| Author | Message | ||
     SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 284 Registered: 2-2006 |
The legacy of mismanagement for the OSH is the expense to stabilize it, which is a stopgap measure. Deferred maintenance is a time bomb for all buildings the town owns. People who plan simply to tear down historic buildings will not escape huge expenses to do so. Whether they are saved or intentionally destroyed, there will be great expense because none have been maintained as they should and the costs to raise them are exorbitant. Like so many other things, the legacy of the current leadership is huge, unnecessary expenses because of a lack of planning. Because the oldest part of the OSH dates to the 1640s, it should be saved rather than destroyed. What it is used for is another question and cannot be resolved before stabilizing it. It is on the verge of complete collapse. Instead of paying hundreds of thousands to destroy it and cart away the rubble, I would rather that the town use the same money to stabilize it so that the building can be preserved for a better time in the life of the town. | ||
| SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 285 Registered: 2-2006 |
("raise" should be "raze" in my last post) | ||
| SO1969 Citizen Username: Bklyn1969 Post Number: 275 Registered: 7-2004 |
Very well said SOrising. I also think the comments about not using the OSH for police purposes are on point...Why? Why would you do that? This Township, not the residents but the institution - senior administration and BOT, is so a** backwards. Do any of the middle management village employees (police and otherwise) think this is a good idea? I highly doubt it. The politicos are trying to appease the historic preservation crowd (which I count myself a member of, within limits), but realize at some level they've overspent already on SOPAC and now Tau, and have a public up in arms over taxes, the state of the library, village hall, Baird Center, so they try to kill 2 birds with one stone - preserve old building, use it as the juvenile sub station for police. Planning. Priorities. The absence of these is destroying SO's remarkable historic and architectural legacy. The irony is that SO was one of the best built and planned towns I've seen in NJ. If Bill Calabrese and Co. were running SO 100 years ago, the whole town would look a lot more like the Union/Vauxhaul stretch of Springfield Avenue. | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 3893 Registered: 5-2001  |
Repost from last week: Going back to the original subject of this thread, here is a video clip from last Monday's Trustees Meeting: http://youtube.com/watch?v=OB9O1mqVhKw Can ANYONE explain what is being said? As we have now been told, the Village "bonded" for the statue in 2004, but no costs were incurred - funds have simply been "appropriated". However, deferring the project now has no impact on our taxes because the money was already spent. HUH???? | ||
| SO1969 Citizen Username: Bklyn1969 Post Number: 280 Registered: 7-2004 |
I'm not able to review it right now, but I did watch some of it live. This may be a classic case of Rosen being right in a very narrow sense (in this case he's only right if you can get your head into certain mindset - the once you've bonded for Tau you can never go back to Kansas mindset), but missing the big picture. I thought what he was getting at - maybe, because it was not clear - was we bonded for the $250K already. We're already paying debt service on it. Not doing the project doesn't save us, cause we already bonded for it. Of course, the rest of us would say, why not use the $250K - that is apparently set aside somewhere in a trust account - for Streets & Sidewalks, the intended purpose. We could either make a direct offset to this year's budget for Streets & Sidewalks or (my preference) actually spend the money on Streets & Sidewalks. Streets especially. | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 3894 Registered: 5-2001 |
SO1969, That was exactly why I included Ms. Fahey at the begining of the clip. At the previous meeting, she explicitly asked and was told that we DO NOT pay debt service until the money is spent. At the following meeting Rosen contradicted his own words. Classic BOT doublespeak. | ||
| joel dranove Citizen Username: Jdranove Post Number: 366 Registered: 1-2006 |
Why doesn't the wretched newspaper report this? Anything to do with fearing the town will pull public notices from the paper? jd | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 3920 Registered: 5-2001 |
