Hillside sources say it is very likely Second Ward Councilwoman Shelley Bates will enter the race for mayor as an independent Democrat in a growing field that already includes a pair of system-bucking candidates: real estate agent Joe Menza and School Board member Andre Daniels. Read more

Hillside would broadcast township council meetings for the first time under an ordinance to be considered for adoption tomorrow night.

The open-government measure, sponsored by Second Ward Councilwoman Shelley-Ann Bates and introduced after the certification of a citizens’ petition demanding a referendum vote, does not stop there.

The Joseph T. Loeb Township of Hillside Sunshine Act of 2008 would require the township to record every public meeting and make agendas, minutes, resolutions, ordinances and other records available to the public on the Internet.

Township Council President John Kulish early last month urged residents to come out and be heard on the ordinance, which he and other council members said would necessitate a tax hike.

However the council then inexplicably changed the date and time of the meeting from 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to 7:15 p.m. Monday. The council typically holds regular meetings the second Tuesday of the month, and meets in a caucus the day before. An Aug. 20 notice on the Tuesday cancellation from the township clerk gave no reason for the change.

“We don’t know, there must have been a conflict in scheduling,” assistant Township Clerk Diane Rowe said Friday. “They made everything Monday night.”

Councilwoman Bates bristled at the prospect of a township council caucus followed by a public hearing and vote on the open-government ordinance, “all in one meeting.”

“There has been no discussion after a full year since it was proposed, absolutely no discussion,” she said, maintaining council debate, a public hearing and a vote should not be crammed into a single meeting.

“I would like to have a discussion on what they would like to move away from in the ordinance (to save money), and have a give-and-take,” she continued. “That has not happened. I have called for discussions numerous times, but have either been declined or ignored.”

Bates stressed she and community residents have collected enough petition signatures to force a voter referendum on the ordinance should the township council not approve it.

She also challenged Council President Kulish’s estimates that it would cost $300,000 to scan municipal records dating to 2000 for uploading to the Internet and about $150,000 a year to keep the posts up to date.

“It’s very interesting they are only now coming out with these round numbers, and this has been sitting around for a year,” she said. “There is a cost-effective method to do anything, and this will not put a tax burden on Hillside.”

Bates stressed municipal documents have been maintained in electronic form since 2000, and scanning would be unnecessary. She added high school student volunteers could gain field experience in videotaping municipal meetings. Read more

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.

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