2010 Chesterfield Township Athletic Association Baseball/Softball Online Registration (Jan. 4-24)
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Tuesday, 05 January 10 - 10:43 AM (GMT -05:00) By Chesterfield NewJersey.com in Misc. |
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News
Public Notice of Contract Award, Chesterfield Township Committee, Jan. 17, 2010. "Competitive" contract for legal services awarded to pay-to-play firm Parker McCay, the same vendor that received no-bid contracts in past years.
Public Notice of Contract Award, Chesterfield Township Committee, Jan. 17, 2010. "Competitive" contract for engineering services awarded to pay-to-play firm Environmental Resolutions, Inc., the same vendor that received no-bid contracts in past years.
Public Notice of Contract Award, Chesterfield Township Committee, Jan. 17, 2010. "Competitive" contract for auditing services awarded to John Maley, CPA, the same vendor who received no-bid contracts in past years.
Letter to Editor, Burlington County Times, Jan. 8, 2010. Members of Chesterfield Township Committee dubiously distinguish themselves by holding annual reorganization on Monday at 10 a.m., drawing "the blinds on public participation."
"Pem. Borough swears in new mayor as towns reorganize," Burlington County Times, Jan. 5, 2010. Township Committeeman Brian Kelly (who was re-elected to the Township Committee without opposition in 2007) appointed Mayor of Chesterfield without election in 2010. With doormat Democrats like this guy (and crumb-bun Republicans like the other two), who needs democracy? P.S. "All professional appointments remained the same." What a shock (i.e., crock): professional service contracts awarded through "competitive bidding" to the same seven vendors who previously received no-bid contracts.
Public Notice to Persons Desiring Absentee Ballots, Chesterfield Fire District #2, Jan. 7, 2010. Why does FD2 publish this bogus legal notice every year? Are they trying to dissuade voters from voting? According to State law, you do not need a "reason" to vote by absentee ballot. That's your "right."
Public Notice of Hearing re: Affordable Housing Petition, Chesterfield Township Committee, Dec. 28, 2009. TC petitioning the court to reduce Chesterfield's affordable housing obligations. Taxpayer-subsidized housing is bad...but taxpayer-subsidized farmland (firesales, $mart Growth, and property-tax exemptions), that's good. Huh, Larry?
Meeting Minute Highlights
Township Committee, Nov. 12, 2009. Township Solicitor John Gillespie says it's a "waste of taxpayer dollars" for Fire District #1 to provide an EMS Engine at an emergency scene in Chesterfield. You know what's a real waste? Paying Mr. Gillespie's law firm Parker McCay (ranked fifth among "pay to play" businesses in New Jersey) taxpayer dollars to defend the conflicts of interest and self-dealing of township officials.Planning Board, Oct. 14, 2009. Members of Planning Board make critical decisions about proposed townhome designs: "Remove dentil moulding on gable roof." "Add shutters to porch windows." "Eliminate railing on top of portico." Mayor Kelly thinks roof line looks odd on Richmond model; developer has to resubmit design. Question: why don't these dilettantes do something meaningful to police the developers, like adopting a Code of Ethics to prohibit shady Planning Board practices?
Board of Education, Nov. 18, 2009. School Board awards competitive contract to lowest bidding appraiser, disclosing the proposed cost ($5,500), comparing it other bidders (whose costs are as high as $16,800). So why didn't they disclose the same information when awarding the competitive contract for negotiations consulting? What's the likelihood this second contract was awarded to the lowest bidder?
Misc.
♦Why is it that local officials on the
Where's The 2009 Municipal Budget?
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Tuesday, 13 October 09 - 03:10 PM (GMT -05:00) By Chesterfield NewJersey.com in Misc. |
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The Township Committee approved the 2009 Municipal Budget six months ago (see May, 13, 2009 Meeting Minutes), yet they still haven't posted it online. They posted last year's budget in its entirety--not just a one-page cheat-sheet--so why not this year's? What are they hiding now? While other municipalities are becoming more open and transparent (e.g., Lumberton, Westampton), these guys are actually going in the opposite direction.
