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Message |
    
Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 3790
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 12:28 pm: | 
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SOrising, I am against Tau as much as anyone, and I have no love lost on the BOT. However it is incorrect to characterize what happened as borrowing (or even taking) money from road repairs. The money was HIDDEN in road repairs, but it was never intended to be used on that. If Tau had not come along, there would not have been an extra $250k sitting in the road repair budget. It was just a convenient place to hide the money. |
buddybak
Citizen
Username: Buddybak
Post Number: 31
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 1:03 pm: |
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The last time academy St. and the other streets connecting to it were micropaved they were done like children playing with playdo (like grooves and etc.) the engineers office said that the company was'nt going to be paid until they fixed it. |
Tuxedo
Citizen
Username: Tuxedo
Post Number: 110
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 2:17 pm: |
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I still want to know...how is the decision made as to which roads get surfaced and which get paved? Is it some person who drives down the street and says, hmm...this road looks ok, this road is bad. There has to be a set of rules or a check off list or something. Otherwise, it's arbitrary, subjective and unfair. |
SOrising
Citizen
Username: Sorising
Post Number: 716
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 2:22 pm: |
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Rastro, the money the BOT voted and intends to use for Tau comes out of bond money for road repairs. Under NJ state law, bond money (which is borrowed money) MUST be used for the purpose it was borrowed for, UNLESS there is some left over. So, to use any of the money the BOT is on record as intending to use to finance Tau expenses, to follow the law, the BOT must claim that money it wants to go to Tau is not needed for road repairs. So, on the contrary, it is ONLY because the BOT would try to claim that the Tau money is NOT NEEDED for road repairs, that it can pretend to be acting in good faith under NJ statutes. But of course, they frequently do not act in good faith or in compliance with the law. In this instance, they are claiming they don't NEED the Tau money for road repairs. Yet, as most have commented on this thread, there is an obvious need for repaving rather micorsurfacing in town. Why is micorsurfacing being used? Because it is less expensive than repaving and the BOT then thinks it will be free to use money for Tau.
But if people want their roads repaved instead of microsurfaced, they should confront the BOT about its dishonest, if not criminal, actions.
Governor Corzine just appointed a new Attorney General for the State of NJ. The AG is the principal law enforcement official in the State. The new AG is Stuart Rabner who formerly headed the criminal prosecutions division of the US Attorney's office. He has a good reputation. The Governor said when appointing him, he did so in part to regain public confidence in the State and its law enforcement in particular.
If people are angry at the nefarious dealings of the BOT, at its subversion of public monies for illicit uses, they should contact the new AG, in writing, with their complaints. Anyone may complain that they can't get their roads repaved because the BOT is diverting money borrowed for this purpose to use for other purposes.
Stopping the petty graft, corruption and incompetence that is wrecking havoc on South Orange's citizens and its future would set an excellent example for the rest of the State. It might be a good time to appeal to the new AG for the restoration of public institutions in SO, for him to end the brazen disregard for the law that is commonplace in this town.
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Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 3794
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 2:36 pm: |
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SOrising, the problem with your argument is that it assumes the $250k would have been in the budget no matter what. I am not saying that it was open, or even right. I'm saying that to claim money was taken from road repairs to fund Tau is disingenuous. Had they not wanted to use the money to fund Tau, it would not have been in the road repair section to begin with.
Can you post a copy of the letter you sent the new AG (or the old AG)? I'd like to be sure to pattern mine after yours. |
Robert Landau
Citizen
Username: Metaphysician
Post Number: 2
Registered: 6-2006
| | Posted on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 4:55 pm: |
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Regarding the repainting of crosswalks and stop lines, today there were temporary ones marked in the Mountain Station area (Meeker St, Clark St., Mountain House Rd, Meadowbrook, Hillside, etc.) |
SOrising
Citizen
Username: Sorising
Post Number: 717
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 6:39 pm: |
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Rastro, the money was bonded (borrowed) in 2004 for ROAD REPAIRS. It has not yet been used but is available now; the BOT intends to use it for Tau. Legally it can ONLY be used for sidewalk & road repairs. Your prior description of "hiding" it is another way to say it would be used illegally for Tau.
If you forward a draft of your letter to the AG, I will look it over and respond, assuming this is really what you want. |
MHD
Citizen
Username: Mayhewdrive
Post Number: 4594
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 7:08 pm: |
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Rastro/SORising,
Actually, the money was bonded for Street, Sidewalk and Roadway improvements. As I understand it, the money was "hidden" here because technically the BOT was only paying for the "sidewalk improvements" around Tau (landscaping, design, lighting etc). The sculpture people were going to be paying for the actual fabrication of Tau, which would not legally be permissible in a bond for "Street, Sidewalk and Roadway improvements".
It does seem like the amount for this line item was increased in 2004 because of Tau (as Rastro stated). However, as Rastro also stated, it was not open or right to HIDE the money here. |
Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 3798
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 11:09 pm: |
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SOrising, since you are suggesting that people write to the AG, I assumed that you had written your letter already. Or is it just easier to complain without actually doing anything about it?
I am not well enough versed in the law to know whether anything illegal has happened. Since it is obvious to you, I assumed that you knew laws were broken, and you could point the AG to the proverbial smoking gun. |
Mary Lago
Citizen
Username: Marylago
Post Number: 4
Registered: 8-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, August 26, 2006 - 11:13 am: |
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Ok, so they are working on the south side of South Orange at this point and I noticed that along Academy Street, the microsurfacing job goes all the way to Parker. If I am not mistaken, isn't that Maplewood? From this thread, it is evident that there is not enough money to even do South Orange streets correctly; but are we (South Orange) paying to microsurface into Maplewood? What sense does that make? Will Maplewood reciprocate when it comes time to do their streets? Should they?
