Middletown Mayor Tony Fiore sent the following message to the approximately 6000 Middletown residents who have subscribed to the township’s website and electronic communication program. The Mayor’s message about the library is also posted on the Middletown website.
Dear Township Residents:
I felt it was necessary for me to respond to the recent flurry of comments and emails regarding the Middletown Township Library. It is unfortunate that some have chosen to engage in the spread of completely false information with regard to the Township Committee’s request of the Middletown Library Board. So let me set the record straight.
First let me make it very clear that neither I nor any member of the Township Committee has ever suggested or proposed closing any library facility in the Township. We would simply not do such a thing.
The situation the Township finds itself in is not unlike that being faced by towns throughout New Jersey. With revenues sharply down due to the economic downturn we remain in and with state-mandated costs ever on the rise, we are now faced with an extraordinary fiscal challenge. This includes the potential for the layoff of a number of employees and even possibly police. Be assured that we do all we can to avoid layoffs and we take the matter very seriously.
The Library budget is different from the Township budget in that state law specifies how much must be allocated to the library each year, whether it is needed to operate the library or not. The result of this is that the library now has a surplus of $1.2 million. While some portion of this surplus is needed for ongoing support of library programs and initiatives, the vast majority is not needed for continued operations. I personally met about two weeks ago with the Library Director and the Board Chairman and asked that they bring back to the library board a request to transfer approximately $700,000.00 – $800,000.00 of their surplus to the Township’s budget. This would be used to offset layoffs and to help fund the continuation of many vital Township services and help to offset the impact of over $4 million in tax appeals.
The Township Committee is fully aware that the library board cannot be forced to do this. However we are asking that they work with us in a unified effort to help all of the residents and taxpayers of the Township. I would note that the Township Sewerage Authority dedicated a portion of its surplus to the Township last year and we anticipate them doing the same again this year.
Many people have expressed concern that the Township Committee is seeking to transfer operation of the library to the Monmouth County Library System. Let me be clear that the Township Committee has taken no action to do this. Such a move would be an absolute last resort, but without the transfer of some of the library surplus it may become a fiscal necessity. Not an option, a necessity. Should this action have to occur, the library would not close, it would simply move under the umbrella of the county and the staff would become county employees rather than be Township employees. Again, we do not want to make this move. We would like to see our library continue as the great Township facility it is. Our hope is that we can work with the Library Board as a team with the best interests of the Township as the goal.
Top-to-Bottom Reform Leads to Responsible Planning, Spending of Public Dollars
Trenton, NJ – Governor Chris Christie today announced a complete revamping of the Schools Development Authority construction program and the first-ever statewide prioritization of SDA school construction projects to bring accountability to the spending of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars annually for school improvements and expansion. The new program embodies the fundamental reforms taken at the SDA since Governor Christie took office. The recommendations will be presented to the SDA Board of Directors in the coming weeks for their review and approval.
The new approach is the result of a comprehensive review conducted over a six-month period by an internal working group consisting of SDA and Department of Education officials and reflects a wholesale strategy shift from the SDA’s earlier 2008 Capital Plan. The changes reflect a commitment to the efficient and proper use of public funds, an objective prioritization of statewide educational needs and the advancement of sound design and construction principles. For the first time ever, the reforms will allow the Authority to responsibly advance each project in the most efficient, cost-conscious manner – unlike the wasteful, hands-off-the-steering-wheel approach of the prior program.
“We all know that the prior program was associated with the absolute worst kind of government waste, mismanagement and lack of supervision, where much was promised, too much was spent, but too little was returned,” Governor Christie said. “I could not responsibly or in good conscience let that history repeat itself at this agency. We will move forward smartly and deliberatively to deliver value to the school districts and to our taxpayers.”
“The completion of the Capital Plan Review marks a new day for school construction in New Jersey,” said CEO Marc Larkins. “With a statewide prioritization in place, new project delivery processes planned, and a full understanding of the SDA’s capacity, the Authority is poised to move forward with an efficient, responsible school construction program that will address the needs of our students and communities statewide.”
Highlights of the 2011 Plan include:
·A carefully considered, objectively prioritized Capital Program rather than merely a list of 52 projects
·An annual selection of projects to be undertaken – starting with 10 in 2011
·A strategic approach to standardization in school projects, allowing for design replication on multiple projects, resulting in estimated savings of nearly $4 million per project over less efficient prior project delivery methods
·Allocation of $100 million for the advancement of additional emergent projects in the SDA Districts
·A statewide Prioritization Plan to be reviewed annually, providing a framework for project advancement so that only those projects most needed and most efficient will proceed into construction
The new approach and reforms represent a shift away from design excess, costly change orders and mismanagement, and will allow the SDA to responsibly advance each project in the most efficient manner. The present review evaluated all projects using the same factors, where prior reviews showed a bias in favor of certain types of projects, including, for example, early childhood centers.
