Scarpelli’s name never mentioned at meeting
BY PATRICIA A. MILLER
Staff Writer

Brick Township

BRICK TOWNSHIP — Township Council President Anthony Matthews had a simple request for residents who attended a recent council meeting.

Don’t talk about Joe Scarpelli.

He made the comments shortly after Township Clerk Virginia Lampman was sworn in as acting mayor at the beginning of the Dec. 13 Township Council meeting.

“I don’t want to have a lot of public comment about the situation,” Matthews told the audience. “The only thing we do know at this point is that he has resigned. Out of respect for him and his privacy, I would like to leave it at that.”

Scarpelli, 67, mayor for 13 years and a fixture in Brick politics for longer than that, resigned suddenly on Dec. 8.

“I don’t want a lot of conversation about it,” Matthews said. “Everyone out there knows as much as we do. Whatever happens, I really would wish we would not have a lot of public comment about that. I thank you for that.”

He got his wish. No one discussed Scarpelli at the meeting.

Council members quietly voted to accept Scarpelli’s resignation, which was the first resolution on the agenda, without any discussion.

“I did not want to have a big discussion about what people feel is going on,” he said this week. “There’s a lot of rumors. I respect the man’s privacy. I don’t want it to be a show. I don’t want it to be a game.”

Matthews, a Republican, said while he disagreed with Scarpelli, a Democrat, at times over the years, it wasn’t personal.

“I’m not happy the mayor resigned,” he said. “He’s a human being, just like the rest of us. When your business is over and the day is done, you go out and say hello. It’s not personal, and some people had to make it personal. I will not go down that avenue.”

Democratic municipal chairman Michael Blandina said he believed that Matthews meant what he said about the former mayor.

“He’s sincere in that statement,” Blandina said.

Blandina has not talked to Scarpelli since before he resigned.

“I respect his privacy,” he said.

He went on to point out the highlights of Scarpelli’s time as mayor, including Summerfest, the Route 70 project, the “Number 1” police department, preservation of open space, and the expansion of the recreation department.

Blandina declined to speculate on why Scarpelli stepped down.

“If I was going to respond to every rumor I hear, oh my God, I’d be loony,” he said.