articles/letter-to-the-editor-sp-councilwoman-explains-cell-tower-comments
http://scotchplains.patch.com/articles/despite-clubs-announced-sale-shack-resolution-remains-on-track
http://scotchplains.patch.com/articles/letter-to-the-editor-councilman-bratti-on-proposed-independent-run

I'm Holden MaGroin and I agree with Mr. Saridaki about people being spineless about putting their names on these posts.
I am however disappointed that his offer about forgoing his benefits from the town will only be if everyone else does. We don't need anymore suit followers. While I do not support your running mate because I feel she will take all her direction from the ex-mayor and now current republican party chairman, I thought that you were different. I thought that you would use your own opinion to make decisions and not be forced to do what Mr. Marks tells you to do.
Furthermore, I would have to believe that the commenters on here are Scotch Plains residents and voters with the exception of Mr. Lewis who has identified himself as an interested Fanwoodian. Why do you call them spineless?
Is this the type of discourse we can expect if you're elected? Are you going to yell at people or call them names at meetings?
Don't get me wrong, I appreciate you coming on to comment, but your running mate seems to have figured out that the less she says in public the better (see my linked articles above on some of her comments and opinions). Maybe if you're going to diss the people of Scotch Plains for their opinions, it might help us figure out how you intend to govern.

I have known Mr. Saridaki for many years having served with him on the Board of Education. I know Ed well enough to know that he would not accept anyone, including former Mayor Marks, telling him how to behave, what to say or how to vote on any issue. I happen to agree with Mr. Saridaki. Opinions are one thing but anonymous attacks are unfair.

I'm not Holden MaGroin. But if I was, I'd ask why Warren Buffet doesn't voluntarily pay more in income taxes, as he's always saying he doesn't pay enough. That's as silly a question as asking Mr. Saridaki to voluntarily give up something he's entitled to, because it would make him a better person in your eyes. Who will be first to give up their property tax deduction? Will it be you Holden? Will you voluntarily give up your future Social Security or Medicare benefits? It will certainly do a lot to reduce our $16T national debt. Any senior discounts? Please give them up; they come at the expense of younger people. Everyone gets something, and only a fool gives up a benefit to which they're legally entitled. It's nice to think we're all altruists, but it's not quite that easy.

Wow, Holden must have been listening in his American Revolution history class! Anonymous pamphleteers were one of the driving social forces of the Revolution(see the eminent Harvard historian Bernard Bailyn's scholarly award-winning books) And our own first NJ governor, the esteemed William Livingston (former resident of Liberty Hall and an ancestor - though not direct - of Thomas Kean and Tom Jr.), was a prolific anonymous pamphleteer.

We all know what happens to folks around here who give opinions that those in power do not like - e.g. the patriot Marty Marks and fellow patriot Bill McClintock's personal attacks on the Samuels. They could give as good as they got, though.

Well said Bret... but I dont think any of them should be entitled to $25,000 worth of healthe insurance. Thats quite a plan!

I'm finding that even though Holden tries to act uninformed or a little slow at times, he knows what's going on in town. He also has an uncanny ability to get to the truth or make me think about an issue in a way I didn't before. I still laugh at his Mellencamp defense in the mural uproar. Keep up the good work. You just brought out a side of Edward Saridaki that I would never have seen without your comments. That will help me make my decision this election.

I never thought I'd see so many people turn on Holden...I didn't want to be the first one to say it, but I agree, come out with your real name, what do you have to be afraid of (unless you were Kevin Glover or something...that would be embarrassing)?

