| Author | Message | ||
     sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10755 Registered: 10-2001  |
Hello to my southern neighbors, especially the King of All and my superhero posting pal J. Crohn. As you all know, J. Crohn is the coolest poster on MOL next to Strawberry. This evening, after watching the Devils fall apart once again, I decided to take a stroll through the dial to see what other interesting things were being televised into my universe. Upon hitting the 3-5 on my remote, an image was beamed into my home that startled me. Right before my very eyes I had my first ever view of a South Orange Trustee meeting! It was horrifying. Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. Just take a look at this picture:  See how squishy and cramped it is? Ugh! Now, let's show you what a dignified, well ventilated meeting looks like in a civilized town like Maplewood, (voted one of the best places to live in America 2002 by Money Magazine):  See the difference? Here in Maplewood, there's room to stretch your feet, have a diet coke in the back row, some popcorn, etc. It's great. Plus our public officials get dressed up for our bi-weekly show. Look at your guys. What's that about? Is there a frat party they need to get to? Our fearless leader, The Honorable Frederico Profeta, gives us an opening synopsis so we can decide whether the show is worth watching. You folks just plunge on in and scream about dugouts and Seton Hall. And let me tell you that from the viewpoint of this public servant, the way you people treated the woman questioning the dugout issue was pretty despicable. Three or four of you should be voted out of office just for being so damn condescending towards her. A citizen goes before you to ask reasonable questions and you yell at her, point your fingers at her and generally treat her like a piece of dirt. Hmmmm, what else? Oh yeah, we in Maplewood get the job done with five people while you guys need like 19 or 20. But I will give you one thing: at least I can hear what you're saying when you speak. ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <- Let's Go Royals | ||
| Dave Citizen Username: Dave Post Number: 6419 Registered: 4-1998  |
###################################### ****************BREAKING NEWS****************** ###################################### Phone-in EXCLUSIVE from Sbenois dateline: 13:10:04 2/19/04 This just in... Look for an investigative series by Sbenois this weekend about the South Orange Board of Trustees Television Extravaganza | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 1001 Registered: 4-2002 |
We were sceaming at that lady so you could hear us at home. We were pointing at the TV camera and telling her to look that way so the viewers at home could see her. I do remember how orderly the meetings in Maplewood were during the Reval. | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10756 Registered: 10-2001 |
Dearest Mrosner, I'm afraid that nothing will save you from the poison keyboard of Sbenois. You people are rude in the way you address the citizens and each other. With the exception of Mr. Joyce, Mr. Rosen and one other, the rest of you ought to be reviewing your own meetings to see what jackasses you're making of yourselves. But don't take my word for it, just wait for the pictures this weekend. ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <- Let's Go Royals | ||
| Liberal Media Citizen Username: Liberalmedia Post Number: 1 Registered: 2-2004  |
The liberal media is here for the scoop.... | ||
| bets Citizen Username: Bets Post Number: 512 Registered: 6-2001  |
I'm glad to see you, LM. The meeting Sbenois saw was "business as usual" in South-town. That's why I do not attend Trustee meetings anymore. The abuse heaped on residents brave enough to stand up and have their say was painful to watch. It's amazing to me that the same abusive, hysteric, and sarcastic "volunteers" are voted back into office term after term. I believe that this is why they are so comfortable with the non-partisan elections and do not want to change. Perhaps the fact that they now feel entitled to paychecks to compensate them for their abusive behavior will be the wake-up call for the citizens of this fair village. Unfortunately, the majority is not attuned to local government and most likely unaware of this new development. I'm sure the compensation package will be voted in with lightning speed. At last, there is evidence that they can get things done in this town. | ||
| Mayhewdrive Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 832 Registered: 5-2001  |
bets, Look on the bright side...I'm gonna get a free ice cream sundae, as a result.  | ||
| bets Citizen Username: Bets Post Number: 513 Registered: 6-2001 |
Yeah, but that's you! :-P I'm getting nothing but indigestion here in the bleachers. Seriously, you should drop the cookie dough with sprinkles and demand a Gruning's Dusty Road with coffee fudge ice cream. Are side bets available, Mark? | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10779 Registered: 10-2001 |