PS: Now this is openness and transparency, Hightstown Borough, which posts its adopted budgets, proposed budgets, audits, financial statements, debt statements, meeting minutes from the last five years!, agendas with e-packets (whatever those are), zoning and tax maps. Hightstown's website isn't much to look at, but hey, it's the content that counts, not the cosmetics (see, e.g., Chesterfield's new website design).
News
"Lumberton to promptly release minutes," Burlington County Times, Dec. 3, 2009. Lumberton to make closed-session minutes available to the public, providing a "more transparent government" (as opposed to Chesterfield's brick-wall policy on transparency).
"Public Notice of Contract Award," Chesdurrfield Township Committee, Nov. 17, 2009. TC awards contract to Environmental Resolutions, Inc., ranked 14th among pay-to-play firms in New Jersey, after soliciting bids for sewer system operation. Notably, Committeeman Durr wanted this contract to go to ERI from the start. See 8/27/09 Meeting Minutes. Prediction (January 2010): after going through the motions of soliciting bids for professional services (Township Attorney, Township Bond Attorney, Planning Board Attorney, Township Engineer, Planning Board Engineer, Township Auditor, Township/Planning Board Planner), TC will award the contracts to the same service providers.
"Home Builders (You Heard That Right) Get a Gift," New York Times, Nov. 14, 2009. Hovnanian Enterprises to get tax refund, as much as $275 million. Meanwhile, feckless township officials can't even get the developers to replace the dead trees they planted (see August 27, 2009 Township Committee Meeting Minutes). Hey Planning Board--keep hooking yourselves up while letting Khov off the hook.
"Public Notice of RFPs," Chesterfield Board of Education, Nov. 13, 2009. School Board is searching for a negotiation consultant to help them handle next year's teachers' contract. Remember how well they handled it the last time? Negotiating in secret, then declining to disclose the terms of the contract to the public who paid for it. Serving on a school board is thankless work...deservedly so when it's done like this.
"Getting Listed," Burlington County Times, Nov. 13, 2009. New Jersey ranks among the Top 10 States On The Fast Track To Fiscal Disaster. Keep giving away those no-bid, no-incentive-to-compete-on-price contracts, Township Committee, Planning Board, School Board. Update: Township solicits RFQs for all professional services this coming year, a radical departure from the past practice. We'll see if this is sham-bidding, or if TC pulls a "School Board" by awarding so-called "competitive" contracts to the same service providers as before.
"Property taxes continue to rise in county," Burlington County Times, Nov. 8, 2009. Chesterfield has the fourth lowest property-tax rate in the county. Jeez, talk about grading on a curve...Is this why local officials act as if they're entitled to run the township like their own private Rotary Club--just because the tax rate compares favorably to other municipalities in Burlington County, New Jersey, home of the highest property taxes in America?
"Students discovering online collaboration," Star-Ledger, Nov. 7, 2009. Teachers and students are blogging, Twittering, Wiki'ing, podcasting, video-conferencing. Meanwhile, members of the Chesterfield Board of Education (i.e., the people in charge of your children's education) don't even have email addresses. C'mon, people, catch up with the kids. No school board left behind.
Misc.
♦Shouldn't local officials promote local businesses at least as much as they promote themselves? Officials in Medford Township get it right, posting an online directory of local businesses on their municipal website, Shop Medford First. How about a Shop Chesterfield First instead of the current marketing slogan, First Grease the $mart Growth?
♦The New Jersey School Boards Association held its annual conference in Atlantic City at the end of October, and the members of the Chesterfield B.O.E. attended at taxpayer-expense (see Aug. 19, 2009 Meeting Minutes). Hopefully, they also attended those seminars on Engaging the Public and Communicating Effectively--then maybe they'll post their official email addresses and start engaging in two-way communication instead of relying on their old-school strategy: ignore the electorate until election-time, rally the yes-voters, marginalize everyone else, pad the school budget by $50k +/- in case it's shot down and the Township Committee has to give it a haircut to save face.
♦Speaking of School Board indifference to taxpayers, check out the latest monthly status report on the $37 million elementary school under construction. Most (if not all) of those millions in "soft costs" are being paid to firms that didn't have to compete for the contracts, including a $100,000 "allowance" to bond counsel Capehart & Scatchard, ranked 18th among pay-to-play firms in New Jersey. If you think the School Board should be more frugal with non-educational expenses (e.g., proofreading contracts), or if you object to pay-to-play out of principle, let 'em know: send them an email join their Facebook social network.