I'm Holden MaGroin and this is for Sean Gaynor. Nice try my young republican friend. I do not see anyone but Mr. Saridaki not liking my comments. I can understand why tho. Based on his reply to me, it is best that I keep my Holden name. Otherwise, he could find me and considering the tone of his reply, I could be sporting a shiner by dinner.
I know you are not a fan as we have had our disagreements on some of your more conservative stances. That's ok, you don't have to like me.
I would ask you though, what are your thoughts on a candidate for high office calling his constituents spineless and talking about their cajones?
Do you also find it un-American to question these stances?
Is that very Christian-like?
You cannot have it both ways, taking the moral high ground on some issues and then defending those who choose to go in the gutter.
No, I'm not Kevin Glover. If you go back to some older posts, I've also given it to him.

My dear Holden

Between you, me, and the lamppost, we both know your comments about Mr. Saridaki were a red herring designed to deflect criticism from Mr. Glover. But no deflection is necessary: the fact is that both gentlemen are entitled to certain benefits, and they'd both be crazy to abjure them. That doesn't make it palatable to the fine residents of either Scotch Plains or Fanwood. If the people don't like it, they can make their voices heard through a legitimate process - of which we'd both agree ad hominem attacks are not a part (though you did use the pejorative "DePayola" in one of your posts).

Having said all that - though in a much less folksy way than you might - it seems like there is also a legitimate difference between the stipend amount and the health care benefits amount, which might be worth some further review.

And back to you.

So it would be foolish for Saridaki to give up the $5000 stipend, but unconsionable that Glover accepts the health coverage to which he is "legally entitled"? How does that work? Is $5000 the limit one should accept from taxpayers? Or $10,000? But not $25,000? All of this information is public record and has been for some time...

My friend Holden

Perhaps it is you who needs to pay a bit more attention. I did not say you brought Mr. Saridaki into this, but you did comment about/to him.

Don't let email addresses, IP codes, and such - all that complicated technical mumbo-jumbo - trouble you. On the internet, no one knows you're a dog. For example, I've been assuming you're a descendant of old Sestus Magroin, of Southwick, and had no reason to suspect that Holden Magroin was a nom-de-plume. It isn't, is it?

You might try "DePowla," as that's probably closer.

And it's not at all pe-jor-a-tive.

You strike me in the heart however with your comments about quality and quantity, so permit me to retell a little fable: once upon a time, all the animal mothers were gathered in their favorite resting spot, as was their wont. All the mothers were so proud of their offspring and they got to bragging about how many children they had. "I have 7 cubs!" said the mother bear. "I have 12 chicks!" said the mother hen. "I have dozens of children!" said the mother possum. They went on like this for some time, until finally they got around to mother lion. "And how many children do you have?" asked mother giraffe. "Only one," said mother lion - all the other mothers gasped - " but that one" she said, "is a lion."

I don't want my taxes to go to any of these public servants for medical benefits. How do you grandfather this? Dems or Republicans, it doesn't matter. Pay for your own.

Regardless of party I find it pretty reprehensible that any politician continue to take benefits now that it's been outlawed. Come November I will only vote for a candidate who foreswears them.

Go Holden!!! You call it like it is, gotta love his honest observations. Awesome fable too

Just another reason why I cannot stomach NJ! How long did it take to bring the teachers to the same position the private sector found themselves in? Contributing to health ins is now the norm for most of us, unless you serve SP or Union County!

I agree with Holden and Jenni. This Bret Harte character sounds like a Republican hound dog sent out to try to discredit Holden and take away from Saridaki's poor decision to try to act macho. It seems to have backfired. Why would any candidate in their right mind start calling potential voters names?

Who else takes the health benefits frm the town?

Is it just Glover ?

I don't understand how one can make a comment saying if everyone else does I will. Big problem with people running for office. We need people to take a stand.

thanks holden.

Mi Amigo Holden

Turns out you are wrong on every count; I have no axe to grind, and no affiliation with any local political parties. I'm just a truth seeker like you. But no matter. You're entitled to your opinion. However, as the great Democratic senator Daniel Moynihan said, not your own facts. You sought to vilify one individual to negate an attack on another. This is a logical error (in your case, the specific fallacy of ignoratio elenchi, since you say you understand the technical). It's a commonplace in politics, and I understand that; but that doesn't make it right. Antepenultimately, pop quiz on the topic of denigrating potential voters: who said "And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."?

