| Author |
Message |
    
Shelley Stile
Citizen
Username: Sstile
Post Number: 3
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 12:46 pm: | 
|
SOAR, the South Orange Alliance for Redevelopment is a group of very concerned residents who are questioning the process of redevelopment in SOuth Orange. Please visit our Website at www.southorangesoar.com today and get on board to make real changes in South Orange. |
jefforlando
Citizen
Username: Jefforlando
Post Number: 22
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 10:03 am: |
|
I am glad that this has come to critical mass. Great info on the website! I look forward to signing the petition! |
Shelley Stile
Citizen
Username: Sstile
Post Number: 17
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Monday, April 21, 2003 - 9:38 pm: |
|
On February 10th, the Task Force, led by Trustee Patrick Joyce, for a Downtown Redevlopment and Management Corporation, made their recommendations to the BOT. At the same meeting SOAR presented a petition signed by nearly 1000 residents of SORange, in support of a DRMC.
A DRMC may just be the answer to many of the problems that face the redevelopment of S ORange. Put the redevlopment efforts in the hands of professionals where it belongs!
A continuation of the TAsk Force was to have immediatly commenced after the presentation, in order to study the recommendations and move towards a reality for a DRMC.
NOTHING has happened since that date. Efforts by other members of the Task Force have gone unanswered by Mr Calabrese. He will not even consider the start of these proceedings until sometime in June.
AS usual, the sincere and learned efforts of residents of this town to make our Village a better place are not being heeded. This happens time and time again in South Orange. This Task Force was given a few months to make their decisions regarding a DRMC and as yet they have not even convened!!!!!
Let the BOT know that this is unacceptable.
|
mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 251
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 22, 2003 - 10:10 am: |
|
First off, I started the initiative of a downtown management corporation. I was the one who put it on the agenda and we all felt that Patrick was a good choice to moderate the meetings.
Secondly, I do not think SOAR ever turned in petitions to the village clerk but I won't doubt that if Ms. Stile says they have them, that they do. I only mention this because they become public record in case any person wants to see them.
If the meetings have been delayed, then the trustees should be told at the meeting. I was told that there was a meeting scheduled and not one person from the task force has contacted me about a delay.
I have been very clear that we should have a downtown management corporation. There are a lot of reasons to have one and it has been knocked down previously for several reasons (by a few people). I would hope that the same thing is not happening again.
Trustee election is on May 13th.
Vote Line A
|
Brian O'Leary
Citizen
Username: Brianoleary
Post Number: 1272
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 23, 2003 - 12:55 pm: |
|
A DMC is a good idea. It may come with a near-term cost to the village, but the value of actually completing work that has been kicked around for nearly a decade is much greater than that cost.
Clearly, I am campaigning. Still, it seems to me that the village president and the trustees should be working with the folks who put together the initial proposals to establish a timeline and action plan for implementation.
In that vein, I struggle some with Mark's contention that "you should let us know" if something is not happening. Although I don't know her well, Shelley Stile seems to have been quite vocal on this issue. I think it's incumbent on our leaders to either get something done or explain clearly why it is not going to happen. |
Shelley Stile
Citizen
Username: Sstile
Post Number: 24
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Friday, April 25, 2003 - 11:07 pm: |
|
Mark...please stop blowing your horn about being the one who wanted a DRC and notice that NOTHING has happened. It doesn't matter that you said you supported one...exactly what have you done to insure that we actually get a DRC? In the 3 months since the Task Force made their recommendations, have you made any effort to guarantee that the work is continuing? There has not been a single meeting to review the recommendations and make decisions. Mr Calabrese and Mr Steglitz were to join with other Task Force members but not one single thing has occured. Shameful!
AND a DMC does not equal a DRC. One manages the downtown services and one oversees the redevelopment process. The TAsk recommended a DRMC with 2 arms...one a DRC and the other a DMC, both reporting to a Board of Directors. Establishing a DMC only does absolutely nothing to remedy our problems with the redevelopment process. Take it out of the hands of the politicians and put it into the hands of professionals. That's the way it works everywhere else in this state! All but South Orange, where elected officlas and Village employees insist that they alone knows what's best for our Village. |
mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 288
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 10:06 am: |
|
Shelley: I have to remind people because you keep stating that SOAR was the initiative to the task force. Also, I have always stated that I want a downtown management corp.(DMC) and never said one word about a downtown redevelopment corp. (DRC).