♦BTW, don't bother to criticize the School Board at one of their monthly meetings. They expressly reserve the right to prohibit comments from the public that are "not related to matters before the board...." These people know how to handle constructive criticism--turn off the microphone.
♦Read this 2004 New York Times article on Chesterfield, "For New Jersey Towns, an Experiment: Putting Growth Here, Not There." Best quote: "I just wanted to be sure it would be fair, and it was," said Larry Durry [sic]. Fast-forward five years to Philadelphia Inquirer article on Chesterfield, "Controversy over land deals in Chesterfield Township." Interesting definition of fair, ya think? See also conflict of interest, openness, transparency, public service, personal gain, and $mart Growth.
♦Read this article, The Need for Civility in Local Government Dialogue, by Chesterfield Township Solicitor John Gillespie (of the law firm of Parker McCay, ranked 5th among pay-to-play firms in New Jersey). Note the accompanying "10 Commandments of Public Civility," including, "Thou shalt not ridicule or belittle...a member of the public, simply because he or she disagrees with you on an issue." Isn't this the same solicitor who called a local resident "disgruntled" in the Philadelphia Inquirer?
Dis*grun*tled [dis-gruhn-tld]. Displeased and discontented; sulky; peevish. Ex: Her disgruntled husband refused to join us.
tld
Meeting Minute Highlights
♦Township Committee, Sep. 9, 2009. Township Committee awards competitive contract to engineering firm for $2,300. Wow, talk about misdirection! Click here and here to see some of the taxpayer money these guys squandered on no-bid contracts last year, including $288,185 to Environmental Resolutions, Inc., ranked 14th among pay-to-play firms in New Jersey.
♦Planning Board, Sep. 8, 2009. Local resident questions Planning Board, but solicitor tells her to "layout" her questions in writing. What's the point of attending Planning Board meetings if they tell you to put it in writing? Isn't that what email is for?
Important Election Dates
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Friday, 25 September 09 - 01:58 PM (GMT -05:00) By Chesterfield NewJersey.com in Misc. |
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Mayor Michael Hlubik wins upset victory over non-existent opponent with 1,001 votes. "Voters turn out for local, state and county races," Register-News, Nov. 4, 2009. FYI, there are 2,681 registered voters in Chesterfield.
Assemblymen Joe Malone and Ron Dancer are reelected to 30th Legislative District. "Republicans sail to re-election in 30th District," Asbury Park Press, Nov. 3, 2009. Say goodbye to Mayor Ron Dancer and Lakewood Mayor Rob Singer (Governor-Elect Chris Christie has pledged to get rid of all grandfathered dual-officeholders).
October 13, 2009: Last day to register to vote for Mayor Michael Hlubik (Republican), who is running unopposed for his fourth term in a row on the Chesterfield Township Committee.
October 27, 2009: Last day to apply for an absentee ballot by mail (in the event you're not in town on Election Day to vote for Mayor Michael Hlubik.
November 3, 2009: Election Day! Polls open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. You have all day to vote for Mayor Michael Hlubik.
November 4, 2009: Election results available. Bold prediction: Mayor Michael Hlubik wins by a landslide!
January 1, 2010: Deputy Mayor Brian Kelly (Democrat) becomes the new "mayor" by decree of the Township Committee. No new ideas for the foreseeable future, but plenty of patronage, cronyism and nepotism.
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If you support the status quo, no new ideas, bipartisan collusion, no-bid contracts, conflicts of interest, self-dealing by local officials, three-man rule, Hooterville politics, Planning Board puppetry, rank hypocrisy, $mart Growth, I Am Not Your ATM [But You Are Mine], less openness and transparency, less accountability, restrictions on public rights, no restrictions on Township Committee rights, one-horse races, meaningless elections with predetermined outcomes, and candidates who don't bother to campaign because it's in the bag, the fix is in, there's only one person to vote for this year...Actually, there is only one person to vote for this year no matter what you support...Mayor Michael Hlubik!