Penultimately, fables feature animals, mythological creatures, etc.; I believe you related a parable. Shall I cite the definition of "error" for you, since you are replete with them? Ah, you've already done that, op. cit.

Ultimately, serve and volley.

Extremum hoc munus, quod ingenio non pugnare cum inermem.

The quote is from President Obama.

I'm Holden MaGroin and this is for the patriotic republican commitee person Bret Harte. You are using many big words that I'm not smart enough to understand. I know a little bit of latin, in fact I can even say my name in that language. Oldenhay AGroinMay. But that's about it.
I won't get defensive, but will try for the last time to correct you. As I stated before, I did not bring up Mr. Saridaki until HE posted calling our voters spineless and cowards. He then addressed me specifically. When I replied and asked him what I got wrong, the only 2 sounds that came were crickets from him and voila, your posts. So no, I am not trying to negate any attacks on Mr. Glover.
In regards to your Obama quote from April of 2008, I'm attaching the beginning piece that you left out.
"You go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, and like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them," Obama said. "And they fell through the Clinton Administration, and the Bush Administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. And it's not surprising then they get bitter....."
I interpret the context of that statement as saying the cause for their bitterness is that they've been promised opportunities that didn't happen.
Can you help me with the context I'm missing from Mr. Saridaki's comments?

Wow! A lot of Latin being thrown around here. To paraphrase Doc Holiday from the movie "Tombstone", Bret Harte is an educated man, darlin'. Now I really hate him.

I'm Holden MaGroin and I forgot to ask the very smart non-republican affiliated Bret Harte another question.
Is the following a parable, a fable, a limerick, or just an accurate statement?
"If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck....."

Since we are throwing around Latin, quotes, Latin quotes, and literary allusions, let me observe that only my big-tent brethren in SP could somehow make Mr. Glover look like a statesman. 'Tis a wonderment, which I thought was from "The King and I" but could not verify (this is a tough crowd!).

I believe the following is a fable - my daughter knows more about these things and it has a moral - but it is a true story and seems relevant.

I was heading to the Fanwood train station one morning and found $60 on a curb next to a tow truck parked at a gas station. Not specifically on the gas station grounds. Just sitting there. One could not say with certainty that it was associated with the tow truck but it seemed pretty reasonable so I turned it in - they looked at me like I was crazy.

I gurmbled all the way to the train station whereupon I badly turned my ankle on a rock - as I had to be somewhere that evening I spent the day limping around in much pain, and ended up calling out the next day to get off of it.

The moral: If Providence puts $60 at your feet, and there is no rational reason to question why it is there, one should not ask questions that are not being asked but simply pick it up and say "Thank you".

A lot being throw around on this one and I like it. Lets not forget the original reason for these comments though. The fact that Glover is taking the 25k per year should still be front and center.

**to John Harvey - the answer is YES....Glover is the ONLY one taking these benefits. All other council members have declined and are paying out of pocket or through their primary place of employment.

Bottom line is i am glad that this has come out and that we are all talking about it because it affects us all.

$25 grand a year? If so that is a nice plan they have.

I am confused as to why this is an issue?

Is this a new policy that Mr. Glover created? That elected officials is entitled to health benefits.

Can someone please fill me in? Based on what I read above, it seems like this was a longstanding policy. Has something changed?

Concerned voter, Brian

Thanks David. I appreciate the clarification. I guess to put it in perspective, another case of Marksism. Ugh! This is why we need Mr. Glover.

Brian - as a tax paying citizen, I appreciate you bringing this matter to the townships attention, but it seems more like an intentional political attack.

