(Reprinted from Amboy Beacon, Nov. 3, 2010)
SOUTH AMBOY — Dynamic Claims Management Inc. (DCM), a corporation which was formed by Mayor John O’Leary, his brother, Housing Authority Executive Director Thomas O’Leary, previously-indicted insurance broker Francis Gartland of Baltimore, MD, and two others, was identified in an 18-count indictment handed-down recently by a U.S. District Court Grand Jury charging Gartland and Toms River Regional School District Superintendent of Schools Michael Ritacco with a litany of federal corruption charges.
The O’Leary brothers were not named in the indictment, and have not been charged with any wrongdoing.
Attempts to contact the Mayor for comment on three different cellphone numbers were unsuccessful.
The 25-page indictment, a copy of which has been obtained by the Amboy Beacon, details an elaborate scheme to pad insurance contracts to allegedly fund a system of kickbacks in which Ritacco is accused of taking between $1 million and $2 million in bribes from Gartland and his associate, Frank Cotroneo, between 2002 and June 2010.
Cotroneo previously pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to an unnamed “executive employee”
of the school district.
Also identified in the indictment as Gartland’s companies in addition to DCM are Alliance Benefits Strategists, E-Administrative Systems Inc., Federal Hill Risk Management LLC, Gartland & Co. Inc., Insurance Dynamics Consulting Services LLC, 1000 Washington Street LLC and Sunset Management Consultants Inc.
According to the indictment, Ritacco recommended to the Toms River Regional School District Board of Education that DCM be appointed “as an insurance consultant for the district from, on or about July 1, 2002 to, on or about June 30, 2005.
“In this regard, in or about July 2002, defendant Ritacco signed a contract on behalf of the district hiring DCM to manage the district’s worker’s compensation services from July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2005 for a yearly fee of $1,200,000, plus an additional yearly administration fee of $130,000, payable to DCM,” the indictment charges.
In return for this and other contracts, the indictment alleges that bribes were paid to Ritacco and his associates in the form of appliances, cash and jewelry items, including a $30,000 watch, among other things.
According to corporate papers obtained by the Beacon, the first meeting of DCM’s shareholders was held on April 24, 1996, at which “subscription agreements from John T. O’Leary, Peter Doheny, Frank Gartland, Howard Horvath and Thomas O’Leary were approved, and the issuance of stock in the corporation to them and was authorized.”
The Beacon has obtained photocopies of five stock certificates for 20 shares each which were issued for the five individuals, each of whom “was elected as Director to serve until such time as her (sic) successor is elected or appointed.”
The minutes of the first meeting of DCM’s shareholders were signed by Thomas O’Leary as Secretary.
The first meeting of DCM’s Board of Directors also was held on April 24, 1996, at which Doheny was elected as President, Thomas O’Leary was elected as Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer; and Gartland, Horvath and John O’Leary were elected as Vice Presidents.
The minutes of the first meeting of DCM’s Board of Directors were signed by Thomas O’Leary as Secretary.
In a prepared statement, U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman called the alleged scheme “staggering in its magnitude and scope.
“No-matter what one’s position or title, every corrupt official has real victims,” Fishman continued. “In this case, the defendants’ alleged conduct cost the citizens of Toms River more than a million dollars.”
Ritacco reportedly received an annual salary of about $234,000 as Superintendent of the state’s fourth-largest school district, with over 2,000 employees, about 18,000 students, and an annual budget of about $195 million.
Some Toms River residents reportedly plan to file a class-action lawsuit against Ritacco, Gartland and members of that community’s Board of Education to seek return of the money taxpayers lost to bribery and fraud.
Gartland, who owns Federal Hill Risk Management, the school district’s former insurance broker, and several other companies which have represented school districts and municipalities since 1978, faces state charges for his alleged role in a conspiracy to bilk the City of Perth Amboy out of $216,495 and the Perth Amboy Public Schools out of $2,593,400.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Impact Statement Mulled
(Reprinted from Amboy Beacon, Nov. 3, 2020)
PERTH AMBOY — At the suggestion of City Council President Kenneth Balut, the Council last week voted to have City Law Director Mark Blunda draw-up an impact statement to be submitted to U.S. District Court Judge Susan Wigenton before she sentences former Mayor Joseph Vas on Tuesday, Jan. 25.
The motion was made by Balut, seconded by Councilman William Petrick and adopted 4-0. Councilman Joel Pabon Jr., who ran for Council with Vas in 2008, abstained from voting.
Councilman Kenneth Gonzalez, an attorney, insisted that Blunda “circulate a draft of that letter” among Council members before it is submitted to the Judge.
“The political pressure that had been put on the workers of the City of Perth Amboy is clear here: the people were intimidated and abused at-work,”
said Balut, who attended part of the former Mayor’s federal corruption trial in Room 5C of the King Building and U.S. District Courthouse, Newark. “The defendants clearly weren’t working on-behalf-of the taxpayers. The city had been under a cloud because Vas used his power to run for political office, not for the taxpayer.”
Balut, a retired former Perth Amboy police officer, said he believes the city should be allowed to submit an impact statement to Wigenton “just-like any other victim” because “this City of Perth Amboy was a victim.”
The jury found Vas and longtime Mayor’s Aide Melvin Ramos guilty of eight of the 12 counts in the superseding indictment of their federal corruption trial. Ramos is scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday, Jan. 26.
Both defendants were acquitted on four counts of mail fraud, but were convicted on two other counts of mail fraud, with each count of mail fraud carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Vas was convicted of fraud and misapplication of funds involving a local government receiving federal funds, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, and of making false statements to federal agents, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $100,000.
Ramos was convicted of one count making contributions to a federal candidate in the names of others, which carries a maximum statutory penalty of one year in prison and a fine of $100,000, and of two counts of making false statements to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), with each count carrying a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
Vas also was convicted of one count of making contributions to a federal candidate in the names of others, which carries a maximum statutory penalty of one year in prison and a fine of $100,000.
“The city now has to get back the funds owed it,” Balut said. “We never got our $90,000 (in Regional Contribution Agreement money) back.”
“With the conviction on-the-record showing financial harm to the city, you can seek restitution of the money involved,” Blunda stated.
Resident Alan Silber, who also attended much of the trial, said, “To use (Ramos attorney Jerome) Ballarotto’s words, (former Vas political advisor
Raymond) ‘Geneske made a career out of straw-donors,’ and he had sat on the Board of Education.
“How many of the city’s elections have been tainted?” Silber asked.
PERTH AMBOY — At the suggestion of City Council President Kenneth Balut, the Council last week voted to have City Law Director Mark Blunda draw-up an impact statement to be submitted to U.S. District Court Judge Susan Wigenton before she sentences former Mayor Joseph Vas on Tuesday, Jan. 25.
The motion was made by Balut, seconded by Councilman William Petrick and adopted 4-0. Councilman Joel Pabon Jr., who ran for Council with Vas in 2008, abstained from voting.
Councilman Kenneth Gonzalez, an attorney, insisted that Blunda “circulate a draft of that letter” among Council members before it is submitted to the Judge.
“The political pressure that had been put on the workers of the City of Perth Amboy is clear here: the people were intimidated and abused at-work,”
said Balut, who attended part of the former Mayor’s federal corruption trial in Room 5C of the King Building and U.S. District Courthouse, Newark. “The defendants clearly weren’t working on-behalf-of the taxpayers. The city had been under a cloud because Vas used his power to run for political office, not for the taxpayer.”
Balut, a retired former Perth Amboy police officer, said he believes the city should be allowed to submit an impact statement to Wigenton “just-like any other victim” because “this City of Perth Amboy was a victim.”
