RSVP with the Mayor

Lisa Camacho
Feb 12
2 min read

2.12.25

Last week I received a text from the mayor's CRM (customer relationship manager) to RSVP to a meeting he was going to do on Feb 12th, 2025, and talk about the Housing issue here in our town, "hear about what's next for our town. Could there be exciting news?"

I decided to take a few hours off from my night PT job to go to the event and listen. I am interested because I want to move into a low-income home and move my elderly mom with me.

I get to the event and there is no parking. I had to find a parking lot further down. The street is dark with no lights surrounding the area. I use my cellphone flashlight to light the dark hilly road. A couple is walking with me stating they went to an event like this a couple of years back.

I finally got in, and oddly was surprised the man opened the door to let himself in FIRST and not his wife or me. Poor etiquette. He was Indian.

As you walk in the main room is FILLED!! There are tables on the right-hand side to check-in. I checked in and they asked me to sign a petition to get the Mayor back into office for the next term. No problem. That's it. The people did not say anything about where I should go. If drinks were on the house, apparently there was food but no idea if that was included. No direction whatsoever. Poor customer service.

I found a spot at the entryway. Lots of older people, white people. Lots of Indian people. I didn't see any Latinos or Black people. But it was packed. There were tables where I guess people had just finished eating dinner and the rest of us were standing.

Speeches: It was nice to see who Neglia and Shah were who are running with the Mayor.

The Mayor talked about how he is a true native of Parsippany. Graduated in 1979 at Parsippany Hills High School. Built his life here. Parsippany is HIS roots.

Housing: The only mention was that he is fighting to prevent builders from not building 🔨 more 🏡 here. Stating we don't have the infrastructure. That's it.

He ended his speech about this man who came from the Far East and came here LEGALLY. His name is ‘Cezar’ (don't know if I'm spelling his name correctly). The Mayor read an email from a Lake Hiawatha resident who shared how this particular family waited years to come here legally. The Mayor gave the young man his very own flag as he is now a US American citizen. He did it the correct way, the way it was supposed to be. The way the laws were written.

Unfortunately for me, this was a DL political event. I'm disappointed 🙁. I lost money coming to this event. If only it was CLEAR from the beginning what this was REALLY about.

Please Mayor Barberio, please be clear about what your intentions are from the beginning. My time is valuable just as your time is valuable.

#aneveningwith-MayorBarberio

#NJ

#lisadiscovers012025