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Post Number: 69
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2003 - 9:18 am: |     |
Mayor Vic De Luca Answer to Pettis & Leventhal Question 1
The section you are referring to is on pages 39 and 41 of the Maplewood Economic Development Plan. Frankly, reference in your campaign material to the redevelopment work as "cosmetic changes" leads me to believe that you fail to understand the significance of how we are reshaping the Avenue both physically and attitudinally. I hope my responses will allow MOL readers to determine if in fact we have made progress on implementing the comprehensive plan prepared by Abeles, Phillips, Preis and Shapiro.
quote:1)Use the program to publicize the physical improvements and commitment of the Town to economic development. A positive message that Springfield Avenue is improving and will continue to improve will help attract new businesses that will be reassured of the viability of a Springfield Avenue
location.
On numerous occasions we were successful in getting the Star Ledger and the News Record to run stories about the improvement efforts on Springfield Avenue. Additionally, I have devoted time on a half dozen Comcast Newsmakers segments to news about Springfield Avenue and discussed our redevelopment work on numerous Meet the Mayor television shows. These were stories timed and designed precisely for the reasons in the report – to send a positive message about the Avenue and the Township’s commitment to
its redevelopment.
quote:2)Publicize the program well in order to encourage new and expanding businesses to consider Maplewood. Promote the program on the World
Wide Web and through ads and press releases in New Jersey business publications. In addition, information packages should be sent out to regional commercial real estate agencies.
I have been working with the director of the Springfield Avenue Partnership on business recruitment efforts. The Partnership has a web page on www.nj.com, which is very old and totally inadequate. Within the next month the Partnership will launch a new web site that will include available building space with square footage, rental/sale costs and contact information. The Partnership also subscribes to the weekly publication, Dealmakers, which lists the various retail outlets looking for space. The Partnership’s director reviews the listings for potential fits and if so, sends out a development packet with pertinent information about Springfield Avenue opportunities.
Representatives of the Township and the Partnership attend trade shows and conventions. We set up display tables at the International Association of Shopping Centers conferences last year in New Brunswick and this year in Newark. Companies that we were introduced to at these conferences and with which we are having follow-up discussions include: Starbucks, Baja Fresh and Maggie Moo’s. In addition, we have opened lines of communication with a half dozen North Jersey developers who have read about
Maplewood being named "One of the Best Places to Live in America." Each is very interested in coming to Maplewood if land can be identified to accommodate their needs. This includes the firm that built Gaslight Commons in South Orange, which has expressed an interest in a mixed commercial and residential project and another developer from Hudson County that wants to build upscale loft units above commercial space to attract artists and professionals.
We have made presentation to real estate agents at the Maplewood office of the Burgdorff Agency and the Short Hills and Maplewood offices of Weichert. Additionally, we send information on a regular basis to realtors in Essex, Union and Morris counties.
quote:3) Use the program to direct business owners who are considering a Maplewood location towards the appropriate location.
There are three types of areas we are developing on Springfield Avenue. First are the gateways at each entrance to send a message that you have entered the Springfield Avenue business district and that it is attractive, safe and welcoming. Next there are two pedestrian sections: one two blocks in each direction off the Prospect intersection and the other around the Hilton Branch of the Maplewood Library. The balance of the Avenue is designed for destination stores where people will drive, park and shop.
Our business recruitment strategy directs specific developers/merchants to the type of location that meets the square footage needs of their businesses. Furthermore, the Township Committee supports the recommendation of the Economic Development Advisory Committee that the Township utilize the NJ Redevelopment Act to assemble smaller commercial properties into larger tracts of land. I have proposed a section of the Avenue from Burnett Avenue to Boyden Avenue for consideration as a redevelopment zone. The Township Committee is now discussing this site.
quote:4) Act on inspiration. Although it is generally not efficient to approach specific businesses to fill specific vacancies, if … a business … would be a natural fit for Springfield Avenue, the lead should be pursued. In particular, consider successful businesses that have one or two locations elsewhere in the region and may be considering expansion.
On occasion we have pursued businesses that fit this description. One specific business is Burnett Barbeque on Burnett Avenue in Union. I have been working
with the owner for the past year to find a suitable location for expansion into Maplewood. We have also talked with owners of coffee shops, bookstores and
other pedestrian friendly stores. These take more time because it generally is a big leap for someone to open a second or third store.
Conclusion:
We are utilizing a coordinated strategy of publicizing the Avenue and the opportunities there. We are networking with business owners and developers and
putting Maplewood in position to be considered for development.
Additionally, we have put $40,000 in the municipal budget to hire business development consultants and planners based on needs that get identified as we
move forward. As we finish the first phase of the roadway improvement, I would like us to utilize some of these funds for a business development promotion
consultant who can assist us in upgrading our marketing material and strategies.
