| Author | Message | ||
     doran Citizen Username: Doran Post Number: 26 Registered: 10-2001 |
Just received word from a Newark political contact that Trustee TA Moore is about to be appointed by Gov. Corzine as an OAL Judge for the State of NJ. I remember that this appointment was rumored during the last municipal election in May '05. What would be the procedure for her replacement on the BOT? I will be disappointed to have her leave the BOT, just when she seemed to become an "independent and critical" voice on the BOT. I hope she will still be able to teach Karate at the Baird Center. | ||
| bets Supporter Username: Bets Post Number: 23704 Registered: 6-2001  |
If this is true, I hope she'll continue her service as a Trustee of South Orange. She reminds me of my mother. | ||
| SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 543 Registered: 2-2006 |
I'm shocked, shocked, I say, to hear she will be appointed. (What is an OAL judge, doran?) | ||
| breal Citizen Username: Breal Post Number: 970 Registered: 6-2002 |
Office of Administrative Law | ||
| SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 544 Registered: 2-2006 |
Thanks, breal. If appointed and she accepts, she would have to resign as a trustee. She should not have run for the BOT with this looming. Ah, the BOT. SO is such a great stepping stone for personal advancement. No wonder she missed all those meetings. A judge with integrity, Governor Corzine. Something to remember you for. It also suggests the BOT did not vote on the SID at the last meeting because they want to replace Moore-Abrams with someone who will not resist their scheme to increase South Orange's great debt. A SID will provide special powers to borrow even more, considerably more, over and above the limit imposed on the town by law. At the last BOT meeting, no one, absolutely no one, neither trustees nor administrator-CFO-treasurer Gross, nor sidekick Mathews, replied to Jerry Andrews asking them all what the present level of South Orange debt is, just before they raised it another 4 million. Watch Andrews asking and their silent non-responses during remonstrances in the July 24 video. The annual budget is around 26 million. Current debt of the town is about 66 million and rising. With Moore-Abrams out of the way, it will rise even faster. The rest of them don't have to worry about how things will look outside of SO. Vote next spring, SO, if you don't want the town to head into bankruptcy. The state has too many problems to bail it out. | ||
| Soparents Supporter Username: Soparents Post Number: 2389 Registered: 5-2005  |
Picking on one of your phrases Sorising, what would happen if ANY town went bankruptcy, what is the process? What would cause them to declare/or be forced to declare bankruptcy? Has this ever happened? Speaking personally I felt that she was only one of the few rational voices on our BOT. She comes across as intelligent and informed when she speaks. If this is true, then I congratulate her on her achievement, but in the current state of our town, I shudder to think who they will replace her with. If miracles ever happen then I would suggest one happen pretty much right now in South Orange, New Jersey. | ||
| Dave Supporter Username: Dave  Post Number: 10247 Registered: 4-1997  |
A government body cannot go bankrupt; it would simply be stuck raising taxes to cover the revenue it needs to keep afloat no matter what that does to home values. I think it's great for TerriAnn, but I too wish she weren't leaving so soon. | ||
| SoOrLady Citizen Username: Soorlady Post Number: 3455 Registered: 9-2003 |
A great opportunity for TerriAnn - and a lost opportunity for us if she leaves. I had noticed of late that she had become an independent thinker on the board - and a vocal one at that. It takes courage to speak out when you know you are outnumbered. Best wishes to her. | ||
| Josh Holtz Citizen Username: Jholtz Post Number: 552 Registered: 4-2004 |
Early on I was discouraged by Ms. Moore-Abrams' attendance record. Now that I have seen more of her at the public meetings I can truly appreciate her rational thinking and her independent beliefs. I wish her the best of luck. I do think it will be a loss for the town if she is forced to resign from the BOT. Personally I would love to see Howard Levison as a her replacement. | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 4481 Registered: 5-2001  |
Josh, I totally agree with you....and, Yes...Howard would make an excellent replacement. | ||
| Soparents Supporter Username: Soparents Post Number: 2390 Registered: 5-2005 |
Third vote for Howard | ||
| bets Supporter Username: Bets Post Number: 23706 Registered: 6-2001 |
I just wish Terriann had stuck with Howard and Eric on her original election ticket. Things might be a lot different if she had. Wonder if she regrets it or if her independent thinking of late has been an audition of sorts? I agree that it should be Howard Levison to replace her; then again, it's not up to us, is it? | ||
| Soparents Supporter Username: Soparents Post Number: 2391 Registered: 5-2005 |
I think listening to Howard speak and the undoubted loyalty and love for this town that he shows, along with his obvious intelligence and integrity, he would make a superb trustee. As bets says, it's not up to us, but I would certainly hope that whoever this is up to makes the RIGHT choice for our town. | ||
| Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 5767 Registered: 1-2004  |
Who will take her place? Would it be the person who had the next highest votes? This could be interesting... | ||
