Departing council members

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   From MJ:
Two departing council members proud of their service
By Rick McCrabb

Staff Writer 
MIDDLETOWN — 
While they didn’t serve on City Council as long as they hoped — both were defeated in the November election — Josh Laubach and Ann Mort believe their years on council were beneficial and they’re leaving the city in better shape.

They will attend their final council meeting tonight and Dora Bronston, who was the top vote-getter and was elected to a four-year term, will be sworn in as the newest member. Since a charter change and the elimination of the ward election system, council has dwindled from seven to five members.

Laubach, who served four years, and Mort, who completed half of Tom Allen’s unexpired four-year term, called their years on council successful. Mort said the city is “getting on the right track,” and Laubach said it’s moving in a “positive direction.”

Mort credited some of the movement to Judy Gilleland, the city manager, who she said is “cleaning up a lot of things that are hard to do.” She mentioned the demolition of dilapidated houses in the city and Section 8 housing. Mort, who calls herself “a cheerleader” for the city, also believes some of the “quality of life” events in the city are returning or being revamped.

Mort, who earlier in her career served on the Middletown Board of Education, said being a council member is “much easier” because the decisions don’t always impact children, who are “most important” in every family.

“I don’t get calls at midnight about potholes,” she said with a laugh.

When asked about her proudest moment, she talked about working with the fellow council members and city staff through issues that don’t appear on the council agenda.

The hardest part?

“Sometimes keeping my mouth shut,” she said. “And the budget. You are making decisions that impact people’s lives and livelihood. The budget always comes up right before the holidays.”

Now that she isn’t on council, Mort said she hopes to concentrate her efforts on increasing the city’s recycling. She said Middletown’s recycling rate is the lowest in the county and “there is no need for that.”

When asked about her future, she added: “I’m not done annoying people yet.”

Laubach will be remembered, he said, for “bringing a different perspective” to council. He always was the one who questioned most decisions, especially financially.

He described his time on council as “productive, hard and tiring at times.” The biggest challenge, he said, was standing alone on many issues.

He wasn’t sure if politics will be in his future. Four years ago, Laubach and A.J. Smith, who was 20 when he elected in 2009, were anointed the fresh faces on council because of their youthful ages. But Smith, 24, resigned from council earlier this year and Laubach, a few days short of his 32rd birthday, wasn’t re-elected.

“Time changes everything,” he said. “Nothing is guaranteed.”