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Sep
10
Ledger: Hillside leaders agree to smile for the camera, Township council finally agrees airing meetings on local cable TV.
Filed Under Angela Menza, Barbara Rowen, Edward Brewer, Gerald Freedman, In The News, John Kulish, John O'Shea, Leonard Gilbert, Mattie Holloway, Sip Whitaker | Leave a Comment
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
BY JASON JETT
Imagine watching gladiators in khakis and pantsuits.
Next year in Hillside, residents will be able to watch their local government in action — live — as council members spar over issues, pass ordinances and otherwise conduct the people’s business on cable television.
The move was long in coming and not without rancor in a township where council members, while perhaps camera-shy, are anything but coy about their opinions. For more than a decade, the council failed to videotape its meetings, perennially not delivering on commitments to better use video equipment and services that the local cable television franchise provides.
That ended Monday night when the council voted 6-0 to adopt an ordinance forced upon it by a citizens petition drive to amend the township open public meetings and records law.
“Keeping the public informed is critical,” Second Ward Councilwoman Shelley-Ann Bates said after the vote. “We see what can happen when people are kept informed.” Read more
Aug
25
The Denver Democrat: Leaving Our Troubles Behind.
Filed Under Election 2008, Frank Deo, Gerald Freedman, Jerome Jewell, John Kulish, Karen McCoy Oliver, Leonard Gilbert, The Leadership | Leave a Comment
Isn’t life grand? As the nation’s — scratch that — the world’s eyes focus on the history making events of the Democratic National Convention being held here in Denver, Colorado this week, the eyes of New Jersey-ites (at least those within The Star-Ledger’s radius) are now transfixed on the political goings on of Hillside.
The endless bickering between the Township Council Majority, the Mayor and political bosses has become wearisome for most Hillsiders and has now put Hillside on the map — statewide — in a bad bad way. Our government has become the source of unneeded embarrassment. Based on the Star-Ledger article, the argument between the Mayor and the Union County Democratic Chairwoman began when the newly elected Mayor, who ran for office without the blessing of the Chairwoman, showed up two hours late for an election victory pizza party back in 2005.
For this infraction, the entire Township of approximately 21,000 hard working people is now suffering unmercifully. Now, despite the best efforts of some independent thinkers, the Township is wallowing in utter dysfunction. What a colossal joke. Sadly enough, the joke is on the taxpayer who have been made to feel powerless to correct what has gone so horribly wrong.
Nationally, the Democratic party is making every effort to unify. However, back home in Hillside, some of the elected officials (including the lone Republican who ran on the Democratic ticket) are doing all they can to pull it apart. This in-fighting has slowed down progress to a snail’s pace.
If you aren’t aligned with the official political party of Hillside, you are the enemy. You are to be vilified and maligned with great aplomb at every opportunity whether it be at the various public Township meetings, the media, the local pizza joints. Imagine if the National Democratic party ran this way. Would we have any chance of reclaiming the White House? I think not!
The article also noted that I was the only Councilmember considered loyal to the Mayor. Interesting. I respect the Mayor, she is in a tough position and given what I have gone through in the past year, I am beginning to understand her though I do not necessarily agree with her or her actions. How silly is it that in Hillside if you aren’t squarely espousing and towing the official party line then you must be aligned with someone else. Has anyone ever heard of independent thought and actions? I ran for office completely independently and remain so to this day.
In any case, it is time for me to bid you adieu for now. I am off to pick up my daily credentials for the DNC so that I can participate in the various activities as a District Alternate Delegate representing our fair town of Hillside, NJ. Not bad for someone who just got involved in politics a year ago. It must have been all the good advice I have received.
Keep checking out my blog, my next posting will be of my first Convention celebrity sighting. Hint…his jokes are actually funny.
Apr
23
Beware the “R” word
Filed Under Leonard Gilbert, The Leadership | Leave a Comment
“Redevelopment” has been the mantra or the “R” word for the municipalities surrounding Hillside for nearly a decade. And now, after the housing boom has petered out and the economy is on the brink of the more dreaded “R” word (if I don’t say it, maybe it won’t happen) the Township Council Majority is extolling on the virtues of redevelopment. But at what price?
Tuesday night, the Council Leadership unveiled its concept for a new library. Though the proposed redevelopment would occur in the Second Ward – the Ward I was elected to represent, the Council Majority didn’t deem it necessary to share the plans with me until the regularly scheduled Council meeting nor did it seek my input. Enough said on that topic, lets move on.
In theory, a new library is a good idea. What better way to encourage academic pursuits and achievements than to provide Hillsiders of all ages with a comfortable, modern facility? And, by all appearances there is more happening at the library than ever before; however, the facility itself is woefully outdated, has structural deficiencies and can no longer accommodate the growing technological and programmatic needs of the community.
According to the Council Leadership, the library will be Phase 1 of the redevelopment plan of the municipal building that will include the existing library, town hall, police station and community center. Phase 2 of the redevelopment will be the municipal building that will include the expansion of the police station into space formerly occupied by the library. And lastly, Phase 3 is an expansion of the community center to include a regulation sized indoor basketball court and other amenities. Sounds good…on paper.
In reality, the Leadership has yet to identify the funding for this massive undertaking. According to the Leadership there is $2.6 million in reserve to help pay for the new building. Anyone who has followed the building industry, built a home or purchased a new home can appreciate that $2.6 million will barely cover the pouring of the foundation of such a building. The Leadership asserts that the remaining funds will be raised via “grants” and floating a bond. In other words, the majority of the funds to complete Phase 1 will have come from an unnamed benefactor(s) and from a bond issuance that will have to be paid back by homeowners and business owners in the form of even higher taxes. Can the average Hillside taxpayer afford this kind of redevelopment?
Is redevelopment good for Hillside? The answer is an unequivocal and resounding YES! Can Hillside afford a new library right now? I’ll hold judgment until after I see a funding formula where the heaviest burden isn’t dropped on the shoulders of the present day or future Hillside homeowner.