| vermontgolfer Supporter Username: Vermontgolfer Post Number: 486 Registered: 12-2002 |
What is the process to replace a sitting trustee, should this all prove to be accurate? | ||
| Sheena Collum Citizen Username: Sheena_collum Post Number: 764 Registered: 4-2005  |
The BOT votes on who the replacement will be. | ||
| vermontgolfer Supporter Username: Vermontgolfer Post Number: 488 Registered: 12-2002 |
Now there's a scary thought for you! Thanks Sheena. | ||
| Soparents Supporter Username: Soparents Post Number: 2393 Registered: 5-2005 |
Sheena, would the Board also include Trustee M-A in this instance, or being the Trustee being replaced, would she not have a vote? | ||
| Sheena Collum Citizen Username: Sheena_collum Post Number: 765 Registered: 4-2005 |
Well if she's still a BOT member at the time of the vote, she'd have a vote. If she already has left her seat - her voting rights leave with it. In this instance, I'm pretty sure she would be voting. Trustee Rosner - am I correct? | ||
| Stuart0628 Citizen Username: Stuart0628 Post Number: 311 Registered: 2-2003 |
"If appointed and she accepts, she would have to resign as a trustee. She should not have run for the BOT with this looming." Corzine was not elected until this past November, after the BOT election. She could not have known she was going to be nominated for a judgeship until after the general election. | ||
| Spitz Supporter Username: Doublea Post Number: 1862 Registered: 3-2003 |
Dave - Actually, Federal law provides that a municipality can declare bankruptcy provided that the state approves. Several years ago (around 1997-98), you may recall that Camden was on the brink of bankruptcy. At a BOT meeting at the time, Steve Steglitz said "Why don't we just declare bankruptcy?" Someone asked if he were serious. Steglitz said something like "I'm always serious." Congragulations to Terriann. I echo all the positive comments that others have made. She really has demonstrated the independence that those who know her well spoke of so highly. | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 2873 Registered: 4-2002 |
All this discussion and at this time it is just a rumor. Sheena: We would not vote until after a trustee resigned. We have a specified period of time (which I think is 60 or 90 days after a trustee resigns) or there would be a special election (cost would be about $30,000). Four of the remaining five trustees would have to approve the new trustee. Any resident who is a registered voter (I think there is a one year residency requirement) is eligible. | ||
| SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 546 Registered: 2-2006 |
Friends, you seem to miss the point that Moore-Abrams knew she would be a candidate for a judgeship when she ran for the BOT and would not be able to be a judge and a trustee simultaneously. She knew she would not be able to serve her term and probably less than half of it, yet said nothing. She has wanted to be a judge for some time and knew she was being watched. She used the office of trustee to advance her own career, not because she was serious about being a trustee (also evident in her poor attendance). She may look better than others, but don't think for one minute she is a selfless public servant with loads of integrity. Or that she will possess any more integrity as a judge than she did as a trustee. I know its hard to admit that so many trustees aren't more than they are. But do not let longing for integrity blind you to realities. Howard will have no chance of becoming a trustee before the next election because the present trustees will not appoint him. (Let's hope I'm wrong, but I don't see four votes.) He'd make them look too bad and upset their private meetings, as Jennings discovered at the last BOT meeting this past Monday. Howard will get onto the BOT only by a great deal of extremely hard work by many supporters; he is too good for the current BOT and administration and they know it. And cities can go bankrupt, Dave. Remember NYC? It has happened and can happen again. NJ's treasury is not what the US and NY State treasuries were when NYC was bailed out, however. | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 4485 Registered: 5-2001 |
Village Charter says the following: 2.4 Vacancies. (a) A vacancy in the office of the Village President or Trustee occurring during a term shall be filled by the Board of Trustees, by the affirmative vote of at least four Trustees, for the remainder of the unexpired term. In the event the Board of Trustees fails, for whatever reason, to fill the vacancy at its second regular meeting following its occurrence, the vacancy shall be filled by election in the same manner as provided by P ragraph (b) hereof. a (b) If there shall be more than one vacancy in the office of Trustee or ff the offices of Village President and one or more Trustees become vacant at the same time, the vacancies shall be filled by election at the next general or regular municipal election to be held not less than 60 nor more than 120 days after the occurrence of the last of such vacancies to occur. If no general or regular municipal election is to be held within such period, a special election within such period shall be called by the Village Clerk. My interpretation is that she would have to resign FIRST and therefore not get a vote. | ||
| Dave Supporter Username: Dave Post Number: 10250 Registered: 4-1997 |
Yes, but it can't go bankrupt in the sense of no more government. It just defers payments to vendors and raises taxes. | ||
| Spitz Supporter Username: Doublea Post Number: 1863 Registered: 3-2003 |
Or cancels union contracts. | ||
