October 21, 2009 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 5 Mahwah Governing body censures Kidd for conduct, comments by Frank J. McMahon The Mahwah Council has passed a resolution that censures Councilman Allan Kidd for his conduct and comments prior to the Mahwah Day Parade on Sept. 26. Councilman Samuel Alderisio brought up the matter at the council’s last public meeting, saying the incident, which involved Kidd and Alderisio, was embarrassing for the town and the council. According to Alderisio, the council members were lined up in front of the Fire Company #1 building at the intersection of Miller Road and Franklin Turnpike awaiting the arrival of the police honor guard when Kidd voiced criticism of the honor guard, a group he has often criticized at past council meetings, and said he hoped the honor guard would not show up so the firemen could act as the honor guard. Alderisio claims that when he asked Kidd not to make any disparaging remarks about the police honor guard, Kidd began to use foul language and to criticize him, the police honor guard, and the Mahwah Municipal Alliance. While Kidd was voicing his criticism in a loud voice, Mahwah Council President John DaPuzzo intervened and prompted both Alderisio and Kidd to stop the argument. DaPuzzo confirmed Alderisio’s account of the incident and criticized Kidd’s conduct, saying, “It was inappropriate, it was wrong, and it was over the line in the middle of a parade with 200 kids there. It was horrible.” At the council meeting, Alderisio said, “I was ashamed and embarrassed at what happened.” DaPuzzo then asked Mahwah Township Attorney Terry Bottinelli to read a draft of the censure resolution to the council, which all the members of the council except Kidd later voted to pass. The resolution states that it is the duty of all members of the council to preserve the dignity of their office in a manner that reflects the stature of the office of a township council member and that Kidd engaged in a public display of name calling and hateful language, that he used distasteful and abusive comments about the volunteer members of the MMA, and he made those comments in front of members of the public including minors and elected officials of the council. Kidd did not deny using expletives, but he claims the verbal altercation was begun by Alderisio because he was upset that Kidd had raised a question at a previous council meeting about a sign erected by the MMA concerning the odds of the recent raffle conducted by the MMA for a new 2010 Mercedes-Benz automobile. Kidd claims the raffle was administered by the township’s police department and the sign constituted consumer fraud. “The censure is all about painting me up like a bad guy,” Kidd said, “rather than addressing the fact that the Mahwah top cops were involved in administering a fraudulent raffle.” Kidd criticized the council for passing the resolution instead of looking at the law and the Constitution in relation to the MMA raffle. He said, “I’ll proudly stand alone.” Councilwoman Lisa DiGiulio chided Kidd, saying, “You were around children and cursing is wrong and as a lawyer and a professional you were wrong.” Alderisio explained the issue raised by Kidd about the MMA raffle, saying that when about 340 tickets for the raffle were sold, a sign was put up indicating the odds were 350:1, but when more tickets were sold, the sign was taken down. He advised that, after an anonymous complaint was received by the police department, Police Officer John Horn, who is the treasurer of the MMA, wrote a letter to the state’s Legalized Games of Chance Commission with an explanation about why the sign was put up and taken down. In that letter, Horn stated he had no other complaints about the manner in which the raffle was conducted. Alderisio said he has been advised that the gaming commission will not determine that it is necessary to conduct a full investigation into the matter.According to its website, the Mahwah Municipal Alliance is an organization of community volunteers and local police department members that focuses its efforts in three major strategic areas. These include programs and projects related to personal courage, physical and social development, and general safety. The MMA also actively supports targeted community outreach efforts. Kurtz to address parents The Mahwah Parent Advocacy Group will meet Oct. 22 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Mahwah High School Media Center located at 50 Ridge Road in Mahwah. The guest speaker will be Dr. Steven Kurtz of New York University Medical Center. Dr. Kurtz is the clinical director at the ADHD Institute and the co-director for the selective mutism program. He will discuss the parent’s role in helping their children through angry and frustrated moments, challenging behavior, and the dreaded co-morbidity when they are anxious. The doctor will provide practical advice as to what can be done at home, and what parents can do as the child’s advocate at school and in the community. The Mahwah Parent Advocacy Group is a parent run support group serving the needs of special education parents. For more information, contact Christine Luciano at (201) 512-1828 or lucrew@optonline.net. NEW LOCATION! (on or before November 16, 2009) Mary A. 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