The jury found Vas and longtime Mayor’s Aide Melvin Ramos guilty of eight of the 12 counts in the superseding indictment of their federal corruption trial. Ramos is scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday, Jan. 26.
Both defendants were acquitted on four counts of mail fraud, but were convicted on two other counts of mail fraud, with each count of mail fraud carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Vas was convicted of fraud and misapplication of funds involving a local government receiving federal funds, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, and of making false statements to federal agents, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $100,000.
Ramos was convicted of one count making contributions to a federal candidate in the names of others, which carries a maximum statutory penalty of one year in prison and a fine of $100,000, and of two counts of making false statements to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), with each count carrying a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
Vas also was convicted of one count of making contributions to a federal candidate in the names of others, which carries a maximum statutory penalty of one year in prison and a fine of $100,000.
“The city now has to get back the funds owed it,” Balut said. “We never got our $90,000 (in Regional Contribution Agreement money) back.”
“With the conviction on-the-record showing financial harm to the city, you can seek restitution of the money involved,” Blunda stated.
Resident Alan Silber, who also attended much of the trial, said, “To use (Ramos attorney Jerome) Ballarotto’s words, (former Vas political advisor
Raymond) ‘Geneske made a career out of straw-donors,’ and he had sat on the Board of Education.
“How many of the city’s elections have been tainted?” Silber asked.
Garbage Changes OKd
(Reprinted from Amboy Beacon, Nov. 3, 2010)
PERTH AMBOY — The most-far-reaching changes to the city’s Garbage Ordinance since it was adopted in 1975 were adopted by a unanimous City Council last week following a lively public hearing.
The Amendments, which were proposed in reaction to a system which has been costly and inefficient, were moved by Councilman William Petrick, seconded by Councilman Kenneth Gonzalez and adopted 5-0.
However, Council President Kenneth Balut indicated that the list of changes is not complete. “I think we’re going to have to sit-down and discuss some stuff so we have a meeting of the minds,” he said.
A provision requiring that all garbage-cans have fitted lids remains in the measure even-though Gonzalez noted his own personal experience that lids seem to “evaporate to parts-unknown,” which drew laughter from the audience.
“Let’s try to get-through this without the ‘lid police,’” Balut, a retired Perth Amboy police officer, remarked.
“We’re not going to immediately issue summonses,” Interim Business Administrator Gregory Fahrenbach said. “We’re going to have to be certain that everyone understands what’s in-place.”
Resident Anna Daily complained that garbage-collectors “just throw the cans any way they want to, and the tops are broken.” She asked if the city would provide garbage-cans to residents.
But resident Stanley Surokowski disagreed, saying, “A garbage-can costs $15, and they (residents) should be forced to buy them. We’re not Big Mommy or Big Daddy.”
“For a town this size, I can’t believe the amount of garbage,” resident Orlando Perez said. “You have a money-crisis because of garbage.”
Lisa Nanton, who has been active for years with the Royal Garden Club by the Bay, suggested that household waste be picked-up separately and taken to a “city compost-pile.”
“We’ll look-into that,” Fahrenbach said.
“The worst thing that ever happened was Glad black-plastic bags,” resident Alan Silber declared.
At a Special Meeting of the Council which was held at the Training Room at Fire Department Headquarters, New Brunswick Avenue, in late July, Public Works Director Paul Wnek joked about Perth Amboy’s garbage-trucks arriving at the Edgeboro Landfill, East Brunswick, and their drivers being asked, “How-many cities are you collecting?”
Wnek showed officials photographs of massive apartment-complex collections, many of the city’s 300 street-baskets overflowing less than one hour after they were emptied, various bulk-item collections, and opened bags displaying construction-material being thrown-out as trash.
“We have around 58 full-time employees daily out of a total of 72, and we’re getting a lot of work done,” he said. “But one of the changes we really-need is to require a list of what’s on a ‘special pickup’ so we don’t get the neighbors piling their stuff on-top-of that.”
Wnek said he believes that “some absentee-landlords with properties in other cities are bringing-in stuff at-night from properties they own in other cities where they’d have to pay.”
Some pickups involve “a half-a-block of plastic bags piled six- to eight-feet-tall,” he said. “It’s just-not-normal what’s out-there.”
Wnek said the average Perth Amboy home generates “2,000 pounds of garbage and 750 pounds of recyclables” when it should be in reverse-order.
Among the Amendments are changes in definitions and placement, a new requirement to containerize sweepings, a mandatory 10-day deadline for removal of rubbish and refuse, and return of garbage-cans to storage-areas by 8 p.m. of the pickup day.
Also, the collection of bulk-items through a fee system that imposes a flat fee for four items in any one pickup, using color-coded stickers to identify different types of items, with charges depending-upon collection-costs involved.
Also, limits of the number of “special collections” per year per address, with one yearly citywide amnesty or FREE day, to be called “Citizens Cleanup Day.”
PERTH AMBOY — The most-far-reaching changes to the city’s Garbage Ordinance since it was adopted in 1975 were adopted by a unanimous City Council last week following a lively public hearing.
The Amendments, which were proposed in reaction to a system which has been costly and inefficient, were moved by Councilman William Petrick, seconded by Councilman Kenneth Gonzalez and adopted 5-0.
However, Council President Kenneth Balut indicated that the list of changes is not complete. “I think we’re going to have to sit-down and discuss some stuff so we have a meeting of the minds,” he said.
A provision requiring that all garbage-cans have fitted lids remains in the measure even-though Gonzalez noted his own personal experience that lids seem to “evaporate to parts-unknown,” which drew laughter from the audience.
“Let’s try to get-through this without the ‘lid police,’” Balut, a retired Perth Amboy police officer, remarked.
“We’re not going to immediately issue summonses,” Interim Business Administrator Gregory Fahrenbach said. “We’re going to have to be certain that everyone understands what’s in-place.”
Resident Anna Daily complained that garbage-collectors “just throw the cans any way they want to, and the tops are broken.” She asked if the city would provide garbage-cans to residents.
But resident Stanley Surokowski disagreed, saying, “A garbage-can costs $15, and they (residents) should be forced to buy them. We’re not Big Mommy or Big Daddy.”
“For a town this size, I can’t believe the amount of garbage,” resident Orlando Perez said. “You have a money-crisis because of garbage.”
Lisa Nanton, who has been active for years with the Royal Garden Club by the Bay, suggested that household waste be picked-up separately and taken to a “city compost-pile.”
“We’ll look-into that,” Fahrenbach said.
“The worst thing that ever happened was Glad black-plastic bags,” resident Alan Silber declared.
At a Special Meeting of the Council which was held at the Training Room at Fire Department Headquarters, New Brunswick Avenue, in late July, Public Works Director Paul Wnek joked about Perth Amboy’s garbage-trucks arriving at the Edgeboro Landfill, East Brunswick, and their drivers being asked, “How-many cities are you collecting?”
Wnek showed officials photographs of massive apartment-complex collections, many of the city’s 300 street-baskets overflowing less than one hour after they were emptied, various bulk-item collections, and opened bags displaying construction-material being thrown-out as trash.
“We have around 58 full-time employees daily out of a total of 72, and we’re getting a lot of work done,” he said. “But one of the changes we really-need is to require a list of what’s on a ‘special pickup’ so we don’t get the neighbors piling their stuff on-top-of that.”
Wnek said he believes that “some absentee-landlords with properties in other cities are bringing-in stuff at-night from properties they own in other cities where they’d have to pay.”
Some pickups involve “a half-a-block of plastic bags piled six- to eight-feet-tall,” he said. “It’s just-not-normal what’s out-there.”
Wnek said the average Perth Amboy home generates “2,000 pounds of garbage and 750 pounds of recyclables” when it should be in reverse-order.