Dearest South Orange Constituents, Let me begin by stating once again that you really ought to vote the majority of your sitting Trustees out of office for their rudeness and their contempt for you. You also ought to get your town lawyer and administrator booted as well for they seem to believe that their opinions and comments are required in the midst of every screaming match. In Maplewood the brilliant Roger D and Michelle M are always the essence of courtesy and decorum when they lend their thoughts to our meetings. Your guys look like they're auditioning for the food fight segment in Animal House or as extras for Slapshot. But in the interest of allowing you all to keep your sanity until that glorious day, here is a special gift suggestion brought to you by the folks at Sbenois Book Emporium. Please go into Gold Finch books in Maplewood and buy 10 copies of this special item. Give them as presents to your soon to be unelected officals. Demand that they read this book and give you book reports so you can grade them on what they learned.  ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <- Let's Go Royals | ||
| Mayhewdrive Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 846 Registered: 5-2001 |
Shebby, I often don't agree with or even understand your posts, but the one above is right on the money. BTW...what ever happened to the "investigative series" we were promised last weekend? Please don't say it's "Coming Soon"....  | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10780 Registered: 10-2001 |
Isn't everything in South Orange coming soon? I plan on writing it from the quiet back seats in the Performing Arts Center ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <- Let's Go Royals | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2498 Registered: 9-2001 |
Sbenois, is there's something to learn here? Maybe this is how the "Maplewood All Stars" need to hold their meetings to decide on where to build our new police station? Hey, what do you think of the new idea for using the pool parking lot? Why not have some engineers from Sbenois Industries call me to check it out... BTW, what are you doing over here in South Orange anyway... "Come home little Sbenois", we miss you! | ||
| pan Citizen Username: Pan Post Number: 52 Registered: 8-2001 |
Recently, in a S.O. Board of Trustees meeting Trustee Rosen raised the question of decency among the Trustees, and toward the public. Trustees Steglitz and Theroux blamed the "disrespect" of the public for the indecency that is ruling their meetings. And the Village President said that there is nothing wrong with the way he conducts his meetings, he doesn't need the Roberts Rules of Order, and that is "his style" take it or leave it. The Village President, in his megalomaniac way, doesn't understand that when he is on the dais he is primarily the President of our town, and secondarily Bill. His style should be that of a decent Village President, presenting himself with the decency becoming to his position, conduct a meeting with the generally accepted rules of order, use the proper English language (if only he could!), and manage with a strong fist that unrully pack of wolfs that we the voters have elected as our trustees. Instead, the Village President lets the Village attorney run the meetings, the administrator handle all information, Steglitz abuse the public and his colleagues, Theroux have her hysterical temper tandrums and her endless ramblings, Taylor come late and sleep in his chair, everybody come up and down the dais whenever they wish. But as somebody said in another thread, we deserve all that: we elected them. | ||
| pan Citizen Username: Pan Post Number: 53 Registered: 8-2001 |
In a recent S.O. Board of Trustees meeting, trustee Rosen brought up the lack of decency among the trustees and their contempt toward the public, and he suggested that, at the least, the Roberts Rules of Order be followed. In response trustees Steglitz and Theroux blamed the "disrespect" of the public for the unruly meetings, and the Village president said that he doesn't need the Robert Rules of Order, and there is nothing wrong with his way of running the meetings. "This is my style" he said, in a "take it or leave it" tone. Our president, in his megalomaniac way, doesn't understand that when he is on the dais, he is primarily the President of this Village and secondarily the Bill persona. As such, he should present himself in some form of decency, conduct the meetings with the generally accepted rules of order, protect the public from abuse by the governing body, manage that unruly pack of wolfs that we the voters have elected, show some leadership in all matters of importance to the Village. Instead, our president allows the Village attorney to run the meetings, the administrator to handle all information on most important Village issues, trustee Steglitz to abuse the public, trustee Theroux to have her temper tandrums and endless ramblings, trustee Taylor to come late and sleep, side conversations when others speak, and everybody going up and down the dais whenever they wish. Some meeting! But as somebody said in another thread we deserve them: we elected them. Now let's pay them too!  | ||
| aplastic Citizen Username: Aplastic Post Number: 22 Registered: 11-2003 |
maybe I'm old fashion, but a self imposed dress code might help. | ||
| pan Citizen Username: Pan Post Number: 54 Registered: 8-2001 |
Sorry for the double post. I thought the first one didn't go through. | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10782 Registered: 10-2001 |