The truth of the matter is I don't care if Glover has been getting his insurance from the town in the past nor do I care how much the council and the mayor have been paid in the past. I just want it to stop - and I want to know it won't happen any longer in the future. The rules were in place to allow all this to happen BEFORE the next election the council needs to change these rules and they need to IMMEDIATELY stop taking any further compensation. I know it's a time consuming job - but it shouldn't be a compensated one.

Excellent comment Lance.

Mr. Saridaki has noted these comments are not from him and have been deleted.

I'm Holden MaGroin and something is rotten in Scotch Plains.

The first denied comment from the denying Edward Saridaki called people spineless but appeared to be trying to make the point that he took the pay but not the benefits. The denying Edward Saridaki then continued that he would give up the pay if the others did. Other than the sarcastic crack about people using names that are not in the phone book, it sure sounded like a politician trying to score points.

The second comment from the denying Saridaki poster was the one that completely went off the tracks, calling people cowards, spineless again and unAmerican. That comment even replied to another poster about he will speak his own mind.
With all the comments flying around in support and opposition, are we to believe that no one who reads the Patch reached out to Mr. Saridaki to tell him about it? And if they did, Mr. Saridaki didn't immediately contact the Patch to ask them to remove it but had to have the editor call him?

Lordy lordy I broke my organ of corti. I must not be hearing right.

I have a request for Nicole. You may find this hard to believe but I have at times been contacted by Patch editors through my e-mail. I know that those denying Saridaki comments came from the same e-mail and therefore should be in your records.
Is it possible to confirm the e-mail used was not related to the candidate? Obviously it shouldn't be published, but a news organization does have that responsibility.

Hi, I'm Sharon Magroin--no relation. I don't speak Latin and I don't even speak pig Latin. I do, however, have a spine! If I chose not to stand up straight here is my business! @ Lance, your anger came thru loud and clear! I too was uncaring that Mr. S. served on the BoE. I have been keeping an eye on the school board for over 9 years and his name never came up. If you put something like that on your résumé one usually includes the year(s) involved. I find the original letter self serving, as the author's connection to the republican campaign was not disclosed. And the first comment by Mr. Saridaki to be insulting to all. In a way it is refreshing to read something from a politician that is not carefully crafted by a consultant nor so full of double speak that the content can't be found with a magnifying glass. BUT, the truth of how this man thinks will not win him any votes and as we now see, will actually alienate voters!

I'm Holden MaGroin and this is to Sharon. I have a daughter by that name.

Do you have any siblings? I want to see if your parents also used the same names for their other kids as Pat MaGroin and I have. We have Phil, Jack, Sharon, Tug (he's our athlete), Craven, Aiden and Cheq. Little Cheq MaGroin is adopted, but that's for another story.

My married sister is Ida Claire MaGroin-Golden. She is in an interfaith relationship.

To the patch editor. Why has my comment been removed? Did you do it? I would like to know why?

holden we love reading your comments.

I'm Sharon Magroin and this is to Holden. I'm an only child and a native of Queens, NY. Would love to meet and compare lineages.

I'm Holden MaGroin and this is for firedup. I'm replying down here to your comment way above because I think this information is important to the discussion on this article and may even be worthy of a poll.
Your comment seemed to take my linked article, which I'm relinking here to try to say that you're investigating some connection to the ex-mayor malool, the Connectors of our towns and the Shack fiasco.
I don't think they're connected, but you keep looking.
What I DO find interesting and maybe poll worthy in my linked article is that by the SP republican council majority, they recently voted $5,900 to a consulting firm to change a WORD in the document to devalue Shack. Candidate cell tower is even quote as saying it's like a life insurance policy. The article also states that the next step will be to then spend $10,000 to make a plan.
This even beats the Fanwood Democrat-led council voting in August to spend $5,000 on another attorney to write a report that tells the citizens of Fanwood that their council spends their taxpayer dollars frugally.