Among the Amendments are changes in definitions and placement, a new requirement to containerize sweepings, a mandatory 10-day deadline for removal of rubbish and refuse, and return of garbage-cans to storage-areas by 8 p.m. of the pickup day.
Also, the collection of bulk-items through a fee system that imposes a flat fee for four items in any one pickup, using color-coded stickers to identify different types of items, with charges depending-upon collection-costs involved.
Also, limits of the number of “special collections” per year per address, with one yearly citywide amnesty or FREE day, to be called “Citizens Cleanup Day.”
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
DECISION DAY
S. Amboy Voters Choosing A New Mayor, Council
(Reprinted from Amboy Beacon, Oct. 27, 2010) SOUTH AMBOY — For the first time in over two decades, the name “John O’Leary” will not be on the election-ballot when this city’s registered voters go to the polls next Tuesday.
After serving as South Amboy’s Chief Executive since 1986, O’Leary announced in March that he would not seek a seventh four-year term as Mayor of the one-square-mile “Pleasant Little City” in this year’s election, choosing instead to retire after 24 years of service.
“Twenty-four years is a long time, and I think that after all that time, I’ve earned the right to retire,’’ O’Leary declared at that time. “This is not something that just came-about recently, but something that I’ve been thinking-about for eight years, regarding my tenure as Mayor.’’
O’Leary, also Chairman of the South Amboy Democratic Organization (SADO), released a one-page prepared statement with more information about the Councilman chosen to succeed him than about his decision to step-aside.
He has insisted that his decision not to run for Mayor again had nothing whatsoever to do with subpoenas the city received last year, emphasizing that he has not been charged with any wrongdoing.
“The City of South Amboy turned-over all the documents it was asked-for,’’
O’Leary said. “The city feels that everything was done forthright in regards to all of our actions.’’
SADO voted unanimously to select Council President Fred Henry Jr. — who replaced current 19th District Assemblyman Craig Coughlin on South Amboy’s five-member Council — to run for Mayor (8B), along with incumbent Councilman Joseph Connors (9B) and newcomer Michael “Mickey’’ Gross (10B) to run for the two At-Large Council seats available in this November’s election.
“In these tumultuous and ever-changing economic times, the experience and knowledge I’ve obtained during my tenure on the Council and the South Amboy Redevelopment Agency, and my 35 years as an educator in the South Amboy school system, gives me a unique perspective and knowledge to lead the city over the next four years as Mayor,’’ Henry said in a prepared statement.
Henry — a former History teacher and Athletic Director at South Amboy High School, Hoffman Plaza, and currently Dean of Students there — continues his family’s tradition of public service. His father, Fred Henry Sr., also served as South Amboy City Council President.
Connors — Supervisor of Laboratory services Research & Development at F.I.
DuPont de Nemours, Parlin, a former member of the South Amboy Board of Education and a member of the city Planning Board for 23 years — has been a City Council member for the past eight years.
Gross — the head of the Middlesex County Environmental Health Division since February 2009 — said in a prepared statement that “I’m looking-forward to working as hard as I can for the people of South Amboy.
“Even in these hard economic times, South Amboy is moving forward, and it has done some great things in the past 20 years,” he said. “I want to be part of the team that helps keep the city moving-forward.’’
Gross started-out as a Sanitary Inspector in June 1982 and rose steadily through the ranks as he acquired more experience and credentials.
Following the death of First Ward Councilman Russell Stillwagon, Donald Appl egate was chosen to fill that seat and is running unopposed.
While no Republican filed petitions to run for that party’s nomination for Mayor, GOP challengers Saverio Sagliocco (9A) and David Longenhagen(10A) were nominated in the June 8 Primary Election as Republican candidates for the two available Council seats.
Meanwhile, Independents filed their nominating petitions to run in November, with the deadline also falling-on June 8.
Three-time Council candidate Vincent Mackiel (8C, “Independent-Clean Air”) , Board of Education member John Dragotta (8D, “Independent For Change”) and 2006 mayoral candidate Mary O’Connor (8E, “United South Amboy”) filed petitions to run for Mayor, while 2002 mayoral candidate and former Board of Education member Eugene “Gene” Reagan (9F, “Better South Amboy”) filed petitions to run for Council.
Harry Gelder (“Save Our South Amboy”) dropped-out of the race, while Dragotta has done little visible campaigning.
O’Connor announced her candidacy in a prepared statement issued when she filed her petitions, calling her agenda simple and clear: she will “rein-in taxes, promote business development, provide accountability to residents, and prioritize safety.’
O’Connor promised to “provide fiscal responsibility to residents who were hammered with a 38-percent tax increase in the city budget last year, and an over-five-percent increase in school taxes approved by the current Administration.
“There’s yet another tax increase coming in the new 2010 City Budget,” she predicted back then. “The current Administration has not only raised taxes significantly, but also has increased our debt by millions of dollars while at the same time considering to cut-back our basic services such as garbage-collection.”
O’Connor said that she will promote business development in South Amboy “to enliven the cityscape and offset residential taxes.
“There are too-many vacant storefronts and unutilized lots,” she said.
“The establishment of offices and services will bring employers, employees and customers to town. Those people will, in turn. patronize supporting businesses such as restaurants and shops. I will establish a business-friendly environment and a fast-track path to speed the opening of prospective businesses.”
O’Connor pledged to “provide accountability for the state of the city by providing frequent status-reports.” O’Leary has not delivered a “State Of The City” Address in three years.
“Today’s technology enables current information to be available to those who seek it,” she said. “Status-reports will create a transparent and inclusive government.”
O’Connor called Henry “part of the problem in South Amboy” because he “takes his lead from the now-six-term Mayor O’Leary, and has voted in accord with O’Leary for many years.
“Residents are disappointed and angered by news of subpoenas and suspicions linked to our current Mayor,” she said. “To elect Henry is to continue the present problems.”
O’Connor pointed out that “South Amboy has such great potential: easy access by major highways, convenient to train, with stunning waterfront acreage.
“It’s time for the great town of South Amboy to take its place alongside other beautiful shore communities, and I’m ready to make that happen,” she declared.
O’Connor was raised around the country as the daughter of an army officer (along with her seven siblings) before settling in Freehold, where she attended public school and later graduated from Rutgers University. In her most-recent corporate position at the software company Oracle, she managed the implementation of financial business systems for global corporations.
Dragotta said that he is running “to make some changes.”
Mackiel, a community activist who has taken-on Amboy Aggregates’
sand-mining operation, said that he will “continue speaking-out for a cleaner South Amboy waterfront.”
(Reprinted from Amboy Beacon, Oct. 27, 2010) SOUTH AMBOY — For the first time in over two decades, the name “John O’Leary” will not be on the election-ballot when this city’s registered voters go to the polls next Tuesday.
After serving as South Amboy’s Chief Executive since 1986, O’Leary announced in March that he would not seek a seventh four-year term as Mayor of the one-square-mile “Pleasant Little City” in this year’s election, choosing instead to retire after 24 years of service.
“Twenty-four years is a long time, and I think that after all that time, I’ve earned the right to retire,’’ O’Leary declared at that time. “This is not something that just came-about recently, but something that I’ve been thinking-about for eight years, regarding my tenure as Mayor.’’
O’Leary, also Chairman of the South Amboy Democratic Organization (SADO), released a one-page prepared statement with more information about the Councilman chosen to succeed him than about his decision to step-aside.
He has insisted that his decision not to run for Mayor again had nothing whatsoever to do with subpoenas the city received last year, emphasizing that he has not been charged with any wrongdoing.
“The City of South Amboy turned-over all the documents it was asked-for,’’
O’Leary said. “The city feels that everything was done forthright in regards to all of our actions.’’
