Accuses 2 of racism over exclusion on library issue
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
NORTHFIELD — Mayor Erland Chau suggested racial discrimination was the motivation for leaving him out of a decision regarding the city’s library.
During a meeting July 13, Chau became irate, raising his voice, slamming his hand down several times and leaving his seat in a threatening manner while questioning why Councilwoman Barbara Madden and Councilman Greg Dewees did not consult him.
The fireworks took place during committee reports at the beginning of the meeting, when each member details news from various committees they oversee.
Madden, who is liaison to the Otto Bruyns Public Library of Northfield, reported that she and Dewees had decided against consolidating with the Atlantic County Library System.
Chau asked what committee she was referring to, and Madden answered the library committee, noting that she and Dewees had discussed it prior to the meeting.
“Yes, but with all due respect, I’m in charge of that committee and I said we would have our committee meeting. Now, we did not make any decision, my committee, which was reviewing it, and I said to all of you, both you and Councilman Dewees, that we would meet at a further date to discuss our findings from when we met with the county,” Chau said. “With all due respect, I think this is a slap in my face that you are making a statement on a committee that, we have not met and have not made a decision.”
“I’m sorry if I offended you but … ” Madden said.
Dewees interrupted, saying just because he and Madden recommended against consolidation doesn’t mean there can be no further discussion.
“And I said after our meeting with the county we would meet again,” Chau said. “You may have a difference of opinion and I respect that, but no one had talked to me. If that’s your decision that was made, you left me out of the decision.”
Dewees said he and Madden discussed it informally.
“You left me out of the meeting. You just said the committee made the decision,” Chau fired back.
“Don’t yell at me,” Dewees said.
“What?”
“Don’t yell at me,” Dewees repeated.
“I’m not yelling at you, I’m looking at Mrs. Madden,” Chau exclaimed.
“Don’t yell at her either,” Council President Tom Polistina interjected.
“I’m very pissed off, OK?”
“There’s no need to yell,” Dewees said.
“I don’t care what you say, councilman. You can yell, I can yell. If you don’t like what I’m saying then close your ears and don’t listen to me, but I’m very annoyed. Whether you like it or not, that’s your decision but to leave me out of a decision is a slap in my face. I am sure if you were in the same predicament, you would be yelling or be very pissed off,” Chau said.
“There was no committee meeting, Mrs. Madden and I just talked about it,” Dewees said.
“Mrs. Madden, did you just say that the committee made that decision?”
Dewees tried to answer.
“Excuse me, excuse me, Mrs. Madden, Mrs. Madden, did you just say the committee made the decision?
“We’re not getting anywhere,” Polistina said.
“Excuse me, I am talking to Mrs. Madden and the reason I am raising my voice is because you’re interrupting me,” Chau said.
“What did you say? Who said that? Who discussed this?” Chau asked, standing up.
“Councilman Dewees and I,” Madden replied.
“OK, so I’m chopped liver? I’m part of that committee. I call the committee, Mrs. Madden, with all due respect. Am I suddenly now, because I’m a different color, I’m left out of the committee?” Chau said, slamming his hand down.
“No one said that,” Madden replied.
“I feel that way, I feel discriminated. And I will not tolerate that. You may have a difference of opinion. You are not going to leave me out of a meeting. Do you understand that?” Chau replied.
“Don’t start making up things,” Madden replied.
“Don’t you start making things up and telling me I’m not involved in this meeting. I’m sorry that I’m pissed off but I am not going to tolerate that,” Chau said.
Polistina then pounded the gavel and told the mayor that was enough.
“And I apologize for reaching out but I am so pissed off. So I am going to leave it at that,” Chau said.
Polistina apologized for not controlling the mayor sooner.
Reached after the meeting, Madden said the mayor’s behavior was “quite shocking.”
“It’s not something I expected but it happened. It’s not the first time,” she said, noting she had not received a personal apology as of Sunday morning.
Madden said she and Dewees spoke before the meeting and he suggested since she is liaison to the library that she should make a statement.
“I asked if we should include the mayor but he said the mayor is in favor of consolidation,” Madden said, noting Chau “started to go ballistic.”
“He just kept going on and on and raving and wouldn’t stop,” Madden said. “I’m sorry he felt slighted but there is no excuse about being spoken to in that manner. It should not have happened.”
Madden said she felt threatened.
“He used very vulgar language and slapped his hand on the desk. I wasn’t sure whether he was going to come down and come after me or what,” she said. “It was unacceptable behavior.”
Madden said she was personally hurt by the mayor’s allegations of racial discrimination.
“That was so out of line. That was totally uncalled for and out of line. It was hurtful to me to say that about me, that is so untrue. To use the race card, so to speak, I was very upset about that,” she said.
Madden said Chau sent City Council “a rather generic apology, saying he was sorry for his outburst and he would move forward.”
She said that’s not good enough, noting he “directed most of his rant at me.”
“I consider that rather cowardly. It’s not an apology to me personally,” Madden said. “I do not respect what he wrote as an apology.”
Reached by telephone, Polistina agreed the mayor’s behavior was out of line.
“He lost a little bit of control there,” Polistina said. “I thought it was ending a couple of times and it didn’t and eventually I had to use the gavel.”