The comprehensive review resulted in the recommendation to advance the following 10 projects in 2011, representing a state investment of almost $584 million:
·Bridgeton – Cherry Street Elementary School
·Elizabeth – Academic Magnet High School
·Long Branch – Catrambone Elementary School
·Jersey City – PS 20 Elementary School
·Jersey City – Elementary School 3
·New Brunswick – A. Chester Redshaw Elementary School
·Newark – Oliver Street Elementary School
·Paterson – Marshall & Hazel Elementary School
·Paterson – PS Number 16 Elementary School
·West New York – Harry L. Bain Elementary School
The SDA review yielded a consistent and fair analysis of projects statewide with all districts and all projects rated for the same factors. For the first time, the SDA considered total project cost, cost per student and efficiency of construction. Using the same uniform process and selection criteria, the SDA will identify the next group of school construction projects for 2012.
Governor Christie directed a comprehensive review of the SDA early in his administration. In addition, the State Auditor heavily criticized the SDA’s 2008 Capital Plan in June 2010. Among the criticisms raised by the State Auditor was the requirement that every SDA District receive a project and that certain projects included in the 2008 Plan had never been properly evaluated.
Since Governor Christie vetoed a change order proposed by the SDA in January of 2010 and Larkins was named CEO in March of last year, the agency has seen sweeping reforms. The highlights of the reforms are improvements in handling change orders, with a renewed emphasis on protecting state resources, and a structural overhaul of the agency. The new change order process affords more Board oversight of agency operations, and the new organizational structure moves away from a departmental model to a “team-based” approach. The SDA has also reduced staffing by almost 20% and made other operational changes, reducing the organization’s budget by more than $4 million per year.
With the completion of the Capital Program and the organizational structure needed to support the program in place, the SDA will continue to implement strategies to execute projects more efficiently. Through the annual advancement framework, the Authority will promote design standardization leading to design replication on multiple projects. In addition, the SDA will continue to identify alternate methods of project delivery including design-build, which allows for overlapping of design and construction schedules leading to faster project delivery.
Beginning in March last year, with Larkins’ appointment as CEO, the SDA has undergone a sweeping reorganization. The new structure moves away from a departmental model for the delivery of school projects to a “team-based” approach. This structure provides for greater continuity, better communication and supervision throughout the life cycle of a project. In short, the Authority can now deliver projects more efficiently and with the strictest adherence to cost controls.
The Authority fully funds and manages new construction and modernization of school facilities projects in SDA Districts. Other SDA District projects for which the Authority is responsible are renovations and repairs deemed emergent by the DOE due to health and safety reasons.
The SDA also makes grants available to the 574 Regular Operating Districts (RODs) throughout New Jersey for projects approved by the DOE. These grants fund at least 40 percent of eligible project costs, with the remaining share coming from local communities, contingent on budget or voter approval. The SDA portfolio contains more than 1,000 active ROD grants, 388 of which have been advanced since May of 2010, and total more than $126 million.
Red Bank Councilman Ed Zipprich (D) compared Congressman Chris Smith and a planned Catholic procession organized by the Diocese of Trenton from St. Anthony of Padua Church to the Planned Parenthood clinic on Newman Springs Rd to the deranged man who shot Arizona Congressman Gabby Giffords and 18 others, killing six people, according to a story on RedBankGreen.
“In light of what happened to Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, we need to pay attention to a matter of public safety,” Zipprich said, “especially since Congressman Smith has offered a bill to redefine rape.”
Zipprich’s comments were made while the council was approving permits for two dozen public events, including the Catholic Red Bank Witness for Life.
Zipprich abstained from voting on the permit which was approved by the council.
Don Holland will seek GOP nomination for reelection
Press Release
Manalapan Township Committeeman Don Holland announced that he has left the Democratic Party and plans to seek the Republican nomination to run for re-election in 2011. Mr. Holland cites major differences with the Democratic Party as his reason for making the change.
“I don’t view this as leaving the Democratic Party, I view this as joining a team that more closely reflects the values of serving the best interest of Manalapan. This has not been an easy decision, but my loyalty to the residents of Manalapan is what motivates me,” Mr. Holland stated.
Mr. Holland is proud of his record of accomplishment on the Manalapan Township Committee, where he has served since January 2009.