SADO voted unanimously to select Council President Fred Henry Jr. — who replaced current 19th District Assemblyman Craig Coughlin on South Amboy’s five-member Council — to run for Mayor (8B), along with incumbent Councilman Joseph Connors (9B) and newcomer Michael “Mickey’’ Gross (10B) to run for the two At-Large Council seats available in this November’s election.
“In these tumultuous and ever-changing economic times, the experience and knowledge I’ve obtained during my tenure on the Council and the South Amboy Redevelopment Agency, and my 35 years as an educator in the South Amboy school system, gives me a unique perspective and knowledge to lead the city over the next four years as Mayor,’’ Henry said in a prepared statement.
Henry — a former History teacher and Athletic Director at South Amboy High School, Hoffman Plaza, and currently Dean of Students there — continues his family’s tradition of public service. His father, Fred Henry Sr., also served as South Amboy City Council President.
Connors — Supervisor of Laboratory services Research & Development at F.I.
DuPont de Nemours, Parlin, a former member of the South Amboy Board of Education and a member of the city Planning Board for 23 years — has been a City Council member for the past eight years.
Gross — the head of the Middlesex County Environmental Health Division since February 2009 — said in a prepared statement that “I’m looking-forward to working as hard as I can for the people of South Amboy.
“Even in these hard economic times, South Amboy is moving forward, and it has done some great things in the past 20 years,” he said. “I want to be part of the team that helps keep the city moving-forward.’’
Gross started-out as a Sanitary Inspector in June 1982 and rose steadily through the ranks as he acquired more experience and credentials.
Following the death of First Ward Councilman Russell Stillwagon, Donald Appl egate was chosen to fill that seat and is running unopposed.
While no Republican filed petitions to run for that party’s nomination for Mayor, GOP challengers Saverio Sagliocco (9A) and David Longenhagen(10A) were nominated in the June 8 Primary Election as Republican candidates for the two available Council seats.
Meanwhile, Independents filed their nominating petitions to run in November, with the deadline also falling-on June 8.
Three-time Council candidate Vincent Mackiel (8C, “Independent-Clean Air”) , Board of Education member John Dragotta (8D, “Independent For Change”) and 2006 mayoral candidate Mary O’Connor (8E, “United South Amboy”) filed petitions to run for Mayor, while 2002 mayoral candidate and former Board of Education member Eugene “Gene” Reagan (9F, “Better South Amboy”) filed petitions to run for Council.
Harry Gelder (“Save Our South Amboy”) dropped-out of the race, while Dragotta has done little visible campaigning.
O’Connor announced her candidacy in a prepared statement issued when she filed her petitions, calling her agenda simple and clear: she will “rein-in taxes, promote business development, provide accountability to residents, and prioritize safety.’
O’Connor promised to “provide fiscal responsibility to residents who were hammered with a 38-percent tax increase in the city budget last year, and an over-five-percent increase in school taxes approved by the current Administration.
“There’s yet another tax increase coming in the new 2010 City Budget,” she predicted back then. “The current Administration has not only raised taxes significantly, but also has increased our debt by millions of dollars while at the same time considering to cut-back our basic services such as garbage-collection.”
O’Connor said that she will promote business development in South Amboy “to enliven the cityscape and offset residential taxes.
“There are too-many vacant storefronts and unutilized lots,” she said.
“The establishment of offices and services will bring employers, employees and customers to town. Those people will, in turn. patronize supporting businesses such as restaurants and shops. I will establish a business-friendly environment and a fast-track path to speed the opening of prospective businesses.”
O’Connor pledged to “provide accountability for the state of the city by providing frequent status-reports.” O’Leary has not delivered a “State Of The City” Address in three years.
“Today’s technology enables current information to be available to those who seek it,” she said. “Status-reports will create a transparent and inclusive government.”
O’Connor called Henry “part of the problem in South Amboy” because he “takes his lead from the now-six-term Mayor O’Leary, and has voted in accord with O’Leary for many years.
“Residents are disappointed and angered by news of subpoenas and suspicions linked to our current Mayor,” she said. “To elect Henry is to continue the present problems.”
O’Connor pointed out that “South Amboy has such great potential: easy access by major highways, convenient to train, with stunning waterfront acreage.
“It’s time for the great town of South Amboy to take its place alongside other beautiful shore communities, and I’m ready to make that happen,” she declared.
O’Connor was raised around the country as the daughter of an army officer (along with her seven siblings) before settling in Freehold, where she attended public school and later graduated from Rutgers University. In her most-recent corporate position at the software company Oracle, she managed the implementation of financial business systems for global corporations.
Dragotta said that he is running “to make some changes.”
Mackiel, a community activist who has taken-on Amboy Aggregates’
sand-mining operation, said that he will “continue speaking-out for a cleaner South Amboy waterfront.”
Perth Amboy Hearing Tonight On Ending May Elections
(Reprinted from Amboy Beacon, Oct. 27, 2010)
PERTH AMBOY — The City Council has scheduled a public hearing for 7 p.m. t oday at City Hall, High Street, on a proposed Ordinance to establish the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November as the date for the City of Perth Amboy’s non-partisan Municipal Elections, presently conducted in May, beginning in 2012.
The proposal would extend the terms-of-office for the current Mayor and Council members by six months.
The Council voted unanimously at its last meeting to introduce the Ordinance, which was moved by Councilman William Petrick, seconded by Councilman Kenneth Gonzalez and adopted 5-0 on first reading.
Councilman Fernando Gonzalez, who voted against the measure when it was considered on March 24, indicated that his “yes” vote was only “for first reading.”
During discussion at the Council Caucus before the regular meeting, Fernando Gonzalez urged his Council collagues to appoint a “citizens’
committee”
to analyze the full ramifications of the proposed change and report back to the Council before any further action is taken.
“I see no need to rush this,” he said. “There’s been no pressure from the public for this. I think community-input is important, and we’re talking-about two years from now. We have plenty of time.”
As part of the citizens’ committee’s charge, “it should look-into changing Perth Amboy’s form of government from Faulkner Act Plan B,” Fernando Gonzalez said.
“I say we should give them two months to have them come-back with a recommendation rather than have the City Council make this 10-year commitment unilaterally,” he said.
“I don’t think anyone here doesn’t want community-participation,”
Councilman Joel Pabon Sr. said.
“I was part of the process that established Faulkner Part B,” Fernando Gonzalez noted. “There was a lot of activity, Rutgers came-down, and we had an ongoing dialogue before taking-action.”
“You could still do that (discuss changing the form of government) while moving on the Ordinance,” Interim Business Administrator Gregory Fahrenbach said. “Keep-in-mind that this is an Ordinance, not a Resolution, so there must be a public hearing for citizen-input.”
City Clerk Elaine Jasko also confirmed that Perth Amboy’s candidates would be listed separately on the General Election ballot, and “would not be put-into the same place as the partisan candidates.”
“I respect and appreciate Councilman Gonzalez’s comments, but I’d like to see us take-action,” Kenneth Gonzalez said.
“I have full-faith in having you sit here an extra six months,” Petrick told Fernando Gonzalez. “I’d like to see this taken-care-of so we’re not sitting here with a $50,000 albatross around our necks.”
Billy Delgado, who unsuccessfully ran for Mayor in 2004, spoke-up in-favor of keeping the May election because “saving money is not an important-enough reason to tamper-with this.
“If you’re not getting-enough turnout, maybe yo’re not inspiring people to vote,” he said.
In March, the Council voted 3-2 to reject an identical Ordinance, following a public hearing. At that time, Fernando Gonzalez was joined by then-Council President Peter Jimenez and Councilman Kenneth Balut, who is now Council President.
Mayor Wilda Diaz, one of the measure’s strongest proponents, argued vehemently with Fernando Gonzalez over the measure at that time.
