| Author | Message | ||
     SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 525 Registered: 2-2006 |
On the front page of the current issue of The SO Gaslight, a propaganda rag taxpayers fund, an article claims the village was awarded $154,000 by the NJ Historic Trust to stabilize the Old Stone House. This is a lie. A grant was not awarded to the village for this purpose but to the SO Historical and Preservation Society, a private non-profit that has worked to save the OSH tirelessly while the town allowed the OSH to rot and nearly collapse. The BOT voted to provide a matching grant from public funds because the grant award was contingent upon having a match for the grant. Yet the village administration did not get even a matching grant for the NJ Historic Trust monies obtained by the SOHPS. Instead it merely asked the BOT to provide the match out of public funds and the BOT complied. It is typical that the village administration, with the approval and cooperation of the BOT, would lie about its efforts to secure outside grant money for this purpose and claim it obtained an award that others actually secured. Neither village employees nor the trustees have demonstrated the necessary foresight, planning, care, knowledge, or provided the requisite time or skill to obtain the $154,000 stabilization money for the Old Stone House. Only after the SOHPS approached the town with the NJ Historic Trust money, did the BOT vote to contribute tax payer money to stabilization. Neither town employees nor any trustee produced any kind of matching grant from outside, non-taxpayer sources. The Gaslight article further demonstrates the town’s monumental ignorance of historic preservation requirements and conditions of the NJ Historic Trust grant. (Of course, since they tried to use HUD grants illegally for SOPAC/TAU, and they claim they will use bond money illegally for Tau, it keeps with their overall pattern of abusing grants as general slush money.) The article claims that the village engineer “is managing the project.” This statement is misleading since the stabilization work, must, as a condition of the OSH’s landmark status and as a requirement of the NJ Historic Trust grant, be overseen by a preservation architect. The town must follow, and may not direct, interfere or otherwise compromise, the management of the stabilization by the preservation architect. If SO does not comply with the professional direction of the preservation architect, it will forfeit the NJ Historic Trust grant; then the taxpayers would have to pay the full amount for the stabilization. But this would not be the first time the town forfeited or failed to obtain grant money it otherwise could have gotten because it doesn’t know what it is doing. This time, it might also finally destroy the OSH in addition to losing the $154,000 NJ Historic Trust grant. It is outrageous the town administrator and BOT are now trying to take credit for the long, hard work of many dedicated volunteers, while the administrator is being paid to lie to the public and while the town brought the OSH to the brink of irretrievable destruction. Is there no end to the mendacity of SO's leaders and municipal employees? | ||
| joel dranove Citizen Username: Jdranove Post Number: 762 Registered: 1-2006 |
Tell the board on Monday night. Live, from The Incomplete Village, it's: Calabreezy Night Live!!! jd | ||
| Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 5722 Registered: 1-2004  |
SOrising I wonder what people would say if they realized who puts the Gaslight together? I think it is worse then the Snoozw Wreckered. Why? With a few exceptions, it's main purpose is to make people like Calabrese and his lugheads look good. | ||
| SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 526 Registered: 2-2006 |
So it is, JTA. But taxpayers are paying for his personal political campaign. | ||
| Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 5726 Registered: 1-2004 |
Sorising- That's part of my point. The good thing is this time next year he, and hopefully Taylor, and Rosen will no longer be members of the BOT. With three new people, and Rosner, the other three will no longer have control. Then maybe, hopefully, some of the damage done to the town can be undone. | ||
| Soparents Supporter Username: Soparents Post Number: 2318 Registered: 5-2005  |
As much as I am hopeful about a good BOT come into play next year, that is almost another year down the line where in the meantime, more damage can be inflicted, or existing damage continuing to expand... | ||
| joel dranove Citizen Username: Jdranove Post Number: 771 Registered: 1-2006 |
Speak to the board. It is fun. And you can develop a fan club in Bunny's. But, they won't buy you a drink. jd | ||
| bets Supporter Username: Bets Post Number: 23663 Registered: 6-2001  |
wtf? |
