JACKSON – In a case of the mayor versus the governor, there is a strong disagreement about how the Gov. Phil Murphy is interpreting a plan that would reactivate some activities in township parks and recreation areas.
Mayor Michael Reina asked acting Council President Alex Sauickie to read a statement in his absence during a May 12 council meeting. “It is certainly no secret that I feel Gov. Murphy has gone too far with aspects of his executive orders. In one area the jurisdiction falls to the Jackson municipality and that is our parks and recreation.”
Reina’ statement added that provided that social distancing is observed, that park facilities and playgrounds could be open with parents remaining in their vehicles “for such activities” in regards to children’s athletic activities.
“Fields for soccer, lacrosse, baseball, softball (with no scrimmaging and no spectators on the field or sidelines) will be allowed,” the mayor said in his statement.
“Basketball courts will be open however no basketball games will be played,” Reina’s statement added.
That was the plan and it would have included all teams having to abide by social distancing guidelines and a limit to the number of those participating to 10 or less. No camps, contact drills, clinics or training would be permitted. There would be no balls or equipment allowed as it would be for “strengthening and conditioning purposes” according to the mayor.
The mayor reported the plan to the governor’s office along with the plan which included that it involved a use permit per team and per field as to avoid a “free for all” situation.
Two days after the council meeting during the Governor’s daily press conference Chief Counsel Mat Platkin shot down that plan remarking that it ran contrary to Executive Order 133.
That order permits golf courses and county and state parks to be open and requires municipal parks to follow the same restrictions as county and state parks and that does not include sports.
Platkin said that this information had been communicated to Jackson and that “we will follow up if they have any questions.”
Gov. Murphy added, “sports is not okay.”
It didn’t take long for the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office to notify Mayor Reina on behalf of the state Attorney General’s Office that the outlined plan would be in non-compliance with the restrictions of the executive order.
This did not please Reina who expressed on radio stations and other news media that the governor was picking and choosing how to interpret the Executive Orders. Reina said Murphy did the same with small businesses and other situations throughout the state.
“It’s insanity,” Reina said. He called for the governor to resign saying he was on a “power trip.”
The Mayor noted that small business owners have been hit hard by the restrictions and some were in danger of losing their homes, cars and places of operation because they could not reopen.
The Mayor said in an interview on 101.5 radio that he was mad and felt disrespected. “You took away the one pleasure we were offering the children during a bad time for them to get out…”
Reina said that while he acknowledges that Murphy is the governor that “everybody is on a power trip syndrome and now you’re enjoying yours. You took it away from the kids. Now I take it personal.”
The mayor said that while no one wants to see anyone including children contract the coronavirus that the township’s plan would not involve interaction or contact while in the park. He compared it to a visit to a supermarket or a trip to Walmart.
Reina has served as mayor since 2008 and this has not been the first criticism he’s had with the governor. He also criticized Murphy for his handling of the COVID-19 crisis regarding deaths that occurred at nursing homes, which account for about half of all coronavirus deaths.
The mayor said he mourns those who died from the virus and said his job was to see to the interests of the 58,000 Jackson residents that he was elected to serve.
Reina said that Jackson and other communities use every safeguard that the state can maintain and Jackson used Murphy’s guidelines to develop the now rejected plan.
Mayor Reina also expressed anger over hearing from State Police Superintendent Col. Patrick Callahan that drive-by celebrations should not be participated in reference to the executive orders of the governor.
The superintendent did clarify that drive by activities were permitted so long as there were not gatherings that accompanied the drive by parades.
Reina also accused the governor of crossing the line in his handling of the pandemic and determining how people should live. “The Bill of Rights is above your pay grade. Resign.”
Gov. Murphy responded that he never meant that the state was above the Bill of Rights, but that what was being done was to save lives and that the state would continue to that while respecting the Constitution.
Reina has vowed to contact the U.S. Attorney General William Barr, who has stated would investigate states use of executive orders during the current health crisis, to let President Donald Trump know what is happening in the Garden State.
The mayor also noted that the governor’s executive orders have resulted in the cancellation of Memorial Day parades, fireworks and Independence Day activities.
Reina has stated that despite the objections, the township’s plan to allow youth teams to use Jackson parks would be moving ahead and that any organized team who wishes to participate in the guidelines set forth by Gov. Murphy to enter a township park or recreational area would be welcome to do so.