Diaz promoted the change as a means of saving election funding, estimated at $50,000, but Gonzalez pointed out that unlike Spotswood, then Middlesex County’s only other municipality with non-partisan elections in May, Perth Amboy would not achieve any savings until 2012, when Diaz, Balut and Fernando Gonzalez are up for re-election.
Spotswood’s governing body voted to change its non-partisan elections to November, leaving Perth Amboy with no other municipality with which to share some election expenses.
“I’m happy to save $50,000, but it’s not going to affect this year’s Budget,” Fernando Gonzalez said. “Why are we rushing-into it when we don’t save anything until 2012?
“We should take this time to dialogue,” he continued. “We’re not analyzing all of the ramifications of this new (state) law.”
Fernando Gonzalez pointed out that another part of the law, if the Ordinance is adopted locally, would block city residents from changing Perth Amboy’s form of government for 10 years.
He said that provision was adopted in January at the state level to preclude New Brunswick residents from launching another referendum to change that city’s form of government to allow election of Council members by wards, rather than at-large.
PERTH AMBOY — The City Council has scheduled a public hearing for 7 p.m. t oday at City Hall, High Street, on a proposed Ordinance to establish the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November as the date for the City of Perth Amboy’s non-partisan Municipal Elections, presently conducted in May, beginning in 2012.
The proposal would extend the terms-of-office for the current Mayor and Council members by six months.
The Council voted unanimously at its last meeting to introduce the Ordinance, which was moved by Councilman William Petrick, seconded by Councilman Kenneth Gonzalez and adopted 5-0 on first reading.
Councilman Fernando Gonzalez, who voted against the measure when it was considered on March 24, indicated that his “yes” vote was only “for first reading.”
During discussion at the Council Caucus before the regular meeting, Fernando Gonzalez urged his Council collagues to appoint a “citizens’
committee”
to analyze the full ramifications of the proposed change and report back to the Council before any further action is taken.
“I see no need to rush this,” he said. “There’s been no pressure from the public for this. I think community-input is important, and we’re talking-about two years from now. We have plenty of time.”
As part of the citizens’ committee’s charge, “it should look-into changing Perth Amboy’s form of government from Faulkner Act Plan B,” Fernando Gonzalez said.
“I say we should give them two months to have them come-back with a recommendation rather than have the City Council make this 10-year commitment unilaterally,” he said.
“I don’t think anyone here doesn’t want community-participation,”
Councilman Joel Pabon Sr. said.
“I was part of the process that established Faulkner Part B,” Fernando Gonzalez noted. “There was a lot of activity, Rutgers came-down, and we had an ongoing dialogue before taking-action.”
“You could still do that (discuss changing the form of government) while moving on the Ordinance,” Interim Business Administrator Gregory Fahrenbach said. “Keep-in-mind that this is an Ordinance, not a Resolution, so there must be a public hearing for citizen-input.”
City Clerk Elaine Jasko also confirmed that Perth Amboy’s candidates would be listed separately on the General Election ballot, and “would not be put-into the same place as the partisan candidates.”
“I respect and appreciate Councilman Gonzalez’s comments, but I’d like to see us take-action,” Kenneth Gonzalez said.
“I have full-faith in having you sit here an extra six months,” Petrick told Fernando Gonzalez. “I’d like to see this taken-care-of so we’re not sitting here with a $50,000 albatross around our necks.”
Billy Delgado, who unsuccessfully ran for Mayor in 2004, spoke-up in-favor of keeping the May election because “saving money is not an important-enough reason to tamper-with this.
“If you’re not getting-enough turnout, maybe yo’re not inspiring people to vote,” he said.
In March, the Council voted 3-2 to reject an identical Ordinance, following a public hearing. At that time, Fernando Gonzalez was joined by then-Council President Peter Jimenez and Councilman Kenneth Balut, who is now Council President.
Mayor Wilda Diaz, one of the measure’s strongest proponents, argued vehemently with Fernando Gonzalez over the measure at that time.
Diaz promoted the change as a means of saving election funding, estimated at $50,000, but Gonzalez pointed out that unlike Spotswood, then Middlesex County’s only other municipality with non-partisan elections in May, Perth Amboy would not achieve any savings until 2012, when Diaz, Balut and Fernando Gonzalez are up for re-election.
Spotswood’s governing body voted to change its non-partisan elections to November, leaving Perth Amboy with no other municipality with which to share some election expenses.
“I’m happy to save $50,000, but it’s not going to affect this year’s Budget,” Fernando Gonzalez said. “Why are we rushing-into it when we don’t save anything until 2012?
“We should take this time to dialogue,” he continued. “We’re not analyzing all of the ramifications of this new (state) law.”
Fernando Gonzalez pointed out that another part of the law, if the Ordinance is adopted locally, would block city residents from changing Perth Amboy’s form of government for 10 years.
He said that provision was adopted in January at the state level to preclude New Brunswick residents from launching another referendum to change that city’s form of government to allow election of Council members by wards, rather than at-large.
‘Nazi’ Flier Repudiated
(Analysis, Reprinted from Amboy Beacon, Oct. 27, 2010) SOUTH AMBOY — A full-color flier depicting local Irish activist Peter “Pete” Kenny as Adolf Hitler with the heading, “The man pictured below is publically (sic) supporting Mary O’Connor for mayor” and “Enough said,”
was repudiated at the beginning of last week’s City Council meeting by Council President Fred Henry, the Democratic nominee for Mayor in next Tuesday’s election.
Henry was chosen to run for Mayor after Mayor John O’Leary, who served as South Amboy’s Chief Executive since 1986, announced in March that he would not seek a seventh four-year term but instead would retire.
Before the Council meeting got-underway, Henry stated that “the flier having to do with Pete Kenny” was “a very-despicable thing to do” and that “nobody from my campaign had anything to do with it.
“I would not do something like this,” he continued. “This flier is lower than low, and I want to condemn that flier, just like the anonymous letter that circulated last year against Mayor O’Leary.”
Henry’s reference was to two letters of unknown origin circulated last summer allegations of wrongdoing by O’Leary, members of his family and his political allies.
One of them, an 87-page document which was circulated anonymously to media outlets covering the county, was entitled “Make The Right Decision, Assembly 2009.” Another, a nine-page letter entitled “O’Leary Crime Family Syndicate,” disparages O’Leary and members of his family and the city Administration and accuses them of abusing the public trust for personal gain.
O’Leary has reacted to those reports by repeatedly denying any wrongdoing, although state and federal investigators examining political corruption in the county may have visited City Hall, N. Broadway, and Perth Amboy with subpoenas seeking additional documents.
O’Leary has not been charged with committing any criminal acts.
Henry said that such anonymous materials “don’t belong in South Amboy.”
He said the flier on Kenny, a former close political ally of O’Leary who is supporting the Independent O’Connor for Mayor, “was sent to me at my house.”
The back of the flier reprints a campaign advertisement containing Kenny’s endorsement of O’Connor which appeared in another newspaper, with Kenny’s signature emphasized.
The Kenny flier is just the latest in a series of unusual events that have taken-place during this year’s rough-and-tumble election campaign in the “Pleasant Little City.”
A highly-politicized version of the biweekly South Amboy Citizen, which ceased publication about a decade ago after being purchased by Devine Media, be gan appearing in stores around town.
The new weekly publication, containing articles and advertising promoting the local Democratic ticket and attacking O’Connor, appeared to be a campaign missive and not a journalistic enterprise.
“It sounds like the rights to publish under the old name have been legally obtained, but from an ethical standpoint, this sounds downright fishy and wrong,” Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Communications Director Scott Leadingham said.
Leadingham said that he would forward information about the new “Citizen”
to SPJ’s Ethics Committee for further comment.