When Ridgewood Road was done--I might add a fine job on that street--South Orange didn't go into West Orange, and the road there could definitely use it. What gives?
There used to be a time when South Orange had the finest streets in the county.
ML |
MasselMom
Citizen
Username: Teacher66
Post Number: 17
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, August 26, 2006 - 12:23 pm: |
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Yeah,
I just saw that to and my husband and I thought that it was a little odd that they did Academy into Maplewood.
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Dave
Supporter
Username: Dave
Post Number: 10603
Registered: 4-1997
| | Posted on Saturday, August 26, 2006 - 12:26 pm: |
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Mead Street by the Baird Center is a total mess. There are huge ruts, which water will settle in, freeze, and heave.
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SOrising
Citizen
Username: Sorising
Post Number: 720
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, August 27, 2006 - 3:20 pm: |
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Mary Lago, your last comment is interesting. When were the streets in SO repaved and well maintained? How long ago? Who were the trustees when that was true?
Rastro, how preposterous of you to assume you have the slightest clue about what I am or am not doing.
MHD, as you know better than most, it is not clear how the BOT intends to pay for the latest plans for Tau, OTHER than the 2004 bond. It is clear, however, that the BOT has opted for a quick and cheap road repair rather than the more substantial repairs needed, so they can say that something was done to repair the roads without doing what is really needed. |
Mary Lago
Citizen
Username: Marylago
Post Number: 13
Registered: 8-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, August 27, 2006 - 3:40 pm: |
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Don't want to divulge too much information SOR, but if I say it was 30 years ago, would you believe I was a babe in arms? |
SOrising
Citizen
Username: Sorising
Post Number: 722
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, August 27, 2006 - 3:46 pm: |
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Thanks, Mary. I was just hoping it wasn't so long ago, so that it might be easier to get good road maintenance back again. Looks like it won't be easy. |
Politicalmon
Citizen
Username: Politicalmon
Post Number: 260
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Monday, August 28, 2006 - 12:50 pm: |
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I have to agree with Crazy_quilter that Tichenor Street was better off prior to the low quality paving job that was completed. I drove through over the weekend and immediately noticed the waves in the road as the car pitched up and down. For those of us who have used the road in the past it will be quite obvious that the job is sub par at best. |
Tuxedo
Citizen
Username: Tuxedo
Post Number: 113
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 9:45 pm: |
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Mr. Rosner: Do you know what goes into decision making on what roads get resurfaced and which get repaved? Who is making this decision? Thanks for letting us know and keeping us informed. We really appreciate it. |
Foj
Citizen
Username: Foger
Post Number: 1780
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 11:22 pm: |
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Sorry I am late to the party. Are we talking aout grinding the road surface down and then resurfacing?
I drove on Ridgewood recently and it was nice, though that job took a long time. Bellville and Bloomfield are putting in new cobblestone curbs and resurfacing, Montclair did some last summer. |
mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 2930
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 10:04 am: |
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Tuxedo: The village engineer rates each street on an annual basis. The decision for which streets are to be repaved. If there is a street that is high on the list and next to another one that needs to be done right away, they are usually combined (more cost effective that way). Each year the budget has been about $400,000 for repaving (plus whatever funds we get from grants for repaving).
As for the microsurfacing, he has a long-term plan for which streets are to be done and when. Each year we budget about $100,000 for microsurfacing.
FOJ: Ridgewood road north of S. Orange Ave was a complete repaving job as opposed to a microsurfacing (which is similar to sealing a driveway only with a coarser grade of asphalt). Microsurfacing helps extend the life of a road for many years. It is the microsurfacing that generates the most complaints. |
MasselMom
Citizen
Username: Teacher66
Post Number: 23
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 1:28 pm: |
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So I go outside today to see Public Service marking up our newly micropaved street. I ask the guy why he is doing this and he says because the phone company is going to come and run fiberoptic cables. So the phone company is going to be tearing up the newly paved street to run some cables.
Do people talk in this town? Why spend the money to redo the street (which they did a bad job on) when the phone company is going to come in a few weeks later and tear it up?
The only bright side is that maybe the paving job will be better this time. |
Nuff Sayid
Citizen
Username: Parkingsux
Post Number: 492
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 1:40 pm: |
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Incompetency at its worst..... up and down the line for sure. |
jayjay
Citizen
Username: Jayjayp
Post Number: 762
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 6:23 pm: |
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Glenview Rd was recently re-paved, or at least I think it was re-paved rather than microsurfaced. But I can't be sure what they did since it is neither as smooth as a re-surface or as rough as a microsurface. Its definitely rough riding on it, and there are tire marks embedded in it. Also, the places where the utility company had dug up previously are like debossed areas of the surface. I hope the job is not finished, but I fear it is as no contractor is around. What kind of quality is this? Who vets these guys anyway? |
ROGER
Citizen
Username: Roger
Post Number: 97
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, September 10, 2006 - 10:40 am: |
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S Ridgewood, Walton: What a piece of crap that job is. Worst paving job I have ever seen. You drive on those roads heading south and the car-feel is totally horrendous until you cross the town line to Maplewood.
Maybe I should buy an SUV or maybe it is the latest sign of our wonderful goverment to make us want to move to Maplewood. |
Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 3809
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - 10:28 pm: |
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Maplewood is going through the same problems, with the same company right now. Moving to Maplewood will not fix this issue. |
mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 2947
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 20, 2006 - 10:04 am: |
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.test |