| Soparents Supporter Username: Soparents Post Number: 2394 Registered: 5-2005 |
Point taken SOrising about Howard.. I also see your comment that you hope you are wrong but can't see him getting four votes. I know where you are coming from, but I think as much as SOME of the trustees may kick and argue against Howard, I firmly believe either as a Trustee chosen as a good replacement for Trustee M-A or any time that he would decide to run again,he will get on the Board... I would hope they will see that some of them are on borrowed time with their antics and that the tide is changing, and to show that their first priority is to the town, albeit against their personal judgement, they should choose Howard. It remains to be seen if they can put the good of the town etc ahead of all else.... Amyway, this is all based on assumption, we will have to wait and see what transpires with Trustee M-A. | ||
| SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 547 Registered: 2-2006 |
Stuart 0628, degrees of knowledge or of certainty are not worth quibbling over, but I think its fair to say that Corzine's opponent had zero to little chance of beating him in the last gubernatorial election. (BTW, I am looking for a family named Stuart (maybe Stewart) that has lived in SO since before the early 1930s. Its a history issue. Please let me know if you might fit this description. Thanks.) | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 4486 Registered: 5-2001 |
What is most interesting is section (b): If there shall be more than one vacancy in the office of Trustee or ff the offices of Village President and one or more Trustees become vacant at the same time, the vacancies shall be filled by election at the next general or regular municipal election to be held not less than 60 nor more than 120 days after the occurrence of the last of such vacancies to occur. If no general or regular municipal election is to be held within such period, a special election within such period shall be called by the Village Clerk. With Trustee Devaris' house on the market, IF the rumor about Trustee M-A is true, this could setup to be quite an interesting scenario. | ||
| Spitz Supporter Username: Doublea Post Number: 1864 Registered: 3-2003 |
I'm taking bets: Janine Bauer | ||
| SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 548 Registered: 2-2006 |
SOP, it is true that the current trustees would improve their collective and individual reputations if they appointed Howard to replace M-A. Perhaps self-preservation might tip the balance in getting the necessary four votes. That would be great and also fair, given that he was the first runner-up in the last elections. They would honor the choice of the electorate in choosing him now (soon). | ||
| Soparents Supporter Username: Soparents Post Number: 2395 Registered: 5-2005 |
I wondered when her name would come up.... since there was talk that she would stand at the next election I would prefer that that is exactly what she should do... Howard has run and I believe that if his "parters" had stayed firm, he would be on the BOT now. | ||
| SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 549 Registered: 2-2006 |
Ah yes, Janine, the one-person referendum advocate, when the 1000-plus-person advocate (Michael Goldberg)was denied time to speak. How could we forget, Spitz. | ||
| SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 550 Registered: 2-2006 |
Good point, MHD. Maybe we'll get an election sooner than next spring after all. | ||
| Nuff Sayid Citizen Username: Parkingsux Post Number: 455 Registered: 6-2005  |
The first runner up was Paul Salvatoriello.... Janine is most likely, I wonder why? | ||
| Stuart0628 Citizen Username: Stuart0628 Post Number: 314 Registered: 2-2003 |
SORising, agreed Corzine looked like a slam dunk, and the common consensus was right, but you know what happens when you assume! We also don't know that Corzine's judicial appointments were thought out at the time of the election. I first set foot in South Orange in the early 1980s, when my college roommate invited me to attend Yom Kippur services here. Have lived here since May 1996. Afraid I'm not your guy. | ||
| SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 552 Registered: 2-2006 |
Corzine's appointments may not have been thought out (I know they were scrambling to fill higher positions with mixed results, given the latest news about the AG), but it seems likely various lists were drawn up with attendant brokers vying for theirs. She almost certainly was on one or more of the Essex machine's short-list. Newark's likelihood of cleaning itself up probably advanced the Essex contingent. Too bad she's not Cory Booker. | ||
| Arjay Citizen Username: Arjay Post Number: 12 Registered: 11-2003 |
Just for the record, SORising, NYC never went bankrupt. Then President Ford denied the city a grant ("Ford to City: Drop Dead") but then did loan Gotham $$$ to tide it over. | ||
| Lizziecat Citizen Username: Lizziecat Post Number: 1343 Registered: 5-2003 |
I hope that her attendance record on the bench will be better than her attendance at BOT meetings. | ||
| jayjay Citizen Username: Jayjayp Post Number: 732 Registered: 6-2005 |
Before we go too far on the beatification of TerryAnn, don't I recall that she was ready to vote for Mary Theroux for parking commissioner and that she did not acknowledge the inherent conflict of interest with that appointment. Shouldn't a judge know better? I agree that, of late when she shows up, she has appeared more independent, but it does give me pause. I may be wrong on the Theroux thing, but I don't think so. |
