Mayor Pasquale Menna’s removal as borough attorney in Matawan was made official with the hiring of his replacement earlier this week. But the council members who voted to remove him still aren’t saying why, the Asbury Park Press reports.

James Aaron, of the Ocean Township firm Ansell, Zaro, Grimm & Aaron got the nod Monday night. The gig pays $18,000 a year.

What’s odd about this is that Menna, a Democrat, was reappointed earlier this year by the town’s new Republican mayor and booted by a Democrat-controlled governing body. The sole vote vote in favor of retaining him came from a Republican.

From the Press:

Linda Clifton, a Republican councilwoman, was the opposing vote. She was also the lone councilperson at Monday’s meeting who voted against the appointment of Aaron. That vote was 5-1.

“I felt we were well represented by Mr. Pat Menna,” she said.

After repeated questions from residents at meetings, those voting not to keep Menna have declined to say why.

Repeated calls made Tuesday night to Democratic Councilman Joseph “Bud” Mullaney, who turned down Menna, were not returned.

More:

Menna, who had been serving as the holdover attorney since he was told by the borough not to appear at the May 6 meeting, said he hasn’t heard anything officially about a new attorney.

“Neither the administrator, nor the council or the mayor, has even notified me of that or the new attorney,” Menna said in a telephone interview Tuesday. “That’s a hell of a way to run a town.”

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