“The decisions I make are always based on what’s best for our residents. I don’t believe in the petty bickering or partisan politics that permeates the Manalapan Democratic Party. I want to focus all of my energy on making Manalapan an even better place to live, and the members of the Republican Party share that mindset,” said Mr. Holland.
The Republicans currently serving on the Township Committee include Mayor Andrew Lucas, Deputy Mayor Ryan Green, and Committeeman Jordan Maskowitz.
“I’ve had the pleasure of serving with Mr. Holland on the Township Committee these past few years and he has been great to work with,” said Mayor Lucas. “Mr. Holland has put aside the silly partisan bickering and has always been a gentleman and a problem solver. He truly has served Manalapan well and we’re thrilled that he wants to continue his service to Manalapan and its residents.”
As a member of the Township Committee, Mr. Holland has actively participated in developing the municipal budget, and has worked on many initiatives that provided residents with no municipal tax increase last year. He first got involved with local public service by founding and chairing the Manalapan Agricultural Advisory Committee and the Farmland Preservation Committee which is responsible for preserving over 1200 acres in Manalapan. He personally has worked on every application.
Prior to serving on the Township Committee, Mr. Holland served as chairman of the Planning Board, he served on the Zoning Board of Adjustment and the Environmental Commission.
Monmouth County GOP events are particularly enjoyable for me because I get to see many MMM readers in person and get face to face feedback, pro and con. Positive feedback usually includes a warm conversation, laughter and a friendly dig. Negative feedback is usually in the form of a cold shoulder, an evil eye or a faux smile. More and more there is agenda driven feedback and requests from people who want an issue covered or exposure for a candidate or cause. All of that happened last night. I appreciate all of it.
There were two related issues that dominated the feedback I received last night.
One was my explusion from the Highlands Republican Club for the treacherous act of accurately reporting Anna Little’s decree that the New Jersey Supreme Court is unconstitutional. I appreciate all the invitations to join or visit other Monmouth County Republican Clubs with no restrictions on what I write about. I also appreciate that none of the “threats” I received to be removed from the dinner via “appropriate measures” were followed through. My friend and fellow blogger Jim Hogan shared some hilarious emails he received from members of the HRC, including one from Mr. Neighbor, in response to Jim’s comments on my banishment.
The other issue that dominated feedback I received last night was my front page exposure and accompanying article in the triCityNews last month.
Senator Sean Kean greeted me with a smile and said, “Hi Art, I see Dan Jacobson likes you better than he likes me.” Dan has been particularly critical of Kean. I told Sean that I heard Jacobson was not the only one who felt that way.
Another party leader said he saw Dan’s article. “Is that for real, you don’t support Anna Little any longer?” he asked. When I told him it was, he was positively giddy. Another leader did not seem so happy about that.
Mickey Gooch gave me a good natured razzing for not including his testimonial about MMM in my journal ad. It is nice to know that someone actually reads the ad journal. Here’s Mickey’s quote:
“MMM is a great source of insider gossip and news in the conservative wing of the Republican Party and the Tea Party. I don’t agree with everything I read, but I keep taking a look- it is definitely entertaining. However, MMM would be better and could have far greater credibility if Art Gallagher didn’t display his biases quite so obviously and ran an unbiased forum for discussion. ” ~ Mickey Gooch, Mickey Gooch
I told Mickey he’s welcome to write another quote now that my biases have shifted.
Thank you for reading MMM, and thanks for your feedback.
It is comical to see our political class seized anew in a surreal debate about whether it is “possible” to cut $100 billion from an annual expenditure of $3.7 trillion without irrevocably harming babies or cratering the economy. It got me thinking about how we even arrived at this strange place where our elected representatives are spending 65% more than we are collecting in revenues every year. Somewhere along the way spending money in Washington DC became less about “necessity” and more about something else entirely.
So, here is another amazing fact to ponder: in the very near future we will be spending more virtual money in online fantasy worlds than will be spent by real consumers in the world formerly known as reality. Members of the online game FooPets breed and adopt dogs and cats and spend, on average, nearly as much money on their cyber puppies and kittens as actual pet owners in the real world. The nearly one million unique residents of a 3D virtual world called Second Life can buy everything from private islands to suggestive lingerie using a currency called Linden dollars. In an ominous development, Chinese authorities have recently barred a merger of their online and virtual economies. It seems that players who were particularly adept at accumulating wealth in the online world were selling this virtual game wealth for hard cash to rich players who would use the currency to boost their status and prestige in order to attract gorgeous pixel-based avatars.