I spoke with one of the task force members yesterday and he had no complaint about the progress and said they do have another meeting scheduled. In fact he seemed pretty excited about that we are getting to the next stage without the interference of the elected officials.
By the way, just so people know that something has happened, the task force did complete an intitial report and they have also met since then. They also have another meeting scheduled. They thought that we should not go back into high gear until after the trustee elections and then see if we can get a DMC set up this fall.
They wanted to continue to finalize the report and check out all the legal aspects that needed to be reviewed. Are you suggesting that the elected officials take over the process and leave the volunteers out of the loop? Can't have it both ways Shelley. Either you want the task force to proceed without the input of the trustees or you don't.
A DMC is better than a(DRC) because it can do much more and would not be limited to just redevelopment issues but will oversee all aspects of the downtown.
The elected officials should have the final say based on the reccomendations of the professionals because they are ultimately responsible. Are you suggesting we turn over the whole downtown to a group of professionals and volunteers without having to report to anyone?
The BOT does rely on professionals, and you already know that, but as I have said before that unless those people have your seal of approval you are not interested in their opinions.
I have always relied on input from others and have never said I alone know best. I get input from the village employees and from consultants as well as Main Street and other volunteers.
Trustee election is on May 13th.
www.leadershipwithvision.org
Vote Line A
|
Shelley Stile
Citizen
Username: Sstile
Post Number: 28
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 12:55 pm: |
|
Mark-
I never stated that SOAR was the initiative behind the Task Force...exactly where did you get that impression? The TAsk Force was working on a DRMC well before SOAR was organized. SOAR simply came out in support of a Downtown Redevelopment Corporation and iniated a petition drive in support of a DRC as well as the recommendations made by the Task Force. Those recommendations state that both a DRC and a DMC are needed in the Village.
A DRC would seem to be the most urgent need we have due to the fact that our redevelopment process is painfully slow and unprofessional...perhaps because only a few persons are involved in it and wield too much control...as well as the fact that there are no professional redevelopment experts involved...as recommended by the NJ Rdevelopment Act...adopted by the BOT/Village!!!!
My information suggests that the Task Force NEVER said that the process of continuing the investigation should wait until after the elections. Hardly. The Task Force asked that the process continue for a few months , immediatly after the presentation. The only reason for postponing it would seem to be the personal gains made in the election and a further postponement of turning over the redevelopment to experienced and qualified individuals! |
Brian O'Leary
Citizen
Username: Brianoleary
Post Number: 1289
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 3:43 pm: |
|
Shelley, thanks for the reminder on DMC and DRC. Sometimes I am not precise in referring to the recommendations made by the task force; my apologies for that.
A good idea has 1,000 authors (as it should). As I said above, a concerted approach to redevelopment can yield benefits that outweight its cost and provide near-term value for all of South Orange. It's useful to keep focused on the outcome (a better downtown). I'm not sure why that has to wait until we're elected, but so be it.
www.opensouthorange.com
Vote Line B on May 13th
|
Shelley Stile
Citizen
Username: Sstile
Post Number: 30
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, April 27, 2003 - 12:15 am: |
|
I can tell you why a good idea like the DRC has to wait...because if, G-d forbid, the same old-same-old BOT members are returned, then the concept of turning the redevelopment over to professionals will die immediatly. Oh sure, we'll have a DMC designed to do all the little work of the Village but all control over redevelopment will remain in the hands of a few Village officials. That's why!
If change is something that our residents take seriously...if they really want to see a new direction in the redevelopment efforts...voters will insure that the same-old, same-old-old-old adminstration is turned over! |
mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 293
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Monday, April 28, 2003 - 10:19 am: |
|
Shelley: As always, I resent your implications that I have lied. I spoke to one person on the task force and there was a meeting last month. He thought it was smart to hold off the next meeting until after the election in case there were new trustees or a new Village President and that those people should have some of the input.
He also did want to see the meeting become a campaign stop.
Shelley, what happens if the new experienced professional that is hired to run the DRC or DMC does not live up to the expectations and has a long term contract? It is the reason why I want several people involved including the elected officials. There needs to be accountability and your suggestion of turning it all over to one new person who has complete authority and does not report to the elected officials is not the answer.
Brian: I still have not seen the legal aspects answered to some of the questions that the task force raised, but surely if you are elected, you would want some input into the final version. We are only talking about skipping one months meeting and it can certainly the process can return to speed in at the end of May.
Trustee election is on May 13th.
www.leadershipwithvision.org
Vote Line A
|
Closed: New threads not accepted on this page