Point Boro Council Partisan Battle Tanks Plan for Concert

A plan to have an Oct. 20 concert at Community Park hit a sour note at Tuesday night's Borough Council meeting, as partisan bickering crescendoed into yelling and then cursing.

Ultimately, two of the feuding councilmen, Democrat Chris Leitner and Republican Bob Sabosik, "made up" after the meeting ended.

During the meeting, the argument seemed to die when the four Republican council members, who hold a narrow majority on council, voted against authorizing the concert, which is actually a rain date for a concert canceled by thunderstorms in mid-July.

However, after the meeting ended, the fighting flared up again, with Leitner arguing loudly with Republican Councilmembers Bill Borowsky and Sabosik.

"And ---- you, too," Leitner yelled at one of them, using a four-letter word rhyming with "duck," as officials and a few residents and reporters still milling about in the room stopped chatting and looked over shocked, since the outburst, and the intensity of the council argument, were highly uncharacteristic.

"You have no idea who you're dealing with," said Borowsky, who had also argued with Leitner during the meeting.

"Oh, you're a tough guy, huh?" countered Leitner.

The discussion about authorizing the concert featuring one band at the park on Beaver Dam Road and Bridge Avenue began calmly, with Councilmember John Wisniewski asking for information on how much past outdoor concerts in town have cost and how much they made.

"I've asked for some accounting of past festivals and and I haven't received that yet," Wisniewski said, in his typical, soft-spoken tone. He said he was hesitant to authorize another concert before information was provided about how much was spent and how much was made at past events.

Following a bit of discussion about possibly postponing the vote, Mayor William Schroeder said a group involved in planning the concert did not have any other dates available to make up the rain date.

The Borough has had several concerts featuring live bands and a beer and wine garden during the summer and early fall at Riverfront Park on River Road and Community Park.

In response to a resident's question about planning to have alcohol sold at a concert on a Sunday (Oct. 20), Schroeder said those sales "are the only way to offset the cost of the event."

Borough Administrator David Maffei told Wisniewski that a Borough official is working on compiling that information, but was not yet done. Maffei said, "I can tell you that this year we didn't come close to breaking even due to bad weather."

More than one concert was postponed or canceled due to rain this summer and one concert was held on an evening where stifling heat and humidity kept most music fans away.

Democratic Councilmember Chris Goss said to Wisniewski, "If the intent isn't to make a profit, I think you'll have a hard time quantifying the benefit to the people and the businesses in town."

Then Wisniewski suggested talking to the Chamber of Commerce about the event and Goss replied, "Why the chamber?"

Republican Councilmember Bill Borowsky, clearly annoyed, said the chamber had a concern last year about a fall harvest festival being held too close to the parade that had been scheduled for the end of October (the parade was ultimately canceled because it was the day before Superstorm Sandy hit the area).

Borowsky said there may be a concern this year too about having a concert on Oct. 20 and then having a Halloween parade on Oct. 27.

"One will water the other down," he said, more than a bit angry. "We should talk to the chamber. We should work together, not against each other."

"They are two very different events, with very different draws," Leitner said. 

Then the conversation veered into how the money was handled at past concerts and, in a statement that set off a firestorm, Leitner said, "I believe it was Councilmen Wisniewski and Sabosik who questioned the handling of the money."

"Now I know who fabricated it," said Borowsky, slamming his palm on the dais.

"What? What did you say?" Leitner countered.

"I never impugned the honesty or integrity of anyone who collected any money for any event," Sabosik said, loudly.

"I didn't accuse you of accusing anyone," Leitner said. "What I said was that there were questions raised last time about internal controls, Dave answered them and he was satisfied."

When Republicans again said they had been asking for financial information about past concerts, Goss said, "What are the numbers going to tell you?"

Councilmember Toni DePaola said it was essential for council to know how much the concerts have cost and whether the Borough lost money.

"If we are going to lose $5,000 on a concert, I think the taxpayers should know that," she said, more loudly than she usually speaks. "There is no accountability."

Schroeder, clearly seeing the writing on the wall, said, "There's been enough discussion" and, twice, called for a vote on whether to authorize the Oct. 20 concert. Sabosik, DePaola, Borowsky and Wisniewski (after a pause), voted no and Goss and Leitner voted yes.

After the meeting, as the fighting was flaring up again, and Leitner was accusing Sabosik and Borowsky of "lying," Patch asked Maffei how much it would have cost the Borough to run the Oct. 20 concert.

He said he did not have that information with him because that had originally been authorized by council months ago, since the concert had originally been scheduled for July. He said he knew it was not close to $5,000.

The agenda item to authorize the concert used the name "Restore the Shore," but Maffei said the event was not planned in conjunction with any of the area organizations that have used that name in the past.

After the meeting, Leitner and Sabosik spoke outside Borough Hall. A bit later, Leitner told Patch he and Sabosik had "sort of" resolved their differences.

Sabosik called Patch back later and said, "Yes, we made up. We shook hands like gentlemen. Neither one of us ever accused anyone of anything. The two of us have passion for the people of Point Pleasant and that was exemplified tonight" by talking out the issues later and resolving differences, he said.