I want to make the residents, taxpayers — and those our elected officials dismissively label as “keyboard warriors” — aware of two blatent abuses of power incidents that occurred at the Ventnor City Commission meetings on February 12 and February 26.
At the February 12 meeting, I was publicly attacked, criticized, and accused of spreading “misinformation” on social media. This was not a brief disagreement. It was a prolonged, coordinated tirade that lasted approximately twenty minutes.
During that time, I was not present to respond. The governing body used the public meeting — and taxpayer-funded time — to target a private citizen for expressing opinions online.
I attended the February 26 meeting for one reason: to respond.
I came prepared to clarify the history surrounding the elimination of the ice skating rink, to explain how the state DEP — in its typical heavy-handed fashion — delayed funding, and to offer what I believe is a very viable solution to address the matter. I was also prepared to directly rebut the allegation that I had provided “misinformation.”
But shortly into my remarks, I was told my three minutes were up.
Three minutes.
After being attacked for twenty.
Yes, I became frustrated. And I will not pretend otherwise. My reaction was born from the simple reality that elected officials were permitted to speak uninterrupted for twenty minutes to criticize me, yet I — a taxpayer who served this community for sixteen years in public office and donated tens and tens of thousands of volunteer hours — was given only three minutes to respond.
At one point I said, “You get to sit up there and attack me for twenty minutes and I only get three minutes to respond.”
The Commissioner replied, “That’s right.”
That statement speaks for itself.
During my sixteen years in office, I never cut anyone off. I spent countless hours listening to residents — even those who disagreed with me, even those who were not from Ventnor. We did not impose rigid three-minute limits because I believed that choosing to run for office meant choosing to listen, even when it was uncomfortable.
In fact, on the 26th, I purposely allowed another individual to speak before me. I even stated that I would defer to anyone on Zoom who wished to comment so they would not have to wait. By the time I began speaking, it was simply me and the three commissioners. Yet even then, they would not permit more than three minutes to address their own twenty-minute attack.
This is how our government in Ventnor now operates:
They can attack you for twenty minutes — and you get three minutes to defend yourself.
If elected officials do not wish to hear from the public, or are unwilling to afford a resident they publicly criticize more than three minutes to respond, then they should step aside and allow others who are willing to listen to serve.
My social media posts reflect what many of you have told me privately — concerns, questions, frustrations. Some may be hesitant to speak publicly, and frankly, after witnessing what occurred, I understand why. I spoke, and I was attacked. Others who have spoken have been dismissed as “keyboard warriors.”
That is not civic engagement. That is intimidation.
This is not how a government should treat its residents and taxpayers. Public office is a position of responsibility — not a platform for silencing dissent.
I will continue to speak. And I will continue to stand by the principle that government works for the people — not the other way around.
