Democrats were off base with claims against MTMUA

The Marlboro Democrats, in an attempt to gain votes, distributed a flier packed with misinformation about the Marlboro Township Municipal Utilities Authority (MTMUA) and Township Council candidate Jack Zatz, who currently serves as a commissioner on the MTMUA.

Their claims of "higher pay — no cutbacks — outrageous spending" at the MTMUA are the furthest thing from the truth. As a fellow commissioner on the MTMUA, I have seen Jack actively contribute as a new member and he has done an outstanding job, raising numerous cost-saving ideas and enthusiastically contributing to the MTMUA's success.

First, the claim that Jack had anything to do with the managing director's compensation is outrageous because the contract dictating his compensation was negotiated and signed long before Jack was appointed by the current Democrat council to the MTMUA in February 2009.

Furthermore, an individual in question serving as the "managing director" also serves as the MTMUA chief general counsel and handles all of the legal work for the authority. If the MTMUA hired outside lawyers to do this legal work, as the Democrat council has done, MTMUA legal expenses would be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Instead, the outside MTMUA legal bills are zero.

In addition, the "Cadillac health and pension benefits" that the Democrat flier refers to are dictated by the Democrat council and are the same "extravagant benefits" the council has. The MTMUA commissioners simply do not have a say in these benefits. Our track record speaks for itself. The administrative expenses at the MTMUA have declined from approximately

700,000 to less than $400,000 over the past four years.

The MTMUA is one of the most efficient operations in municipal government you will find anywhere. An independent auditor commissioned by the Marlboro council two years ago "clearly endorses and commends the operation, management, and administration of the MTMUA."

They also stated that "the MTMUA is led by an experienced management team that operates with harmony and efficiency." But the bottom line shows in the water rates which are charged to our customers - they are one of the lowest in New Jersey. As the auditor stated, "…the rates charged by New Jersey American Water Company are 81.5 percent higher" than the rates currently charged by the MTMUA!

Richard Previte

Commissioner

Marlboro Township Municipal Utilities Authority

Marlboro