One Last Thing:
Regarding the KFC, no one on the Township Committee recruited the KFC to come to Maplewood. Initial discussions with KFC were with Jon Ziefert, a local resident and husband of the campaign co-chair of our opponents. Mr. Ziefert had proposed building a new facility at the former Amoco site and had discussed a deal with Rosi Delia, a real estate manager for KFC’s parent company Yum Brands, formerly Tricon. When Mr. Ziefert pulled out of the deal, Yum Brands decided to continue pursuing the site and made an application to the Building Department. Once the application was made, it was the responsibility of the Planning Board to hold hearings. As a member of the Planning Board, I listened to everyone’s views and made a determination that I could not vote for the variances requested. I informed KFC and they agreed to withdraw their application.
De Luca Answer to Pettis & Leventhal Question 2
Of the four candidates, I believe that I am the only one who has a teaching certificate and has taught in the public school system. To me, education is more than a public service that government must provide. We must ensure that we offer the best education possible for our students and that each child is given maximum opportunity to succeed.
Education costs are growing year after year and our job on the Township Committee is to work with the Board of Education to help them bring spending under control and to advocate for additional state funding. The district receives entirely too little from the state and I went to Trenton to meet with Commission Librera to convey that message loud and clear. I believe that there may be slight changes in the state aid formula in the next year that will benefit our school district.
In 2001, I joined my Maplewood colleagues on the Board of School Estimate to vote against the special question before us. I felt the tax burden was too great and we had to send a message to the school system that they had to operate within their means. I have supported two special questions since then because I thought the expenditures were essential to the operation of a first class school system. In both instances though, I talked about the tax burden and the fear of reaching a tipping point, where the costs drives residents from the towns in spite of an excellent school system.
Contrary to the accusation in your question, I do support having discussions with the Board of Education about spending targets. What I objected to at the March 25, 2003 meeting of the Board of School Estimate was Mr. Profeta’s effort to blindside the other
members with a proposal that was not on the agenda. We were not given notice that this proposal was to be raised and I felt that without proper preparation a fruitful discussion could not take place. Furthermore, as we begin to focus on budget targets, I want to give equal weight to evaluating the educational implications of such targets and how they will impact our children.
In 2002, there were five meetings of the Educational Liaison Committee, which consists of the representatives from the two towns, the School Board and the Superintendent’s office. We discussed numerous town and school issues. This year we have decided to hold monthly meetings of this group. Additionally, we are sponsoring three budget
meetings to get information into the hands of the public. The first budget meeting is June 18th.
De Luca Answer to Pettis & Leventhal Question 3
I want to applaud the work of the police department. Their efforts brought crime down by 17 percent in 2002. They also were instrumental in Maplewood’s excellent response to the terror alert on September 11, 2001. Maplewood is a safe community and our police
department does an excellent job. Yes there are some problems but all can be resolved with cooperation between the police union (PBA) and the Township
About 18 months ago, the Township Committee at my initiative, meet with the leadership of the PBA. We discussed issues related to the building, the schedule, the loss of officers to other departments and other non-contractual matters.
We heard loud and clear that the building was not adequate. We believe we have a workable solution by moving the headquarters to the Verizon building on Burnett Avenue. We set up a police officer building committee, which agrees that the building offers tremendous potential for the department. Jerry Ryan and I support the move to the Verizon property, our opponents do not.
The PBA also expressed a concern about the lack of merit awards given to the officers. The Chief worked with the Township Administrator and the PBA to schedule the award ceremony at the June 17th Township Committee meeting.
Another issue was the extensive use of police officers for crossing guard duty. We fully agreed with the PBA on this one. In the 2003 budget we included funds to hire two community service officers who will be filling in when crossing guards are out thus leaving the police to patrol the streets. We also included funds in this year’s budget for new state-of-the-art computers in police cars and for the purchase of two new cars.
It is true that promotions have not occurred. The PBA objected to a promotion policy negotiated between the Township and the PBA and filed for a hearing in Trenton. The hearing took months to occur and in the end the policy was upheld. We are now working on the final details so the policy can be implemented and the promotional tests given.
We have lost police officers to other jurisdictions. Some were for better pay, other were for better opportunities and still others for better schedules. The schedule now in place makes it impossible for new officers to get a weekend off for years. The Township is looking at other scheduling options that will remedy the situation. The challenge though is to come up with a schedule that still allows the daytime stationing of walking police
officers on our commercial strips. We will continue to work with the PBA to resolve this issue.
Maplewood continues to be a community in which future police officers want to work. We have four new officers who are graduating from the police academy in mid-June and we are set to send four recruits to the academy in August. Over 75 applicants took the test when it was last offered in the spring.
The big issue comes down to salaries. Frankly, I cannot support the PBA’s request for more than a 25 percent increase. We recently settled a fair contract with the firefighters for about 15.5% over four years. As with all municipal budget items we must understand costs relative to the tax burden.
A study done by the Star Ledger in June of 2002 showed what it costs towns in Essex County to pay for police services. The 2001 crime rate per thousand in the county was 55.63 and in Maplewood it was 25.8. South Orange had a crime rate of 45.4 per thousand. In 2001, the average homeowner in Maplewood paid $365 in police costs versus $395 countywide.
I want the police department to be treated fair and to receive the tools they need to do their job well. I am disappointed that they decided to move their negotiations from the table to the political arena but so be it. I think Jerry Ryan and I have begun to address the concerns of the police and have balanced those needs with those of our taxpayers.
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