Actually the Board of Health voted to place Memphis under the Neighbor-to-Neighbor network - a 501(c)3 that Karen Lore is the President of (at least this is what I got from Mr. Ricci's letter).

Not sure how the court is going to see the transfer of ownership at this time. It is my understanding that the Lexus project filed for trusteeship for Memphis. Looks to me that the BOH and Health Department are trying to circumvent the courts.

Despite the claims that Lore is being threatened and maligned, it was the public that was threatened and maligned at last night's meeting. An outspoken member of the Save Memphis group was threatened with death and when she pointed out the person who chose to blatantly threaten her, the maker of those terroristic threats was allowed to stay. Karen Banda and her mother were villified and one Lore supporter demanded to know why Banda and her 87 year old mother were not at the meeting (as if Banda would put her mother in harms way to satisfy their blood-lust). I was apalled at Lore's support for their name calling and all in public view of the Town Council who could see her directing their actions from the hallway.

I'll say it again. THE BLOOMFIELD TOWN COUNCIL APPOINTED THE BOARD OF HEALTH AND HAS EVERY RIGHT TO DISMISS THEM BECAUSE OF THEIR UNETHICAL ACTIONS!

This is just nothing more than racial profiling of an innocent dog and all ppl involed in the taking of memphis and saying he is unadoptable should be bloody ashamed...they do not have a clue about dog behaviour and how he is being treatrd is disgusting and speaks volumes about the very ppl who are meant to care and who clearly do not.... The danger here is man not memphis...give him back to the experts jeff and diana... Just bloody shameful.....

Excuse me! Mr ricci, we want our elected officials to run our town not overpayed employees! We elected them for a reason the BOH is not God and and my town government is the Mayor and town council! Government is for the people by the people! That's a pretty sad slap in the face comment you made about our elected officials over stepping their bounds!If that's the case the role of the BOH needs to be rehabilitated more than Memphis!There should be NO office autonomous! And your posse is doing enough of their own defamation, that shouldn't be coming from public employees! OUR tax money pays your overinflated salaries! You work for us!

This goes as a reminder for future commenters: Please do not use this section as a forum for public bashing and personal attacks, as we've had problems in the past. Your comment will be deleted, so leave the name-calling out of it. Thanks.

I attended the Bloomfield City Council meeting yesterday as a supporter of Memphis and as a neighboring citizen who wanted to see for myself what was happening. It is with much honesty that I say I regret going. I was disgusted and appalled at what I witnessed. The out right lies that we're being told, the lack of interest on the Mayor and some of the councilman's faces, and the immaturity. One woman read a speech which consisted of the public bashing of a woman named Karen Banda who might I add was not present to defend herself. The ENTIRE speech was about her and her mother. I am disgusted and appalled that Bloomfield is allowing this to continue! People are being threatened and harrassed for supportting Memphis! All over a innocent dog that has done nothing wrong!!!!! When is enough enough!?! Bloomfield claims to worry about how the township looks and all this focus on Facebook. Well by your actions, you don't look worried to me, you look like you are enjoying it actually. Karen Lore seems to be enjoying it as well, after all she just stood there and laughed at comments made. It became very obvious today in that meeting that there is a SERIOUS PROBLEM IN BLOOMFIELD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not sure what you consider "personal" I wrote a post that talked about the Board of health and Health department and their unethical activities- that never got posted. Was that considered "personaL"

To whom it may concern

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Derek Szmyt, a former Captain in the United States Army, with x2 combat tours underneath my belt. I am a resident of Bloomfield Township. The following events are what occurred on 01 OCT 2012 in a town, that I have discovered, is in turmoil.

Tonight, I attended a Bloomfield Town Council meeting to voice my opinion about the several issues concerning the illegal activities at Polaski Park and on Pleasant Avenue. I have never been to a town hall meeting with local government, but as a relatively new resident to Bloomfield, I figured that maybe I could get my help from my local officials. This was not the case; what I did find is below:

1. This meeting's main agenda was focused on the pit bull, Memphis. At this point I am going to make the assumption most individuals reading are Bloomfield residents and are familiar with the situation so I will eliminate the details. Let me first state, that for anyone who would like to know my status, I am a dog lover. In fact my dog, Kindi, is a rescue. Not only is he a rescue, he is a rescue from Iraq. (Please see the link for the story: http://thefurrypaws.wordpress.com/2008/10/25/the-furry-paws-chronicles-kindi-the-jovial-pup/). I agree Memphis needs a loving home, as do all dogs. But what I witnessed tonight between the two sides of the story was an embarrassment to humanity. I watched in horror as the side of "Free Memphis" T shirt wearing citizens went back and forth with the Bloomfield Animal Shelter/Board of Health. Instead of the two sides coming with any inkling of a solution that could appease both parties, you attacked each other with threats, and not just threats, threats of violence (to include murdering each other) and violence against one another's families. Free Memphis side - do you realize without places like the shelter, dogs like Memphis would not stand a chance? Animal Shelter/DOH - do you realize with out loving owners like the ones who were wearing those T - Shirts you would have 100s of more strays then you do now?