But we know that you cannot really hold back the advance of technology. So, it got me thinking…how about this novel idea to solve our nation’s fiscal problems: for so long as is necessary to restore a balance between expenses and revenues, the Congress is only allowed to appropriate a new virtual currency called Fedbits? This new monetary unit, unregulated by annoyances like debt ceilings, interest rates, or the Federal Reserve, could be used to purchase an unlimited inventory of items in an online Congressionally-run supermarket. In order to secure passage of this landmark legislation, each Congressman would also be entitled to earmark a certain quantity of Fedbits to any constituent or special interest of his choosing.
Anyone want to buy a romantic lighted gazebo to go along with their private island?
Scott Sipprelle is the principal of Westland Ventures, LLC. Scott was the Republican nominee for Congress from New Jersey’s 12th congressional district in 2010.
The Chris Christie for President buzz just won’t go away, no matter how strongly the governor declares he’s not running. Pretty soon the state police will consider putting Christie on a suicide watch.
Ann Coulter’s comment at CPAC…that the GOP either run Chris Christie or Mitt Romney will be the nominee and lose…has reignited the smoldering Christie for President banter.
In cable TV and radio interviews today, Coulter has said Christie is the only Republican who can defeat President Obama, and the governor would have her support even though she questions how conservative he is.
From the left, we have Star Ledger columnist Tom Moran, who helped make Christie a national figure with the famous, “You should see me when I’m really pissed” video. Moran wrote a piece for Sunday’s paper/website which was essentially a white flag of surrender from New Jersey’s Democratic establishment.
After comparing Christie to Oprah, detailing the powerful Democratic support Christie has won over in Hudson and Essex counties, and explaining how hopeless it has become for Trenton Democrats to oppose Christie’s reforms, Moran himself endorsed the Christie agenda:
He’s winning this argument because he’s right on the core issue — New Jersey has promised more than it can deliver. Governors all over the country, in both parties, are moving in the same direction out of necessity.
If Christie can win over Moran, maybe Coulter is right.
Perhaps the question should not be, “Is Chris Christie ready to be president?” as he repeatedly protests that he is not. Perhaps the question should be, “Is Kim Guadagno ready to be governor?”
A happy enthusiastic crowd of over 600 people filled the Shore Casino in Atlantic Highlands. The event was scheduled to start with a cocktail hour at 6PM. When I arrived at 6:05 the house was already 3/4 full.
Volunteers for each Monmouth County legislative delegation were collecting signatures for their slates primary petitions. The 12th district team was asking for signatures from out of district residents as a preparation for redistricting surprises. A scenario that puts Highlands in the 12th legislative district is hard to imagine, but I was happy to sign for Beck, Casagrande and O’Scanlon.
Freeholder Lilian Burry’s team was collecting signatures.
Freeholder candidates Andrew Lucas and George Newberry were working the room and handing out palm cards. I heard Gary Rich was present but I didn’t seem him. Lucas and Newburry are organized and have teams supporting them. Lucas appeared to be more at ease in a competitive environment than Newberry did. That’s to be expected, as Lucas has done this before and Manalapan elections are usually competitive. Wall elections are rarely competitive.
One big surprise in the Freeholder race is Claire French’s name on Newberry’s palm card as Chair Person of his committee. French usually goes out of her way to stay out of intra-party contests. She told MMM that she strongly believes in Newberry whom she has known for many years.
So far Jim Giannell, the former Red Bank and Two Rivers group chairman, does not appear to have a horse in the Freeholder race. Giannell has been an organizing whip in the last several Freeholder nomination races.
The biggest surprise of the night was the sight of the leadership of the Bayshore Tea Party Group sitting at Senator Joe Kyrillos’ table. That’s a relationship/alliance to watch.
Congressman Chris Smith’s appearance was a nice surprise.
Scott and Tracy Sipprelle made the drive from Princeton looking refreshed and wind burned from a recent skiing vacation. Sipprelle told MMM that he is not likely to seek elective office again, but will be active in supporting candidates. He said he attended the dinner to reacquaint with his friends and supporters from his CD 12 congressional race last year.
Former congressional candidates Diane Gooch (CD-6) and Mike Halfacre (CD-12) presences were apparent but neither aggressively worked the room. Anna Little (CD-6) worked the room, stopping at every table under the watchful eye of her campaign manager Larry Cirignano.
“It does take quite a man to remain attractive and to be loved by a woman who has heard him snore, seen him unshaven, tended him while he was sick, and washed his dirty underwear. Do that and keep her still feeling a warm glow and you will know some very beautiful music.”
~ Ronald Reagan
Posted: February 14th, 2011 | Author:Art Gallagher | Filed under:Uncategorized | Comments Off on Happy Valentine’s Day
