| Author |
Message |
    
Lucifer
Citizen
Username: Lucifer
Post Number: 3
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2005 - 11:11 am: |     |
Since we don't have any ratables, I think we should start selling corporate sponsorships. "Coca-Cola, Offical Soda of Maplewood, NJ" ; "Coors Light, Official Beer of Maplewood, NJ". You know, things like that. It appears as though taxes have become a serious problem around here, and I'm kind of you know, sick of paying them. Lets use up the clout we got with the money magazine article and get some dollars. |
ajc
Citizen
Username: Ajc
Post Number: 3815
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2005 - 3:39 pm: | |
"I think we should start selling corporate sponsorships."
Thanks for sharing... I'm really not in favor of large corporate sponsorships for Maplewood, but I sure would like to see more local companies and service organizations taking on the responsibility of paying for the many needed extras the town otherwise couldn't afford. Hey, money saved is money earned.
For those who may not know, town beautification is a major area of involvement for our local Rotary Club here in Maplewood. As an example, Ricalton Square has a Beautiful Clock, the Large Christmas Tree, a Dickens Village House, and soon will be installing a permanent polished stone Chess Table in the north section of the park. The outdoor theatre at Seth Boyden School, and even the large Gateway signs entering town were also paid for by the Maplewood Rotary.
Sponsoring events or some needed extras, along with volunteering your time to the community is what makes our town so very special. If anyone would like to get involved with Rotary, please contact me and I'll invite you to one of our 6:30PM Tuesday night meetings every week at Cryan's in South Orange.
Here's something to think about; I wonder how many local businesses would like to join together to sponsor the costs of running an all day jitney around town and through "ALL" our business districts? There's a great project for some local organization or businesses to take on, like no kidding....
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Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 8494
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2005 - 3:56 pm: | |
Interesting idea I have to say. There is a young woman who is currently auctioning off her epidermis to be used for advertising. This is a Ebay aution and last I heard the bidding was up to $13,000/ Now if all the TC members did this...... |
SO Refugee
Citizen
Username: So_refugee
Post Number: 349
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2005 - 10:39 pm: | |
I would offer to have the Maplewood logo permanently tattoed for half her rate...only I don't look so great in a bikini.
Art - is the Rotary for all of the surrounding area or just Maplewood? Just found it odd that the meeting would be at Cryan's in SO, but you referred to it as our local Rotary Club here in Maplewood. |
ajc
Citizen
Username: Ajc
Post Number: 3819
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, May 22, 2005 - 12:59 am: | |
This year is Rotary Internationals 100th anniversary.
There are more than 30,000 Rotary clubs in 160 countries and 36 geographical regions, with over 1,200,000 members.
Both Maplewood and South Orange have their own Rotary clubs. Meeting weekly at Cryan’s is because they offered the most cost efficient meal deal, and for the past 10 years have been very supportive of our club.
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Joan
Supporter
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 5625
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, May 22, 2005 - 8:01 am: | |
The problem with corporate sponsorships of the type described above is that the "Town" has to endorse the product(s) carrying the official Maplewood, NJ logo. As a community, we have trouble reaching consenus, let alone majority agreement on virtually anything. Can you imagine what would happen if the town decided to endorse a sugary soft drink that a vocal group of citizens considered to be unhealthy (too much sugar, empty calories, etc.) and what would happen if someone discovered that the product was being marketed to a place with negative social/political associations such as South Africa during Aparteid?
As far as a nice, family oriented town such as ours endorsing an alcoholic beverage when there is such a problem with teenage drinking in our region....?
If you can think of a nice safe product which is not in direct competition with one or more of our local businesses in town (we don't want to kill off what local business we have in the process) I would be willing to give your proposal greater consideration.
A better idea would be to market the Maplewood way of life to those who are not lucky enough to live in one of the ten best places in the United States. A Maplewood clothing line, a series of Maplewood coffee-table type books of big, glossy photographs featuring: Architecture of Maplewood (use the Famous Doors of Maplewood Poster on the cover), gardens of Maplewood, Maplewood Cookbook, Maplewood Festivals, Art of Maplewood Artists (Use the Murals at the Train Station or the Miracle of the Chewing Gum for a cover), etc. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 6965
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, May 22, 2005 - 11:01 am: | |
I like Joan's idea much better. There are advertisements everywhere, and I find it rather distasteful. Public structures are for the public benefit. I've heard of school rooftops being used for Pepsi ads. I would like to think that we're not that desparate. More importantly, I don't like to characterize our town by what brands of consumer goods we favor. Other things in life are a whole lot more meaningful, or at least I'd like to think so. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 8497
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, May 22, 2005 - 11:07 am: | |
How about selling naming rights for Ritzer Field to WalMart in return for redoing the playing field?