Former Councilman Stanley Jankowski, now a member of the Board of Education, brought-up the matter during the public portion of the Council meeting.
Calling the new “Citizen” paper “a disgrace,” Jankowski said, “I knew (former Citizen Publisher) Joe Wojechowski when he was alive, and everything in this so-called ‘newspaper’ goes-against what he stood-for.”
“It’s a newspaper, and it has nothing to do with this Council,” Henry responded. “I have no control over what’s printed in the newspapers. We have a free press.”
“Who’s paying for it?” Jankowski asked.
“If anyone-else comes-up and talks politics, I’m going to close the public portion,” Henry declared.
Then, an anonymous organization calling itself “South Amboy Tea Party”
surfaced with its endorsement of Independent mayoral candidate Vincent Mackiel.
Contacted for comment, Middlesex County Tea Party Chairman Steven Maness denied that there are any local Tea Party endorsements in the county.
As for Kenny, he acknowledged “dressing-up as Hitler at a Halloween Party in 1983 at the old Lion’s Den,” but denied that this had anything to do with his political leanings.
He said that others, including some current city officials, also wore Nazi gear in the photo, but were cropped-out.
“That’s funny; I wasn’t a ‘Nazi’ when I was working for Jack,” Kenny said. “I was alright until I started asking some questions.”
was repudiated at the beginning of last week’s City Council meeting by Council President Fred Henry, the Democratic nominee for Mayor in next Tuesday’s election.
Henry was chosen to run for Mayor after Mayor John O’Leary, who served as South Amboy’s Chief Executive since 1986, announced in March that he would not seek a seventh four-year term but instead would retire.
Before the Council meeting got-underway, Henry stated that “the flier having to do with Pete Kenny” was “a very-despicable thing to do” and that “nobody from my campaign had anything to do with it.
“I would not do something like this,” he continued. “This flier is lower than low, and I want to condemn that flier, just like the anonymous letter that circulated last year against Mayor O’Leary.”
Henry’s reference was to two letters of unknown origin circulated last summer allegations of wrongdoing by O’Leary, members of his family and his political allies.
One of them, an 87-page document which was circulated anonymously to media outlets covering the county, was entitled “Make The Right Decision, Assembly 2009.” Another, a nine-page letter entitled “O’Leary Crime Family Syndicate,” disparages O’Leary and members of his family and the city Administration and accuses them of abusing the public trust for personal gain.
O’Leary has reacted to those reports by repeatedly denying any wrongdoing, although state and federal investigators examining political corruption in the county may have visited City Hall, N. Broadway, and Perth Amboy with subpoenas seeking additional documents.
O’Leary has not been charged with committing any criminal acts.
Henry said that such anonymous materials “don’t belong in South Amboy.”
He said the flier on Kenny, a former close political ally of O’Leary who is supporting the Independent O’Connor for Mayor, “was sent to me at my house.”
The back of the flier reprints a campaign advertisement containing Kenny’s endorsement of O’Connor which appeared in another newspaper, with Kenny’s signature emphasized.
The Kenny flier is just the latest in a series of unusual events that have taken-place during this year’s rough-and-tumble election campaign in the “Pleasant Little City.”
A highly-politicized version of the biweekly South Amboy Citizen, which ceased publication about a decade ago after being purchased by Devine Media, be gan appearing in stores around town.
The new weekly publication, containing articles and advertising promoting the local Democratic ticket and attacking O’Connor, appeared to be a campaign missive and not a journalistic enterprise.
“It sounds like the rights to publish under the old name have been legally obtained, but from an ethical standpoint, this sounds downright fishy and wrong,” Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Communications Director Scott Leadingham said.
Leadingham said that he would forward information about the new “Citizen”
to SPJ’s Ethics Committee for further comment.
Former Councilman Stanley Jankowski, now a member of the Board of Education, brought-up the matter during the public portion of the Council meeting.
Calling the new “Citizen” paper “a disgrace,” Jankowski said, “I knew (former Citizen Publisher) Joe Wojechowski when he was alive, and everything in this so-called ‘newspaper’ goes-against what he stood-for.”
“It’s a newspaper, and it has nothing to do with this Council,” Henry responded. “I have no control over what’s printed in the newspapers. We have a free press.”
“Who’s paying for it?” Jankowski asked.
“If anyone-else comes-up and talks politics, I’m going to close the public portion,” Henry declared.
Then, an anonymous organization calling itself “South Amboy Tea Party”
surfaced with its endorsement of Independent mayoral candidate Vincent Mackiel.
Contacted for comment, Middlesex County Tea Party Chairman Steven Maness denied that there are any local Tea Party endorsements in the county.
As for Kenny, he acknowledged “dressing-up as Hitler at a Halloween Party in 1983 at the old Lion’s Den,” but denied that this had anything to do with his political leanings.
He said that others, including some current city officials, also wore Nazi gear in the photo, but were cropped-out.
“That’s funny; I wasn’t a ‘Nazi’ when I was working for Jack,” Kenny said. “I was alright until I started asking some questions.”
10 S. Amboy Candidates Face-Off At SRO Beacon-Sponsored Debate
(Reprinted from Amboy Beacon, Oct. 27, 2010) SOUTH AMBOY — A standing-room-only crowd packed Sacred Heart Church’s Memorial Hall, Washington Avenue, late last week to see and hear four candidates for Mayor, five candidates for City Councilman-at-Large and one candidate for First Ward Councilman address the issues facing the “Pleasant Little City” in what has become the liveliest local election campaign here in decades.
Candidates’ Debate Night, hosted by the South Amboy Women’s Club, a new organization headed by former Councilwoman Beverly Samuelson, was moderated by Zena Gurman of the N.J. League of Women Voters. Sponsors include Amboy Bank and the Amboy Beacon.
All of the candidates showed-up, including Fred Henry (8B), Vincent Mackiel (8C), John Dragotta (8D) and Mary O’Connor (8E) for Mayor; Saverio Sagliocco (9A), David Longenhagen (10A), John Connors (9B), Michael “Mickey” Gross
(10B) and Eugene “Gene” Reagan (9F) for Councilman-at-Large, and Donald Applegate (11B), running unopposed for First Ward Councilman.
The only no-show of the evening was South Amboy resident Alicia Vitarelli of News12 New Jersey, who was scheduled to introduce the candidates.
Dragotta
arrived unannounced, and was seated at the Council candidates’ table.
The question of whether the event would go-on as planned was raised after Mayor John O’Leary, Chairman of the South Amboy Democratic Organization (SADO), e-mailed a letter on city stationery dated Oct. 18 to the League, with copies to the Debate’s sponsors, citing “numerous complaints” received from senior citizens about the facility being “non-barrier-free” and “not handicap (sic) accessible due to the wide winding staircase too wide for the use of both handrail (sic) simultaneously,” and “no elevator to enable a wheelc hair to enter the debate,” thereby presenting “a dangerous scenario for the handicap (sic), and does not afford them the ability to attend this debate.”
In the letter, O’Leary goes-on to offer as an alternative “the South Amboy Community Theater” at the Community School, Hoffman Plaza.
However, Samuelson said that Memorial Hall was selected because the theater at the Community School was unavailable and the Women’s Club was told by school officials that, as an alternative, the gymnasium could be used for a $500 fee plus $100 for insurance. She said that after the money was secured from Amboy Bank, the Club was informed that the $500 fee was incorrect, and the fee was actually $1,000.
“We then contacted Sacred Heart because they have a hall to rent,”
Samuelson said. “They gave us the rate of $500 for the hall and $100 for the insurance.”
As for the issue of handicapped-accessibility, the Sacred Heart facility has been used for many years to hold monthly meetings of the Sacred Heart Seniors.
