A Lakewood resident asked Mayor Ray Coles and Committeeman Mike D’Elia about Lakewood Alerts’ report on the latter, whose health has been declining and is the reason why Committee meetings are still being held virtually.
The resident wrote an email asking whether Mr. D’Elia is capable of performing his duties, and if not, if it would not be in the best interests of Lakewood for him to step down.
Mayor Coles deflected the question, insisting that there is more community participation due to the meetings being held virtually, a claim which is questionable, at best. Of note, just two people wrote into the meeting, whereas most in person meetings had more people in attendance and asking questions.
Of note as well is that Committeeman D’Elia was essentially missing throughout the reorganization meeting, with his camera turned off and D’Elia not even responding the resident’s question directed at him.
As for the meetings themselves, Committee meetings used to be held twice a month at 7:30 pm and would often go on for hours as residents had their voices heard. Most reorganization meetings, like the one held yesterday, saw the municipal building’s court room packed with participants, even before Lakewood’s population exploded. Meetings are now just once a month and held at 5:30 pm – when most residents are busy – and rarely last longer than 30 minutes.
How much do they get paid for their work? that they cant commit to coming to this meeting in person once a month for a few minutes? it is so hard to be a committeeman i actually feel bad for them and wish they didn’t win and would have life a little easier without the burden of this town!
Don’t just feel bad. We can do something about it. Vote them out.
2014 TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE SALARIES
ALBERT AKERMAN$23,000
RAYMOND COLES $21,083
STEVEN LANGERT$23,000
MEIR LICHTENSTEIN$23,000
MENASHE MILLER$25,500
2022 SALARIES
Albert Akerman $50,288
Menashe Miller $60,744
Marc Lichtenstein $50,288
Michael D’Elia $50, 288
Raymond Coles $71,200
Plus Full Health benefits package and many other allowances like phone, car etc…
They took the oath to do the job and they better figure out how to attend a meeting in public and face the public on issues that matter most to the people that hired them and pay their salaries
Delia is taking a salary and benefits for something he is not doing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Refuah Sheleima to him but he is not working and doesn’t deserve a salary!!!! that’s the way the work force works. you work you get paid if you don’t work you don’t get paid!!!! HE IS NOT WELL ENOUGH TO WORK AND HAS NOT WORKED FOR THE TWONSHIP IN A WHILE!!!! Reach out to him and interview him in person!!!
If u look at this video mike Delia was not even on at this point. He called in said here and hung up. A total disgrace. A slap in the face to the city of Lakewood. Why are we all sitting back when someone is stealing from us. He is getting paid to do work he isn’t doing. No bigger fraud
Na, he stayed on for longer. He said “abstain” on the resolution also. Then he hung up. All in a day’s work.