For those who don't know, Ritzer is basically a gravel pit because of all the use it gets.
For the record, none of my posts in this thread are at all serious. |
Joan
Supporter
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 5632
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, May 22, 2005 - 11:19 am: | |
BobK: If none of your contributions to this thread are at all serious, why did you make them? Lucifer is raising a valid point, which has been discussed before on MOL. (Remember the suggestion that each of the "bricks" used to pave the sidewalks in the village be dedicated to a separate sponsor - for a set price? - dedicate a brick to a new baby, recent graduate, newly wed couple, etc.)
We do need to do something inovative to make the town more self-supporting. One major advantage of my suggestion over Lucifer's is that it would create jobs in our town at a time when our job base has been shown to be shrinking. More jobs locally means a boost to the local economy and frees up that commuting time for employees to do much needed volunteer work . |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 6968
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, May 22, 2005 - 11:29 am: | |
I took bobk's jokes as a way of showing how distasteful corporate sponsorship would be. I don't take them as saying we don't need to do anything. So I suspect that he agrees with you and me about what not to do and possibly about what to do, too. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 8499
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, May 22, 2005 - 12:48 pm: | |
Joan, other towns have done this. Usually a large business, often a Fortune 1000 and usually having a large facility in the town, pays directly or has work done at school and recreation facilities in return for naming rights. Since we don't have such corporations located here, and (as you point out earlier in the thread) given the nature of our community) if someone like WalMart was willing to sponsor something, it would never fly. |
Bill P
Citizen
Username: Mrincredible
Post Number: 325
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 3:19 pm: | |
Well, it's happened. The prince of darkness has gone ahead and set himself up with an MOL account. One more piece of ammo for the people who think this town is going to hell.
And what is he urging us to do? Sell our collective souls to corporate America, his agents here on Earth.
Begone Satan! Back to the fiery pit from whence you come! |
Lucifer
Citizen
Username: Lucifer
Post Number: 8
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 11:15 pm: | |
My original post was meant to stimulate discussion of what i think is an important topic. Clearly I dont want to sell out to corporate america. But lets look at what we have. Several thriving local businesses with some weight to throw around. Established businesses. Whats wrong with calling Ritzer Field "St. James Gate Field" ? would it be so bad if stretches of pot-hole laden roads were renamed "Bagel Chateau Blvd."? |
johnny
Citizen
Username: Johnny
Post Number: 1246
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 11:58 pm: | |
I always found it odd that the Maplewood Rotary would have their meetings in South Orange.
How about O'Reilly's? |
ajc
Citizen
Username: Ajc
Post Number: 3832
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2005 - 5:15 am: | |
...besides the price and food, Cryan's has a private meeting room for us!
BTW, O'Reilly's is great... |
letters016
Citizen
Username: Letters016
Post Number: 66
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2005 - 8:38 pm: | |
AJC,
By the way, that is a very beautiful clock in town. It even tells the right time twice a day. Who is responsible for getting to tell the right time the other 1,438 minutes?
And I agree with Tom. I don't want my kid going to Coca-Cola High School. I don't want to watch the TC meetings live from Walmart (town) Hall.
However, say if Rutgers paving (to use them as an example only) wants to donate their services to repave Dehart Park's parking lot, I don't see the harm in a sign being posted somewhere giving them credit. We get a new lot and they get a little advertisement, with little being the operative word. No big, ugly signs the deter from the beauty of Maplewood. |
ajc
Citizen
Username: Ajc
Post Number: 3840
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2005 - 11:02 pm: | |
"By the way, that is a very beautiful clock in town. It even tells the right time twice a day."
I'm glad to see you know how to tell time... What other positive input would you like to share with us?
Listen pal, in case you didn't know, a gift is a gift. All the many gifts we give to the town don't come with a lifetime service contract.
If someone gave you a case of tolet paper, would you expect them to wipe your butt too? |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 7041
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2005 - 11:07 pm: | |
Best laugh I had all day, Art. But letters016 did ask who is responsible. He didn't say the donor is responsible. |
ajc
Citizen
Username: Ajc
Post Number: 3842
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2005 - 11:37 pm: | |
I know Tom... he's the new guy on the block so I'm just testing his metal! |
letters016
Citizen
Username: Letters016
Post Number: 68
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - 12:12 pm: | |
Tom & AJC,
"I know Tom... he's the new guy on the block so I'm just testing his metal!"
