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singlemalt
Citizen
Username: Singlemalt
Post Number: 52
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 3:17 pm: | 
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My family moved to South Orange 2 1/2 years ago. Since moving we have been told of the great things to come in the Village - specifically the downtown area. Practically nothing has happened! The town seems more concerned with adding residential rental properties than adding retail stores. When family or friends come to visit, we make a point of avoiding downtown South Orange since it is for lack of a better term, an embarrassment. All we get are empty promises, more residential rentals and a Condo community in the reservation. Yuck.
In addition, we pay a huge amount of taxes while the condition of our street (Speir Dr.) is comparable to the streets we see on the news in Afghanistan. A call to the Engineers office to inquire about resurfacing goes with no return call. Public Works claims, "the potholes have been fixed". The street is dangerous and needs to be replaced (not repaired). Kids need more than a helmet to ride their bikes they need full body armor.
Based on the threads here on MOL it appears the S.O. portion of our taxes continue to go up every year while the quality of services appear to be heading south. Where is my ROI?
The current trustees are not getting it done. All talk – no action.
I am voting for new leadership. Enough is enough.
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Brian O'Leary
Citizen
Username: Brianoleary
Post Number: 1291
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 3:55 pm: |
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Thanks for your comments. While it may be the case that your mind is made up (and in a way I will not try to change  ), there is at least one candidates' debate scheduled for this coming Wednesday, April 30 from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. at South Orange Middle School's Little Theatre. The League of Women Voters is sponsoring. I hope you can make it.
www.opensouthorange.com
Vote Line B on May 13th
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Ed May
Citizen
Username: Edmay
Post Number: 1353
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 4:27 pm: |
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I could not post in the thread where this issue was raised but here is my comment.
Actually, Money Magazine identified 10 metro areas as Top Ten and Maplewood was one of the 3 towns cited in the NYC metro area. The article did mention South Orange in its piece on Maplewood. Therefore it was not exactly a lie.
Ed May
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Brian O'Leary
Citizen
Username: Brianoleary
Post Number: 1294
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 4:43 pm: |
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Ed..... what it said:
"Maplewood, NJ is a favorite compromise for city people who also want good public schools and their own yards. The town has a palpable sense of community (there are close to 30 block associations in Maplewood and neighboring South Orange). "We're not a cookie-cutter suburb in terms of outlooks, interests or people, says Barbara Heisler-Williams, 43, a resident for 13 years."
The photo caption read: "Want your own yard? Head to Maplewood, NJ"
The post-it note attached to the doctored page available on the village web site says: "MONEY agrees - Maplewood/South Orange is the best place to live!"
The article also mentioned schools... can we claim we're one of the ten best school systems in the country now? Of course not.
www.opensouthorange.com
Vote Line B on May 13th
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Dave Ross
Supporter
Username: Dave
Post Number: 4598
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 4:53 pm: |
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Here's the doctored article:
When you can't argue with facts, lie. |
SO/M Community Coalition
Citizen
Username: Coalition
Post Number: 69
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 5:24 pm: |
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Just for the record, the "post it" note copy of Money Magazine was distributed by the Community Coalition -- not at all in relation to the election, rather as a reflection of our belief that this honor belongs to our community. During our discussions with Money, prior to the selection, we had asked that they consider the two towns as one community. While the writer was in favor of it, her editors perferred naming one town.
However, since much of our discussion with the writer was about the "two towns", we put out the "post it" note copy recognizing both of our towns.
Again, this was distributed in December -- to local realtors chiefly for marketing purposes -- and was not distributed in conjunction with any campaign or election. |
Dave Ross
Supporter
Username: Dave
Post Number: 4600
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 5:54 pm: |
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Interesting. Do you feel it's ok to mislead people for marketing purposes, but not political ones? Does it reflect better on a community that does this? I think there are plenty of good stories to tell about the two towns without entering the arena of bending the truth, don't you? Or did John Henry Days have no local impact on the CCR? |
doublea
Citizen
Username: Doublea
Post Number: 50
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 6:39 pm: |
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It is my observation that Maplewood has more of a "buzz" than South Orange. My son and daughter in law live in Brooklyn, and they and their friends talk about and know people who have moved to Maplewood. Even if you look at the MOL "please help" thread, you will see many posts from people who are thinking of moving to Maplewood. I think that Maplewood Village has a lot to do with this. I know that other people might not agree, but this is my impression. |
peteglider
Citizen
Username: Peteglider
Post Number: 66
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 9:01 pm: |
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Singlemalt -- I also live on Speir -- its not only the holes in the road that concern me -- its the speeders who take advantage of the long straights on this street. I'd like to see speed bumps to slow things down!
While the slow pace of things in SO are frustrating -- I'm not so sure its any different or worse than other places. I first looked at this area (Maplewood/SO, Glenwood/Montclair) about 6 years ago. Believe me -- at that point Maplewood seemed even worse than SO is now. So things do change. That's no defense of the current SO trustees -- although since Bill lives just around the corner from us and his kids are biking on these streets, too, I've found he's pretty approachable. I have emailed the "other" slate -- and while their idealism is great -- can't say that their experience or track record for actually getting things done is convincing.
Nevertheless -- I'd say that in the next 2 years things have got to move forward -- or SO will suffer. (oh, and please -- let's not spend too much energy or money on the silly "orange sculpture")! cheers -- Pete |
Shelley Stile
Citizen
Username: Sstile
Post Number: 29
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, April 27, 2003 - 12:08 am: |
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Vote for Change...vote for Open South Orange if you want to see any change in our physical and political ladscape. As me Mother says...Enough is Enough! |
mayhewdrive
Citizen
Username: Mayhewdrive
Post Number: 223
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, April 27, 2003 - 9:34 am: |
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PeteGlider,
I thought the EXACT same thing as you 4 years ago, when we first moved to town "in the next 2 years things have got to move forward -- or SO will suffer". 4 years ago, we were promised a new supermarket, a new Arts Center and a revitalized downtown and I was excited by it. 2 years ago, we were promised the same thing by Steglitz & Theroux and I was skeptical. Now we are being promised the same thing again by the incumbents AGAIN and I'm insulted. At what point do we hold people accountable for not getting it done? |
Brian O'Leary
Citizen
Username: Brianoleary
Post Number: 1315
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 4:56 pm: |
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Peteglider, I think that I can offer a pretty good roundup of my experience and track record in getting things done. If you e-mailed me and I missed it, please do again. Thanks.
www.opensouthorange.com
Vote Line B on May 13th
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