But that fact did not deter Applegate — in his only remarks for the night, other than opening and closing statements — from raising that issue again at the event.
Interrupting Gross, who was about to make his opening-statement, Applegate declared, “I’d just like to put-on-the-record that the South Amboy Democrats didn’t have anything to do with scheduling this event here. This is not ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant, and this is not a public building.”
The first announcement was a missing breast-cancer-awareness bracelet in the parking-lot, and Reagan was introduced by Gurman as one of the Democrats.
Then, someone called-out, “How-about the Pledge of Allegiance?” That was quickly-accomplished, and the Council candidates’ opening-statements got-underway.
The format used kept the four mayoral candidates sitting patiently until the Council candidates completed all of their answers, when they got to speak.
Each Council candidate started-out with his qualifications.
Sagliocco spoke-about his MBA and “banking and financial background.”
“I don’t have a degree,” Longenhaven said. “I’m a regular guy. I fix things. That’s what I do.”
Reagan spoke of how he brought the moribund South Amboy Youth Athletic Association (SAYAA) back-to-life in four years as its President.
Speaking on running the Frog Hollow 5K Run for the past five years, Gross, who is overweight, drew laughs when he said, “Yeah, I was last.” Turning more-serious, he stated, “I’m concerned that the amazing progress we’ve made will be reversed” if the Independent candidates won.
Connors, the only incumbent running for re-election, cited his non-Council experiences before he ticked-off a list of accomplishments listed in a recent campaign advertisement. He left-off with a swipe at his opponents as being “more-concerned with power than progress.”
“I’m a little nervous,” Applegate said. “Everyone looks-good in their underwear out-there.” Then, he started reading from a list of his “many youth-oriented activities” until he ran-out-of-time. “Sorry, the best part was coming,” Applegate said.
A question on the Council’s duties and the city’s form of government drew a variety of responses.
Connors described “the Faulkner Act” favorably as “a system of checks-and-balances,” while Reagan suggested that it “should be changed”
to “a
stronger Council rather than a stronger Mayor.”
“Most towns in Middlesex County are Faulkner Act communities,” Gross stated. “It’s a very-effective way of doing-business because the Mayor and Council work-together as a team.”
“The Council is supposed-to safeguard what you own, not go-along with what the Mayor wants,” Longenhagen said.
“I agree with Mr. Connors that we have the Faulkner Act, but let’s be realistic,” Sagliocco said. “We don’t have any ‘checks-and-balances.’
There
was not one ‘no’ vote when it comes-to increasing taxes.” That remark drew loud applause, which prompted Gurman to admonish the audience.
Reagan took the microphone to answer a question on “keeping municipal taxes in-check,” proposing “bringing-in commercial ratables” and “cutting-down fees we’re paying to professionals.
“We need to think-through projects better,” he added. “You can’t put bricks in the street, rip them up and pave, and then put more bricks down.”
That
remark, referring to Broadway, drew loud applause.
“There isn’t a municipality that’s not burdened,” Gross said. “We need to look-at getting a part-time grant-writer.”
“Warehouses are a bad ratable,” Connors declared. “Do we want tractor-trailers riding through town?”
“We have them already,” someone called-out.
The mayoral candidates started-out by speaking about themselves, starting with Dragotta, “a volunteer with the South Amboy, Sayreville and Old Bridge Fire Departments” whose father retired after over 20 years as a South Amboy police officer.
“I was voted-in to the Board of Education on a write-in,” he said. “The tax-base has to be equalized with no-more residential development.”
“There are vacant stores downtown, and the redevelopment properties have been at-a-standstill for the past 10 years,” O’Connor said. “South Amboy needs a plan based-on marketing principles.”
The turnout at the debate “demonstrates that we have a democracy in this town,” Mackiel declared. “I will stabilize the 2009 tax-increase because it was too-much to bear.”
“We’ve been accused about things that didn’t happen and misconstrued about things that did happen,” Henry said. “The key word is ‘spending,’ and that’s been caused because of decisions made in Trenton.”
Asked by Gurman whether “the sale of land should be used to balance the budget,” he replied, “The state took it away from us, $450,000 for one acre of land, and there isn’t Any reason why it shouldn’t be taking-place.”
“That’s not an acceptable practice,” O’Connor declared. “We should use our assets to the city’s interest. We could lease those lands, but there are other ways to fill budget-holes.”
“My chief concern is that the City of South Amboy receive the market value,” Mackiel stated. “There must be sacrifice in terms of each department. We all have to pitch-in to save a little.”
“What happens when we run-out of land to sell?” Dragotta said. “It has to end.”
“It was not of our doing that we had to do this,” Henry said. “We sold-off the land at a fair-market price.”
“What will you do to rein-in taxes and spending?” Gurman asked the candidates, adding, “Please do not blame the state or the economy,”
drawing
laughter.
“We’ve pretty-well stabilized our spending policy,” Henry said. “We’ll continue to look-into shared-services. We had 125 city workers, and it’s cut-back to 65 now.”
“I don’t believe City Hall has done enough about arbitrary litigation,”
O’Connor said. “We’re spending thousands of dollars with litigating when we can’t pick-up the garbage.”
“I suggest our citizens attend MCUA (Middlesex County Utilities Authority) meetings,” Mackiel said. “The paving of various streets is the key to out-of-control spending.”
“Contracts can be cut further if the contractors aren’t forced to kick-back hundreds or thousands of dollars,” O’Connor said. “We must have a ‘pay-to-play’ Ordinance in South Amboy.”
“We use the Fair & Open Process,” Henry said. “We don’t pass our own (“pay-to-play” restrictions) because they’d be totally-unenforceable.”
“There’s no place in South Amboy for it (“pay-to-play”),” Dragotta declared. “Let the contractors do the talking, and keep the politicians out of it.”
“It doesn’t have anything to do with getting money from anyone,” Henry responded. “We are not doing anything illegal. If we are, prove it.”
“There’s a fine line between illegal and unethical,” O’Connor said.
“Giving our money to out-of-town contractors is unethical.”
Asked by Gurman about “rental units not being maintained by absentee-landlords,” Henry responded, “It’s up-to you to watch-out for your neighbors.
There will be a warning first, and eventually, they’ll be getting-fined.”
“We have to make-certain absentee-landlords should maintain their properties and provide enough-parking-spaces,” O’Connor stated, drawing applause.
“We all fight for a spot out-there,” Dragotta acknowledged. “Maintenance keeps everyone’s property looking-good.”
O’Connor and Dragotta agreed that the permitting process in South Amboy discourages new businesses, but Henry countered that “we’ve just formed a new organization in town to expedite things.”
Candidates’ Debate Night, hosted by the South Amboy Women’s Club, a new organization headed by former Councilwoman Beverly Samuelson, was moderated by Zena Gurman of the N.J. League of Women Voters. Sponsors include Amboy Bank and the Amboy Beacon.
All of the candidates showed-up, including Fred Henry (8B), Vincent Mackiel (8C), John Dragotta (8D) and Mary O’Connor (8E) for Mayor; Saverio Sagliocco (9A), David Longenhagen (10A), John Connors (9B), Michael “Mickey” Gross
(10B) and Eugene “Gene” Reagan (9F) for Councilman-at-Large, and Donald Applegate (11B), running unopposed for First Ward Councilman.
The only no-show of the evening was South Amboy resident Alicia Vitarelli of News12 New Jersey, who was scheduled to introduce the candidates.
Dragotta
arrived unannounced, and was seated at the Council candidates’ table.