This entire town should be embarrassed. As a combat veteran, I can assure you people you DO NOT know the pain and suffering I have witnessed. I have held the heads of dying men in my arms with their arms and legs blown to pieces. I have stared into the cold dead eyes of a man who yes in fact was my enemy, but I was the reason his spark of life was now extinguished (and his children watched me do it from a distance). Try sleeping the night with those memories burned into your brain. Your idiotic and empty threats to one another makes me sick to my stomach, you all should be deeply ashamed.
The most ironic thing about your argument, YOU BOTH WANT THE SAME THING - to make sure Memphis is taken care of properly, and receives a loving place to rest his head. Here is a tip, why don't you work together to come up with a solution instead of badgering each other. In life, you cannot control 99% of the things that happen to you, but the one thing you can control is how you react to them. Stop, read that again, think about it.

2. As far as our Mayor and Town Council goes, I feel for the fact that throughout the night you were given a list of problems. However, when I attempted to speak at the end, the Mayor addressed me and said "we were out of time". When I told him I was a veteran and I think I earned the right to speak his response was "We follow the rules here". Well sir, I appreciate your compliance to your original timeline, I do not appreciate the blatant disrespect you showed me in front of the citizens of this town. May I remind you it is individuals like myself and the thousands of other men and women who continue to fight for this country. Everyone in that room had a chance to speak on Memphis' behalf. I certainly earned mine. As for the rest of the council, none of you should agree that the mayor was correct by not letting me speak; YOUR SILENCE was deafening. Not one of you spoke up on my behalf.

3. Finally I reach my reason for attending the meeting. The drug, drinking, drag racing, noise disturbance problem that plagues my neighborhood night after night from Polaski Park and Pleasant Avenue. My neighbors are scared of what happens here at night, my wife has been harassed and almost hit by a car, my house and property has been vandalized several times. I am a good citizen who pays his taxes and works hard to continuously improve his property to add value to this neighborhood. However, once my loved ones begin to feel threatened to go outside when the sun goes down, well we now have an issue. And less anyone think that I spent 5 years to defend this country is not going to fight to the death for his loved ones, then you have made a grievous error with your judgment. I said earlier that people only bring you problems and no solution, well here is my solution: increase patrols and add additional CCTV cameras with live feeds to the area monitored at night. Tonight someone told me that Polaski has been a problem since 1985 - so I guess that means mediocrity has been standard and accepted for over 25 years. Well I do not accept mediocre, EVER.

In summation, after tonight's events I will never return to a Town Hall meeting after the disrespect shown to me, and the faster I can get out of Bloomfield the better.

v/r

Derek Szmyt
Former Captain, United States Army, 4/2 SCR
Soon to be ex-Bloomfield resident

Derek S, thank you for your service. Also, I envy your soon-to-be status! The mayor only follows rules when they suit him. You and everyone else had every right to speak, but last night most especially you. That was a total lack of respect for you and your service to our country. God bless you.

Wow, what powerfully written editorial, Mr. Szmyt. I believe you were the young man who went to the podium at the end of the session. You're right, no one spoke on your behalf, however, that was because the Mayor stated serveral times throughout the meeting that anyone who casues a 'disruption' will be ejected from the meeting. I apologize if you felt no one supported you, I think it's safe to say we all didn't want to created any problems on behalf of Memphis or the Coltenbacks.

Wow...I'm actually speechless.

Even tho I am not a resident of Bloomfield, NJ I have been keeping track of the Memphis situation Via Facebook. This whole situation makes me sick to my stomach. Why is this dog not allowed to go to a good home with people who are capable and willing to take him in and love him? Seriously, what is the REAL reason? As I read more and more on this, I have to believe it is nothing more than a power trip on some peoples part. Now after reading these posts, makes me glad I am not a resisent of Bloomfield, NJ.
And to Mr Szmyt.. I for one would have been the first to shake your hand and thank you for your service. I really hope you find a place far away and nothing like Bllomfield. and again Mr Szmyt, Thank you!!

Dear Former Captain, I, also was at the meeting last night, All we want is for Memphis is to go home to a loving Family. And we also worry about the other HOMELESS Animals that need a Home, If THis is happening to Memphis than what makes you think it would happen to other innocent Dog, What If something happened to you and your dog was placed in there. ANd He or she had a home to go to and guess what there either say its not adoptable or put to sleep. Could you rest with that. Rose (animal adovcate) Thank You for your service in protecting our Country Sir.