Maybe Art doesn't know that I am one of the 5% of people here who admit to conservative leanings. No wonder the Republicans get creamed every election. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 7053
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - 12:19 pm: | |
letters016, I assume you'll be glad to know Art is a Republican.  |
letters016
Citizen
Username: Letters016
Post Number: 69
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - 12:26 pm: | |
Tom,
I have lived in this town for 16 years now. I know exactly who Art is. He knows me (not on a personal level, but he knows who I am), but doesn't know me by 'letters016', so this could be fun as I am not going to tell him who I really am. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 7054
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - 12:28 pm: | |
I should have assumed you know him. It doesn't take long before one has the honor of meeting him. |
letters016
Citizen
Username: Letters016
Post Number: 70
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - 12:36 pm: | |
Tom,
Art is a classy guy. I wish him well in his endeavors with his B&B. I would really like to se it in full swing. We have had occasion to use such a facility and were sad that it was not available. It would be an asset to this community.
I know of the difficulties that he encountered with his neighbors. I also know that they were more guilty of what they accused him of doing. He was a good neighbor to them and they stabbed him in the back.
I think they were all a bunch of jealous jerks. |
ajc
Citizen
Username: Ajc
Post Number: 3846
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - 6:06 pm: | |
... I just got home from helping my school teaching daughter in the city, and I'm late to get to the Cafe by six... but, I figured there was something I liked about letters and the number 16, besides it being the date of my birthday...
Tom,
Don't worry, with all my years of experience in the business, I'll figure out who this is… Hey, he/she's a rookie only being on the Board a month... ;-)
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letters016
Citizen
Username: Letters016
Post Number: 71
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - 7:29 pm: | |
AJC,
So I’m not ‘pal’ anymore, huh? I thought you were doing your Bob Grant imitation. “Hey pal, get off my phone!”
Maybe I’ll stop by the café tonight, then again maybe I won’t.
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ajc
Citizen
Username: Ajc
Post Number: 3847
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, May 26, 2005 - 11:11 am: | |
“So I’m not ‘pal’ anymore, huh?”
Pal, Bud, Buddy, Rookie, Ace, Jack, Dude, Friend, Sweetheart, whatever... Listen, whoever you are, you’re the real deal and you’ll always be welcome at H2TA, Les Saisons, or anywhere in my company… I sincerely appreciate your acknowledgement in your recent post.
“I know of the difficulties that he encountered with his neighbors. I also know that they were more guilty of what they accused him of doing. He was a good neighbor to them and they stabbed him in the back. I think they were all a bunch of jealous jerks.”
Listen, I will be the first to admit I can be tough at times; sometimes I may push the envelope a little; I don’t always follow all the rules, and I’ve even made up some of my own along the way. However, I could never behave like these neighbors have, and if ever there were mean spirited devils sent from hell, these few are them.
So, whoever you are, I can tell you no one before has ever publicly articulated the circumstances or made a fair comparison of the situation more clearly then you have, not ever!!! I’m very grateful. Thank you...
BTW, we had a very nice time last night at the Cafe. I’m sorry for those who couldn’t make it, Jesse's food was great, and the entertainment was wonderful. (Remember, reservations for dinner must be made in advance.)
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letters016
Citizen
Username: Letters016
Post Number: 75
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, May 26, 2005 - 10:41 pm: | |
AJC,
I talked with some 'powers-that-be' about this very subject while you were going thru what must of been hell. But I got the distinct impression that they had already made up their minds about your business and weren't interested in any nasty little details that may alter the outcome.
I'm sorry that I could not put any pressure on anybody as I did not have too much clout and I was (and still am) involved in some youth functions and I really needed to keep my options open in case I ever needed the support of the TC.
I dislike political games but kids always come first with me so I do what I think is best at the time for them. |
ajc
Citizen
Username: Ajc
Post Number: 3848
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, May 26, 2005 - 11:28 pm: | |
Thanks anyway for your input and trying to make a difference. Listen, I'm always up for helping kids, so let me know if I can ever be of any help...
BTW, be careful, at the rate you're posting you'll be passing Tom Reingold. ;-)
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letters016
Citizen
Username: Letters016
Post Number: 87
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 30, 2005 - 2:53 pm: | |
AJC,
Now that I was "outed" by Ken Pettis, you know who I am. Ken says he knew I was 'letters' by reading my posts. It was nice seeing you today. The glee club was terrific, as always. Great ceremony at Town Hall. By the way, did you like our flag in the parade? |
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