Mayor Hornik To Lawmakers: JCP&L Isaias Response Was 'Inadequate'

MARLBORO, NJ – From overseeing a slew of weather disasters over his tenure that have knocked power out of the township for days at a time, Marlboro mayor Jon Hornik says he knows way more about the mechanics of electricity than he should.

“I know more about power than any mayor should ever have to know about power at this point,” said the mayor at a New Jersey state assembly hearing on Wednesday. “JCP&L is incapable of restoring power in a timely manner and more importantly they are incapable of communicating the proper estimated times of repair to the residents, and they need to be held accountable for this.”

State lawmakers and local officials from across New Jersey voiced their concerns over the restoration response to Tropical Storm Isaias, while utility executives defended their crews' actions. Hornik, who previously addressed his qualms with the power authority in a letter to New Jersey Board of Public Utilities President Joseph L. Fiordaliso, demanded consequences for the electric company at the three-hour online hearing.

“I’m here today, quite frankly, just to ask for your help," Hornik said. "I need you to take action in connection with this last storm and to help me help my residents in terms of the power and the service we’re getting from JCP&L. I’ve been through Sandy … since Sandy occurred in 2012, it’s eight years later. JCP&L is in no better condition for a storm response than they were then. And quite frankly, I’m tired of it.”

On behalf of his 45,000 constituents residing in the township, Hornik also expressed his frustration with the “inadequate” and “misleading” updates Marlboro families received over the course of the storm’s aftermath.

“Several days into the event I learned that my neighboring towns were getting a mayor's report, which I had never received. And when I did get it, it had two-day-old information. I had more information on the ground from my police department that is telling me where lines are down than JCP&L.”

“Extensive damage” was done to the township, disrupting 90 percent of residences’ power, according to the mayor. While it took three days for the town to see strides in power restoration efforts, 50 percent of residences were still left in the dark by day four.

“Every day my residents were getting text notifications and emails saying that either their power was restored or was going to be restored shortly,” said Hornik.

“Every text that came out of them was misleading, wrong, and quite frankly it’s infuriating at this point.”

Hornik ended his portion of the hearing by demanding accountability, urging officials to give township residents the ability to switch electricity providers (something one bill currently pending in the state Legislature would allow for) as well as encouraging “real fines for lack of compliance.”

“There is no accountability here. This is a monopoly. I am convinced that JCP&L would prefer to ask for forgiveness from this committee than comply … their obligation is to their shareholders. It is not to the people in Monmouth County and my town in Marlboro, New Jersey.”

Click here to watch the full assembly hearing (Hornik’s statements begin at 3:13:50).

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