Knock, Knock, Anybody Home?

Reflections from another town council meeting

knock, knock

Last night, February 24th, I attended another Bloomfield Town Council meeting. Despite a proclamation honoring Black History Month, the meeting was surprisingly short, lasting less than 50 minutes. This brevity stood in stark contrast to the hefty 340-page agenda packet.

The agenda contained over 90 consent resolutions, covering a wide range of expenditures: hiring consultants, purchasing vehicle parts, tires, and traffic signage, approving paving materials, maintenance services, and awarding contracts for IT hardware, software, and professional services—including legal counsel, engineering, architectural consultants, water system leak detection, and historical restoration.

One notable resolution extended the statutory budget deadlines, confirming that the 2025 budget has yet to be finalized. However, no one on the council inquired about when this budget would be completed — an alarming lack of urgency for a matter so crucial to the township’s financial health.

The Solar Project: Delays, Doubts, and Confusion

The agenda also included a special presentation on the long-awaited solar project. To our surprise, it was not conducted by Talva Energy but instead by a financial advisor. She warned that, given the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s executive orders regarding Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and newly imposed steel tariffs, she would not recommend the township move forward with the $2.5 million project to install two solar grids on municipal parking lots for now (?).

Following this report, Councilwoman Davis expressed frustration, stating that Bloomfield had already wasted too much time on discussing solar (8years!) and should continue making preparations until Trump’s actions became clearer. When a resident asked about if the financial advisor looked into the difference between a power purchase agreement and buying solar panels outright, Mayor Mundell appeared utterly confused and delivered a convoluted, uncharacteristically incoherent response. Was she ever paying attention to the issue of solar energy that was brought up in front of the town council for almost a decade?

Speaking Up — And Being Ignored

When it was my turn to speak, the mayor once again mispronounced my name before staring at me and the clock, as if simply waiting for my five minutes to expire. Here were my questions (though I went off-script on the last one):

1. Budget Transparency & Fiscal Responsibility: Since the 2025 operating budget is still unfinished and state and federal aid remain uncertain, how will the Council ensure that newly authorized contracts, bond ordinances, and other expenses do not exceed anticipated revenues? What safeguards are in place to prevent financial overextension if external funding falls short?

2. Public Relations Spending: Why has the Township already paid $32,000 to TARA DOWDELL GROUP LLC for public relations without an itemized breakdown or clarification on the services provided? Without transparency, how can the public be assured these funds were not used to benefit Team Mundell’s primary campaigns?

3. Immigrant Trust Act Resolution: Recently, Trenton, Paterson, and Flemington passed resolutions in support of the Immigrant Trust Act, which would codify an attorney general directive limiting state and local law enforcement’s cooperation with federal immigration authorities. They joined Madison, Morristown, Plainfield, and Atlantic City, which have already adopted similar resolutions this year. Why has Bloomfield failed to do the same? Should not Bloomfield immigrant community feel that the township cares about them?

As soon as I finished, the mayor moved to pass the series of consent resolutions —without acknowledging my questions or offering a single response. I was completely ignored, as were the concerns raised by the rest of the speaking public.

A Council That Silences Its Residents

This intentional silence makes it painfully clear: public participation is unwelcome. Residents are not encouraged to engage in civic discussions or hold their elected officials accountable. With rare exceptions, our Town Council and mayor operate like a group of soulless sycophants, recklessly spending our money without foresight or concern.

They are incurious, devoid of empathy, and uninterested in meaningful dialogue. What they do care about? Short meetings, photo-ops, and admiration. Our right to free expression and petitioning the government? Merely inconveniences to them.

And yet, they campaign under hashtags like #CompassionateLeadership and #TrustworthyLeaders — as if those words mean anything coming from them.

Luckily, voters can see through empty slogans. Stay involved. Don’t be intimidated. Show up. The only way to change the system is by holding those in power accountable.

See you at the next Town Council meeting.

Dr. Satenik Margaryan, Bloomfield Candidate for Council at Large