Derek, Kindi is a doll! Thank you for rescuing him, and for your service. I hope everyone looks at the Furry Paws link you posted.
I thought the mayor limited comments about Memphis to one hour, but that comments on other issues could be made later. No, the "rules" weren't very clear. If the time limit was one hour, then each person should have been given less time, I guess.
I am troubled that the groups are being characterized en masse and that I am reprimanded for behaviors I didn't commit. Just as Lia states above, public bashing and personal attacks should not be tolerated. The lady who read the letter under someone else's name (I have NO idea who any of the people are) violated that dictum repeatedly; incendiary comments like hers were bound to stir opposition. She should have lost her turn to speak as should anyone on the "Free Memphis" side should have.
Give Kindi a hug and smooch.

Derek, your comments are spot on. There are folks on both sides of this issue that have taken the debate into the gutter, and many folks that I once held in high regard have said things that I find repugnant. I guess freedom of speech isn't always pretty, but it's what we've got. But please don't get the impression that those angry voices represent all of Bloomfield. They don't.

Thank you for taking the time to post, and for the sacrifices you've made for all of us during your service to our country.

Derek,
People have left comments about your post, yet no one seems very interested in your problems. I, for one, am interested. First, I am sorry to hear about what is happening to you and your family. You should not have to endure one night like that. I want to offer my assistence to help you cure this problem. Please let me know how I can help.

"BOH attorney Ronald J. Ricci accused the council of "overstepping its boundaries and passing resolutions which support a group who is threatening and defaming public employees and the animal shelter under the control of the Bloomfield Board of Health."

Threatening and defaming public employees? Like who? What threats, exactly. Defaming how? Give specifics for once, not vague references. That's all we get from Lore, Fitzpatrick and the BoH. If you can't back up your claims with documented facts, don't bother making them.

As for being threatened and defamed, last night members of the public were threatened by shelter volunteers (a police report was filed) and my 87 year old mother and I were defamed by Bonnie Taboadella and her gang in comments to the mayor and council. I'd care about her comments if I had any respect for any of them. I have none. My only point is get your facts straight, Mr. Ricci and back them up with documentation. We have.

As for Karen Lore and F. Michael Fitzpatrick, my only comments to them right now are "you are known by the company you keep".

I heard from Councilman Joanow that the police are upping patrols in the area and that other suggestions may be coming. Gary- I don't understand why you would say that no one is interested- is it bbecasue there was not an instantaneous answer. I checked and was told that the issue is being handled.

Derek- is it being handled??

Derek S. I can appreciate your frustration. I live on the south end of Bloomfield near Wrights field and have the same issues. When I contacted the Police department they sent the patrol out for a couple of nights and that was the end of it. I walk my dog around there and am appalled to find glassine bags, lots of entourage cigar wrappers, and plenty of evidence of illegal activity. The stores around the corner are starting to get broken into. I'm not trying to hijack this thread, just show the level of apathy the current council and mayor have towards their constituents and continue to have.

Both sides need to let go and withdraw with dignity...that is, if , in fact, the wholesome welfare of the dog Memphis is truly at stake. Memphis needs to be let go to some neutral territory, say Ohio , a farm perhaps, where he can be freely cared for and allowed to thrive in health . If the dog remains in Bloomfield, there will be no satisfactory end to this matter and many- after Monday night -are aware that no one within the Council or the public that constitutes the 'wisdom of Solomon" which this solution may require. The Coltenbecks need to let go-in the best interest of the dog. The Township needs to let go- in the best interest of both the dog and of the citizens of Bloomfield. The longer the dog and the issue remain so tense and heated, the animal will ever be asociated with political negativity and divisiveness. Clearly, the animal is symbolic for the immense isues of disatifaction with the Shelter's policies and procedures (or lack thereof). Someone deserves a successful outcome as result. Let it be the one who can benefit most greatly, the innocent creature Memphis- provide a fresh new beginning for him elsewhere. Let both parties withdraw the dispute thoughtfully in kind spiritedness to model good citizenship. And let both be reminded that a fair settlement is "for the needy as well as the greedy".
Now let us bear witness to who really wants the outcome that is best for the dog- as opposed to who simply won't give in unless they get their own way.

In todays new's !!! Coming to a town near you! hthttp://bronx.ny1.com/content/top_stories/170028/bronx-grandmother-attacked-by-family-s-pet-pit-bulltp:// www.10news.com/news/8-month-old-baby-killed-by-pit-bull-in-lemon-grove

http://bronx.ny1.com/content/top_stories/170028/bronx-grandmother-attacked-by-family-s-pet-pit-bull

Coming soon to the town of Bloomfield.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/10/02/pair-of-pitbull-attacks-stun-parts-of-tri-state-area/

T. C. your posting of the article about a pit bull attack has nothing to do with Memphis nor this discussion. Mempis is adoptable and needs to be returned to the Coltenbeck's. I don't understand why Karen Lore or the BOH is being so vindictive towards Memphis and the Coltenbeck's. From the reports, the Council voted to settle out of court and return Memphis to the Coltenbeck's. This decision should be respected. The Council has the right to dismiss Lore and the BOH and this would benefit eveyone in the town of Bloomfield and save the innocent dogs.