The question of whether the event would go-on as planned was raised after Mayor John O’Leary, Chairman of the South Amboy Democratic Organization (SADO), e-mailed a letter on city stationery dated Oct. 18 to the League, with copies to the Debate’s sponsors, citing “numerous complaints” received from senior citizens about the facility being “non-barrier-free” and “not handicap (sic) accessible due to the wide winding staircase too wide for the use of both handrail (sic) simultaneously,” and “no elevator to enable a wheelc hair to enter the debate,” thereby presenting “a dangerous scenario for the handicap (sic), and does not afford them the ability to attend this debate.”
In the letter, O’Leary goes-on to offer as an alternative “the South Amboy Community Theater” at the Community School, Hoffman Plaza.
However, Samuelson said that Memorial Hall was selected because the theater at the Community School was unavailable and the Women’s Club was told by school officials that, as an alternative, the gymnasium could be used for a $500 fee plus $100 for insurance. She said that after the money was secured from Amboy Bank, the Club was informed that the $500 fee was incorrect, and the fee was actually $1,000.
“We then contacted Sacred Heart because they have a hall to rent,”
Samuelson said. “They gave us the rate of $500 for the hall and $100 for the insurance.”
As for the issue of handicapped-accessibility, the Sacred Heart facility has been used for many years to hold monthly meetings of the Sacred Heart Seniors.
But that fact did not deter Applegate — in his only remarks for the night, other than opening and closing statements — from raising that issue again at the event.
Interrupting Gross, who was about to make his opening-statement, Applegate declared, “I’d just like to put-on-the-record that the South Amboy Democrats didn’t have anything to do with scheduling this event here. This is not ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant, and this is not a public building.”
The first announcement was a missing breast-cancer-awareness bracelet in the parking-lot, and Reagan was introduced by Gurman as one of the Democrats.
Then, someone called-out, “How-about the Pledge of Allegiance?” That was quickly-accomplished, and the Council candidates’ opening-statements got-underway.
The format used kept the four mayoral candidates sitting patiently until the Council candidates completed all of their answers, when they got to speak.
Each Council candidate started-out with his qualifications.
Sagliocco spoke-about his MBA and “banking and financial background.”
“I don’t have a degree,” Longenhaven said. “I’m a regular guy. I fix things. That’s what I do.”
Reagan spoke of how he brought the moribund South Amboy Youth Athletic Association (SAYAA) back-to-life in four years as its President.
Speaking on running the Frog Hollow 5K Run for the past five years, Gross, who is overweight, drew laughs when he said, “Yeah, I was last.” Turning more-serious, he stated, “I’m concerned that the amazing progress we’ve made will be reversed” if the Independent candidates won.
Connors, the only incumbent running for re-election, cited his non-Council experiences before he ticked-off a list of accomplishments listed in a recent campaign advertisement. He left-off with a swipe at his opponents as being “more-concerned with power than progress.”
“I’m a little nervous,” Applegate said. “Everyone looks-good in their underwear out-there.” Then, he started reading from a list of his “many youth-oriented activities” until he ran-out-of-time. “Sorry, the best part was coming,” Applegate said.
A question on the Council’s duties and the city’s form of government drew a variety of responses.
Connors described “the Faulkner Act” favorably as “a system of checks-and-balances,” while Reagan suggested that it “should be changed”
to “a
stronger Council rather than a stronger Mayor.”
“Most towns in Middlesex County are Faulkner Act communities,” Gross stated. “It’s a very-effective way of doing-business because the Mayor and Council work-together as a team.”
“The Council is supposed-to safeguard what you own, not go-along with what the Mayor wants,” Longenhagen said.
“I agree with Mr. Connors that we have the Faulkner Act, but let’s be realistic,” Sagliocco said. “We don’t have any ‘checks-and-balances.’
There
was not one ‘no’ vote when it comes-to increasing taxes.” That remark drew loud applause, which prompted Gurman to admonish the audience.
Reagan took the microphone to answer a question on “keeping municipal taxes in-check,” proposing “bringing-in commercial ratables” and “cutting-down fees we’re paying to professionals.
“We need to think-through projects better,” he added. “You can’t put bricks in the street, rip them up and pave, and then put more bricks down.”
That
remark, referring to Broadway, drew loud applause.
“There isn’t a municipality that’s not burdened,” Gross said. “We need to look-at getting a part-time grant-writer.”
“Warehouses are a bad ratable,” Connors declared. “Do we want tractor-trailers riding through town?”
“We have them already,” someone called-out.
The mayoral candidates started-out by speaking about themselves, starting with Dragotta, “a volunteer with the South Amboy, Sayreville and Old Bridge Fire Departments” whose father retired after over 20 years as a South Amboy police officer.
“I was voted-in to the Board of Education on a write-in,” he said. “The tax-base has to be equalized with no-more residential development.”
“There are vacant stores downtown, and the redevelopment properties have been at-a-standstill for the past 10 years,” O’Connor said. “South Amboy needs a plan based-on marketing principles.”
The turnout at the debate “demonstrates that we have a democracy in this town,” Mackiel declared. “I will stabilize the 2009 tax-increase because it was too-much to bear.”
“We’ve been accused about things that didn’t happen and misconstrued about things that did happen,” Henry said. “The key word is ‘spending,’ and that’s been caused because of decisions made in Trenton.”
Asked by Gurman whether “the sale of land should be used to balance the budget,” he replied, “The state took it away from us, $450,000 for one acre of land, and there isn’t Any reason why it shouldn’t be taking-place.”
“That’s not an acceptable practice,” O’Connor declared. “We should use our assets to the city’s interest. We could lease those lands, but there are other ways to fill budget-holes.”
“My chief concern is that the City of South Amboy receive the market value,” Mackiel stated. “There must be sacrifice in terms of each department. We all have to pitch-in to save a little.”
“What happens when we run-out of land to sell?” Dragotta said. “It has to end.”
“It was not of our doing that we had to do this,” Henry said. “We sold-off the land at a fair-market price.”
“What will you do to rein-in taxes and spending?” Gurman asked the candidates, adding, “Please do not blame the state or the economy,”
drawing
laughter.
“We’ve pretty-well stabilized our spending policy,” Henry said. “We’ll continue to look-into shared-services. We had 125 city workers, and it’s cut-back to 65 now.”
“I don’t believe City Hall has done enough about arbitrary litigation,”
O’Connor said. “We’re spending thousands of dollars with litigating when we can’t pick-up the garbage.”
“I suggest our citizens attend MCUA (Middlesex County Utilities Authority) meetings,” Mackiel said. “The paving of various streets is the key to out-of-control spending.”
“Contracts can be cut further if the contractors aren’t forced to kick-back hundreds or thousands of dollars,” O’Connor said. “We must have a ‘pay-to-play’ Ordinance in South Amboy.”
“We use the Fair & Open Process,” Henry said. “We don’t pass our own (“pay-to-play” restrictions) because they’d be totally-unenforceable.”
“There’s no place in South Amboy for it (“pay-to-play”),” Dragotta declared. “Let the contractors do the talking, and keep the politicians out of it.”
“It doesn’t have anything to do with getting money from anyone,” Henry responded. “We are not doing anything illegal. If we are, prove it.”
“There’s a fine line between illegal and unethical,” O’Connor said.
“Giving our money to out-of-town contractors is unethical.”
Asked by Gurman about “rental units not being maintained by absentee-landlords,” Henry responded, “It’s up-to you to watch-out for your neighbors.
There will be a warning first, and eventually, they’ll be getting-fined.”
“We have to make-certain absentee-landlords should maintain their properties and provide enough-parking-spaces,” O’Connor stated, drawing applause.
“We all fight for a spot out-there,” Dragotta acknowledged. “Maintenance keeps everyone’s property looking-good.”
O’Connor and Dragotta agreed that the permitting process in South Amboy discourages new businesses, but Henry countered that “we’ve just formed a new organization in town to expedite things.”
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