Tonight a question was raised at the neighborhood meeting about bonding. NOW, we were told that the Bond Approved in 2004 for the Tony Smith Sculpture will first start accruing interest NOW that the money is being spent. So, we are facing a 13.5% tax increase this year AND they are spending $250,000+ for a sculpture! Also, a tremendous before & after picture of the Sloan Street site was handed out by one resident showing what the gazebo looks like now & what the sculpture will look like. Can the author of that document, please contact me via Privateline? | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 3985 Registered: 5-2001 |
reminder  | ||
| Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 4817 Registered: 1-2004  |
Soparent I can't believe I missed you saying this >>>"It is a concern to me that the town can let the Pierro Gallery fall apart while housing works of art,"<<< Did you know four of the five Board Members for the Pierro Gallery (Including Cheryl Ardnet, is on the Sculpture Committee? If the PG is in disarray, can you imagine what's going to happen with the statue? | ||
| susan1014 Supporter Username: Susan1014 Post Number: 1527 Registered: 3-2002 |
Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if, down the line, some portion of any fundraising over $160K may come back to the gallery in the form of some of the educational programs that they plan to fund... | ||
| SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 348 Registered: 2-2006 |
Ah, that explains why they don't want to fully fund Tau, susan1014. Very sly. Just like their lying about a majority of residents supporting their schemes. What a sad day for art in SO that better proponents can't be found. | ||
| Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 4824 Registered: 1-2004 |
MHD- when you get those pictures would you please post them? I think I might be able to put them to good use. | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 3992 Registered: 5-2001 |
If anyone is interested, the following T-Shirts are now available for only $10.  Please send me a Privateline with your T-Shirt size, if you are interested! | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 4022 Registered: 5-2001 |
I heard there was a Letter to the Editor in yesterday's News Record in support of the sculpture. Not suprisingly, the author is a member of the Sculpture Committee, the author of at least one other Letter to the Editor on the same subject and the same person who called in to the BOT Meeting last week. Isn't the big fundraiser this weekend? Anyone know how many people are going? | ||
| Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 4909 Registered: 1-2004 |
MHD- I'm curious why this week's letter writer as well as 14 other letter writers supporting the project never identify themselves as members of the sculpture advisery board. | ||
| joel dranove Citizen Username: Jdranove Post Number: 455 Registered: 1-2006 |
Or why the newspaper doesn't identify those persons for who they are. Maybe they didn't know. If so, they do now, and should issue a correction/addendum to the next issue. jd | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 4027 Registered: 5-2001 |
I've also noticed that the New York Times article in 2002 was written by "Bernice Napach". Is that also the same "Bernice Napach" that is on the sculpture committee? | ||
| joel dranove Citizen Username: Jdranove Post Number: 461 Registered: 1-2006 |
Bernice Napach is a common name in the art world. The Bernice Napachs are all knowing. jd | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 4050 Registered: 5-2001 |
I just found this quote on Eric's campign website: http://www.ericdevarisfortrustee.com/issue.php?q=arts "The Lennie Pierro Memorial Arts Foundation is working hard to raise the funds necessary to install in town the sculpture by one of South Orange’s sons and international celebrity of the arts, Tony Smith." Again - not one mention of TAXPAYER costs! | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 4055 Registered: 5-2001 |
Another very good Letter to the Editor in today's News Record against the use of spending tax dollars for this sculpture. (also, not solicited) | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 4058 Registered: 5-2001 |