Back to the patriots of SP, so it's ok to throw $16,000 around like nickels on words and plans but a campaign should be based on health benefits?
Talk about having a set of ........cajones.

http://scotchplains.patch.com/articles/despite-clubs-announced-sale-shack-resolution-remains-on-track

holden, u always have great information. thanks

I'm Holden MaGroin and this is for both builda wall and dlas.

To builda wall - I had forgotten about the mini-golf project. I took little Tug and Cheq there once, but that endless waterfall made me have to pee and we had to leave early. Also I don't swing very well and when I play golf I always wind up having to look for my balls.

To dlas - Nice find on the maybe pretend Edward Saridaki comments. I tried to find them but couldn't. I hope you don't mind but I'm relinking them to my comment and will continue to until we find out from our investigative Patch reporter Nicole if the e-mail address used is linked to the candidate.
If it's not, I will apologize to Mr. Saridaki.
If it is, I would really like an explanation on why he would think it's ok to belittle commenters as spineless and cowards and un-American.

As I noted in an earlier comment, I find it hard to believe that it took 3 days and a call from a Patch editor for the candidate to tell her that these comments weren't his. That defies logic that in a relatively small community like ours, with a fair amount of Patch reader, that no one called him to tell him about the comments under his name.

If you think about it, hasn't the author of this letter to the editor been outed as a coordinator of Mr. Saridaki's campaign? Wouldn't he be intereseted in the feedback from his letter?
Sorry, I don't believe it and now the real coward has been exposed

http://scotchplains.patch.com/users/edward-saridaki/comments

holden, once again i thank u for your information.

I'm Holden MaGroin and my Fanwood buddy Mr. Hugh Jass reminded me of another campaign "issue" that Marty Marks and the repubs brought up in 2006. Hugh thinks that because the repub majority was all taking health benefits and stipend at the time that they needed something else to stir the pot.

A Mr. Neil LeStrange (retired police officer) was running for council in SP as a dem. Mr. Marks dug up some dirt on LeStrange attending a good ole boy southern policeman event where there was racist signs and made a campaign issue over it. The event was SIXTEEN YEARS prior to 2006.
Mr. Marks went around saying LeStrange was racist and an anti-semite.
Mr. LeStrange explained that he did attend and left early due to him not being comfortable with the rascist tone of the event. Marks pushed the issue with campaign literature and LeStrange sued for defamation.

LeStrange lost the election and there was not much mentioned about the lawsuit until early 2010. The Patch link I've posted shows that the insurance company representing Marks settled for $10,000 to Mr. LeStrange.
I'm not sure if the insurance was from the town, but if it was it had to increase our premium and cost us more in taxes.
Once again, another example of the still-led by Marty Marks republicans making decisions that cost us money that we taxpayers get zero benefit from. And we want this to continue?
http://scotchplains.patch.com/articles/nj-jewish-news-settlement-reached-in-lestranges-lawsuit-against-former-mayor

This was already a debate topic coincidentially during the last SP election.

http://scotchplains.patch.com/articles/patchs-scotch-plains-council-debate-the-questions-and-answers

I wish someone would explain why this is such an issue now? Oh wait, its an election year and as usual people will try to dig up whatever they can on the opponent. I would bet there is no one that would have turned down the $25,000 in insurance if it had been offered to them.

Has there been any follow up by the Patch on investigating the email address used for the Edward Saridaki comments?
Has there also been any follow up by the Patch on any formal statement from Edward Saridaki or the Republican party other than denial?

I'm disappointed that there is not any further investigation. I have lived in this town for 67 years and I want to know if I've been lied to.
Is Holden right? Can you verify if the Edward Saridaki comments used an email address that is his? If he used your paper to write that and then denied it, we voters should have the right to know what kind of candidate we are voting for. I think you have an obligation to us voters to verify if it's true or a lie.

Hi Lance,

I can verify that that email address associated with the comments was not either of the email addresses I know of for Mr. Saridaki.

Also, the account was created at the time of publication of this letter, where Mr. Saridaki noted creating account for Patch awhile ago and hasn't used it recently.