Wall of mayors

“It’s one thing to make a picture of what a person looks like. It’s another thing to make a portrait of who they are.”

Paul Caponigro, renowned photographer

There are framed pictures of Jasper Correnti, Martin Matuskiewicz, Gerald D’Angelo and others. A few photos hang askew, but it’s Middlesex Borough’s no-tech answer to Disney’s Hall of Presidents.

It’s not some fancy, grand parlor that lures groups of history-seekers. It’s merely the back wall of the Ronald S. Dobies municipal building’s courtroom, where the Borough Council holds its twice-monthly meetings.

Covid shut down the Wall of Mayors’ council meeting viewership for a bit. The governing body moved its meetings next door to the recreation center to allow for social distancing but have been back for a while.

With John Madden recently completing his mayoralty and stepping back into private life, it’s time to add his likeness to the Wall of Mayors, a recognition of his four years of honorable service leading borough government. Asked about the Wall of Mayors recently, Madden said he’s made a few related recommendations to the borough administrator.

It would make sense to include a brief biography of each mayor, according to Madden, and he’s suggested the photos be upgraded. “I would like to see a continuation of the tradition,” he said in a text message.

Madden will get his due at some point. But what about his predecessor? Next to the wall’s photo of Dobies, there’s a blank space. If history is to be accurately recorded, there would be an adjacent photo of Ron DiMura and then Madden.

Middlesex appears to have a dilemma. How does the historical depiction get handled regarding its only mayor to be indicted, plead guilty and spend time incarcerated?

Madden and the Borough Council never dealt with that issue at length. Former Borough Administrator Marcia Karrow was adamant that DiMura should not be pictured, when asked about it shortly after his 2019 indictment.

Dealing with a pandemic and difficult financial challenges put more important issues on the council’s plate in early 2020. No one seemed to be in any rush to put up DiMura’s portrait to fill the empty space. Some borough officials said privately they’d prefer to never even discuss it.

An indicted mayor is not something to be promoted on one of those Route 28 signs leading into Middlesex. Would displaying his portrait dishonor the other upstanding mayors who served?

Do the legal problems warrant a historical rewrite? Would placing a former mayor’s portrait on a government building’s wall certify them as an upstanding person? Or merely that they held a specific elected office?

Disney hasn’t passed judgement on the presidential robots on the Hall of Presidents stage. If it did, perhaps a few would be removed. The refusal to hang an official’s portrait – for whatever reason – could be interpreted as a denial of history.

But perhaps a missing portrait is the best solution for Middlesex’s Wall of Mayors. Just conspicuously leave the space blank. Those who are around now would understand why. Those in future, can ask and learn.

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