If Tony Smith's heirs want to do something GOOD for South Orange, how about keeping their precious statue and instead following Fred Profeta's lead. The sculpture people claim that Kiki Smith is the "greatest artist of her generation", so I imagine she must have a few dollars to spare, or perhaps she can sell the rights to Tau to someone else and donate the proceeds to Columbia: Maplewood Mayor Fred Profeta Jr. announced last week during a Board of Education meeting that he will spearhead a $3.5 million capital campaign for improvements to Columbia High School’s athletic fields. But that’s not all. Beyond the idea and the plan, Profeta, a 1957 Columbia alumnus, will even throw in $50,000 in seed money to get the project off the ground. Fifty thousand dollars. Hail, Columbia. He’s hoping his contribution will entice other Columbia High School alumni to follow suit and chip in a little. That’s what he told members of the Board of Education on May 1, noting the campaign will be handled by the Columbia Alumni Association, an organization he founded. He said the focus will be to solicit funds from other Columbia graduates, who are some 25,000 strong. The announcement of the capital campaign is a preamble to the mayor’s ball, a fund-raising effort also started by the mayor. Last year’s event netted $40,000 for Columbia, which was used for renovations to the school’s main entrance. According to the new capital campaign, donations will go toward improvements to Rizer Field, including much-needed bleachers, a scoreboard, bathrooms, a public announcement system and a concession stand. Plans for Underhill Field include a new football field and lockers. The fund would also stretch to the school’s east, west and main gymnasiums, as well as the pool. While it’s undisputed that Profeta has obvious allegiance to the school and we would in no way doubt the sincerity of this philanthropic gesture, the contribution would stretch beyond the campus and serve as a feather in Profeta’s political cap. That’s just the political reality. As we’re all aware, there are a few political rivals who are lobbying for Profeta’s position. Although the mayor is elected by his peers on the Township Committee, Profeta is in the throes of seeing if that system can be changed in favor of a direct mayoral election. In addition to the mayor’s ball, the fact that Profeta is single-handedly doling out $50,000 of his own money to help Columbia’s athletic fields certainly raises the bar in terms of what any political figure to date has done for the schools in these towns. Whether Profeta gets a direct mayoral election or not, this contribution is going to look very nice on his political biography. That said, we must admit it’s certainly an innovative effort on his part, too. Normally, alumni are more prone to contribute to higher learning institutions such as colleges, universities and graduate schools. The idea of contributing to the high school is a benchmark effort, something new. Tapping into Columbia High School alumni sounds like a good initiative. There have been droves of success stories that have come out of this school. Any donation from them would surely assist the capital campaign. | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 4098 Registered: 5-2001 |
In case anyone missed the Meeting, the latest outrage regarding Tau is that the Village did receive a CDBG Grant for $97,000 towards the Sloan Street improvements in the late 1990s. The same area that is now being REDONE with at least $250,000 of tax dollars for Tau. Ironically, the Village is banking on $250,000 ANNUALLY from CDBG to pay down the debt on SOPAC. Can you imagine the outrage at HUD if they hear that the Village is essentially throwing away the $97,000 that HUD gave to the Village only 10 years ago when the fountain & gazebo were installed? What impact will that have on the $250,000 anually the Village is depending on receiving for SOPAC? Does the BOT ever think about ANY consequences before they commit to these ridiculous pet projects? | ||
| Soparents Citizen Username: Soparents Post Number: 377 Registered: 5-2005 |
I couldn't get there last night. A sick child and my Husband couldn't get home in time either.. (I wouldn't have wanted to have left her anyway...) I couldn't make a call as the kiddies were too noisy and as for trying to send an e-mail, I couldn't see a link on the website saying send e-mail to BOT's for tonights meeting, even though the web address flashed up on the screen. I was proud of our residents last night. I saw people ask questions that concerned them, I saw people voice their concerns. I saw others, our more seasoned question askers, ask AGAIN for information and still not be given the answer that they know they should be given. As far Trustee M-A's outburst at the "language" used at "her" by Mrs.Skrobe? I was embarrassed to be watching a TRUSTEE behave like this. I thought at any minute she was going to get out of her seat and go nose to nose with Mrs.Skrobe.... She didn't like a couple of words out of Mrs.Skrobes mouth?? H.ll, and g.d-d..m..?? Well, I don't like a lot of words out of the Trustees mouths..... It was good to see Steve Hickson speak, and other "new" speakers whos names I couldn't hear. I wonder what HUD WOULD say if they heard about this? I can't get my head around a lot of the accounting talk etc, but one thing that keeps coming back to me is that due to fiscal ineptitude/lack of responsibiity by whichever BOT in whatever year, it seems that we are using debt to pay debt. Get into debt to do one thing, then get into debt to rip it up, and then debt again when you want something else, and all they can say is that no lender cares what you do with the money. Well, i'm not a lender, i'm a taxpayer in this town and I CARE about what you do with the money, and I care about you throwing it away... | ||