It was painful and shocking to watch this tirade on the part of Ms. Theroux. Any intelligent opponent of a sitting member of the Trustees would grab a copy of last week's meeting and show an endless loop of it on a portable TV inside of Carvel. Well maybe not Carvel. Maybe someone could get a projector and beam it onto the western wall of your new Performing Arts Center. No, I guess that won't work either. I give up. Wait, I've got a great idea. Put it on a DVD and sell it as a new comedy in your Blockbuster. It's got to be one of the funniest things out there. Sure it's not as good as Plan Nine From Outer Space or Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, but it's close! Ahhhh, but this tirade wasn't even close to being the goofiest highlight of the last meeting. That came when the town attorney, appearing ready to repeat the Khrushchev shoe banging incident, began to yell that Calabrese and Joyce had to leave when the discussion on blasting came up. After roughly 5 minutes of trying to figure out whether they could stay or not, he slowly began to reach for his size 12 and the banished Trustees decided to vacate the room. At this point, like a bunch of 6 year olds at a playdate, the others then began to talk about them! With the cameras rolling! I almost gagged with laughter on my potato knish! It was disgusting! Little pieces of potato were being flung from my left nostril as I watched the comedy show. Then Calabrese came back and they all started to debate about whether Joyce needed to go into such a finite set of detail in his status report because, after all, it was so freaking late. Freaking is my editorial comment by the way. I use that word because the entire meeting was a freaking embarassment to any resident of South Orange who wants effective government. How the heck do any of you expect a Performing Arts Center to be built if your trustees can't even figure out how to participate in a professional, courteous meeting? People of South Orange, let me tell you something very seriously: buy a case of Roberts Rules and hand them out silently to your Trustees at the next meeting. Let them see how disgusted you are with they way that they act. You don't deserve to be treated like dirt. ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <- Let's Go Royals | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2501 Registered: 9-2001 |
... wait a minute Sbenois, I haven't found it yet, but didn't the SOBOT build a nice police department on their AVENUE somewhere? If that's true, they can't be all bad... ...> brought to you by Maplewood Citizens for a new Police Department on or off our Avenue ...< | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10783 Registered: 10-2001 |
Dearest Arturo, I'm glad you brought this up. I don't doubt that the Trustees have done many wonderful things over the years. From my outsider's view Mr Calabrese did a very good job shaking things up years ago. He wasn't a politician, he was just a businessman trying to help his community. Ms. Theroux recently gave a brilliant, impassioned speech in favor of the much needed JAC Shelter. If I wanted someone on that committee to support one of my causes, she'd be at the top of my list. I make no comment, of course, on whether she has been on the correct side of most issues. Frankly, I don't know. I was pretty impressed with Mr. Joyce and Mr. Rosen. But my overall observation of the Trustees is that they don't interact with one another in a manner that leads to solid, effective government. As you well know Arturo, even at the lowest point during your many battles with the MDMAS over parking and Maplewood's Second Best former B&B, Les Saisons, (Les Condiments remains Le Premier Tootsie Rest) there was a mutual respect between yourself and those who sat before you. Every interaction consisted of a nice introduction, some tough discourse and an ending punctuated with a thank you. Throughout this, none of the All-Stars (or the ZBA members) interupted each other. Turns were taken. The floor was opened to each subsequent member of the MDMAS through the grace of the Mayor or by request. Wouldn't you agree that the chair of Maplewood's ZBA is the epitome of efficiency and grace when it comes to running a meeting? Rarely have I seen anyone better than him - in the business world or in government - at running a clean, crisp, serious meeting. I frankly have no interest in whether any of the Trustees get voted out or stay in. It doesn't really matter to me (unless as BOSE members they're handing out blank checks). I just wish that each of them (for their own sake and for the sake of those whom they serve) would review the tape and ask themselves if they're satisfied with their own conduct. I'd be willing to bet that a private screening would convince them that some new, yet very old rules should be formally adopted. Finally, regarding Mrosner's comment about Maplewood's meetings during the reval, he is correct that many of them were loud and raucous. May I also remind him that there is a difference between working to maintain control of a meeting with overflow crowds into the vestibule and trying to maintain control when there are ten people attending a Trustee meeting. And to the best of my recollection, the interaction between the sitting MDMAS members at that time was extraordinarily courteous and professional. ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <- Let's Go Royals | ||
| Dave Citizen Username: Dave Post Number: 6474 Registered: 4-1998 |
The rules are online here: http://www.rulesonline.com/ I think it's a great suggestion. |