| joel dranove Citizen Username: Jdranove Post Number: 496 Registered: 1-2006 |
Contact the Inspector General for HUD, and inform the lawyers of what you know. Go to their website and look for IG info. Who knows, maybe indictments will follow. jd | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 4134 Registered: 5-2001 |
Joel, You mean THIS website: http://www.hud.gov/complaints/fraud_waste.cfm | ||
| red_alert Citizen Username: Red_alert Post Number: 261 Registered: 3-2005 |
To supplement MHD's previous post. Residents should get involved to protect the spending of their tax money. Office of the Inspector General http://www.nj.gov/oig/ In late 2004, Governor Codey created the position of Inspector General to Identify Waste, Mismanagement, Fraud in Government Spending. http://www.nj.gov/cgi-bin/governor/njnewsline/view_article.pl?id=2246 Office of the Inspector General }Hotline Number: 866-633-6585 Fax Number: 609-984-3990 E-mail: Inspectorgeneral@oig.state.nj.us | ||
| joel dranove Citizen Username: Jdranove Post Number: 529 Registered: 1-2006 |
Yes. Yes. jd | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 4185 Registered: 5-2001 |
Wouldn't want this one slipping to "Archive" either. Red_alert, let me know offline what response you got from OIG. | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 4186 Registered: 5-2001 |
Doing a search on "Tau", I found the following Friendster page that someone created FOR Tau: http://www.friendster.com/user.php?uid=5789918 Highlight: Hobbies and Interests: Looking at HOT Hunter College Girls and Getting People's Hackey Sacks Stuck on top of Me.  | ||
| SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 410 Registered: 2-2006 |
SOparents, although I missed your May 23 post before, I've seen it now. It is illegal for them to use money bonded for sidewalks and street repair to pay for TAU under NJ Statutes. They would have to argue that Tau is part of a sidewalk improvement and that ALL OTHER IMPROVEMENTS to sidewalks and streets were made so they had some left over to throw at TAU. This is not what anyone would recognize as a good-faith or plausible argument. | ||
| Soparents Citizen Username: Soparents Post Number: 909 Registered: 5-2005  |
Really? Thank you SOrising In that case, i'm all for being within the rules set by the NJ statutes, and since we obviously have money left over, they can repair my road for a start.... I was told it was being done, then not, then being done April/May this year, then later on in the year, and when I pushed and pushed I was told "maybe next year" So, since obviously we have money to spare that was allocated for sidewalks and street repairs, perhaps they can start with my road... I am sure there are other residents who would like to ask for the same... | ||
| Shanabana Citizen Username: Shanabana Post Number: 540 Registered: 10-2005  |
MHD: see, it'll attract hot girls!!! | ||
| Jersey_Boy Citizen Username: Jersey_boy Post Number: 1024 Registered: 1-2006  |
And hacky sacks. J.B. | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 4187 Registered: 5-2001 |
...and according to another poster on that site: "everytime i see you, you've got bird shite all over yourself." | ||
| SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 414 Registered: 2-2006 |
SOparents, what we really need is a new BOT that doesn't like breaking the law like the present group of perpetrators and hiring staff that does their dirty work for them. | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 4256 Registered: 5-2001 |
Cosmetics mogul pays record 135 mln dollars for Klimt portrait http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060619/ts_alt_afp/afplifestyleusart_060619115008 I wonder if the BOT bid on this painting, too. After all, it would only cost $27,000/household, and over 30 years would be less than $2000/household. We are an "arts community", right? | ||
| Mary32 Citizen Username: Mary32 Post Number: 30 Registered: 3-2006 |
Great MHD. Sarcasm and vitriol. The trade marks of this South Orange Specific topic. | ||
| joel dranove Citizen Username: Jdranove Post Number: 594 Registered: 1-2006 |
Some see the dark cloud, some the silver lining. Some see the human comedy. Laugh a little, Mary. jd | ||
| Nuff Sayid Citizen Username: Parkingsux Post Number: 438 Registered: 6-2005  |
Ogden Nash |