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News
"Taxes, jobs top list for 30th District candidates," Trenton Times, Nov. 1, 2009. Once again, Assemblyman Ron Dancer promises to resign as mayor of Plumsted Township if he's reelected--the same promise he gave during the last election. Dual officeholder has dual perspective on keeping his promises.
"Hanovers and Fieldsboro to see contests," Register-News, Oct. 21, 2009. ”I’ve always had someone running against me; this is the first time I’m unopposed,” says Mayor Michael Hlubik. “It’s kind of sad only one person’s interested in the township and running. Opponents always made it interesting.” So Mike likes competitive elections? Too bad he doesn't feel the same way about competitive contracts. Stay tuned for the annual Chesterfield Township professional-services contract giveaway, coming in January 2010!
"Poll Finds Little Faith in New Jersey's Candidates," New York Times, October 15, 2009. Poll shows both major candidates for governor (Corzine, Christie) held in low regard, and "[n]early three of four voters say corruption is firmly entrenched in New Jersey...."
"Star-Ledger endorses independent Chris Daggett for N.J. governor," Star-Ledger, Oct. 10, 2009. New Jersey's largest newspaper repudiates Democrats and Republicans as "little more than narrow special interests" that have ruined this once-great state.
Lumberton considers live broadcasts," Burlington County Times, Oct. 8, 2009. Unlike the Chesterfield Township Committee, the Lumberton TC wants to keep busy residents informed about local government.
"School on target for 2010 opening," Register-News, Oct. 7, 2009. New school delay down to 20 days; finally, school board gets the optimistic press they've coveted. Now why don't they open the lines of communication by posting their official e-mail addresses (like the Bordentown Regional Board of Education)? They're not exactly luddites, ya know--they all have Facebook pages. Do we have to become their Facebook friends in order to give them our feedback?
Public notice of request for proposals for sewer system operation and maintenance services, Chesterfield Township Committee, Sep. 23, 2009. See 8/27/09 Meeting Minutes: Township Committeeman Lawrence Durr wanted to award this contract without bidding to Enviornmental Resolutions, Inc., ranked 14th among pay-to-play firms in New Jersey. These guys just don't get it...or else they just don't care.
"In Chesterfield, the festival lives on," Burlington County Times, Sep. 23, 2009.
"Homebuilders are flocking to Chesterfield and Mansfield," Burlington County Times, Sep. 28, 2009. Homebuilders x $$$ + Township Committee + Planning Board - Code of Ethics = $mart Growth.
"Resident has questions for unopposed candidate," Register-News, Sep. 30, 2009. New resident of Chesterfield wants answers from Mayor Hlubik, a life-long resident. What insolence! Move to Bordentown if you luv it so much!
Misc.
♦Friday, October 16th is Farm Heritage Day at Chesterfield Elementary School, honoring "the township's rich agricultural tradition." Rich is right--$mart Growth, property-tax exemptions, taxpayer-subsidized firesales of farmland. Coincidentally, Mayor Michael Hlubik is Director of the Agricultural Dept. at Northern Burlington County Regional
♦Have you noticed how the Township Committee and Planning Board keep going into closed session to discuss the Liptak litigation? What's up with that? Click here to find out. Question: how much taxpayer money have they spent on legal fees to defend their own conflicts of interests and self-dealing? Remember that the next time they balk at paying overtime to township inspectors to facilitate the construction of the new school, or funding Fire District #1 to offset the fire-tax disparity between residents in the northern half of the township and the southern half.
♦More cheesy Chesterfield politics...back in 2001, a local resident challenged the president of the Chesterfield Board of Education, James Durr, alleging he hadn't resided in the township for years and therefore was disqualified from serving on the board. Despite the incriminating evidence, the judge ruled that Durr was indeed a bona fide resident of Chesterfield. Update: Jim Durr is currently the mayor of neighboring North Hanover Township. He's served on the North Hanover Township Committee since 2005 (Hey, I thought you had to be a long-time resident to run for elective office--isn't that the rule here in Hooterville?) P.S. In 2003, the U.S. Dept. of Labor fined James Durr for failing to provide safe transport to his farm workers, three of whom died in an accident; in 2007, when a worker drowned in an irrigation pond on his farm, Durr reportedly said of the victim, "He left his job to go swimming, although swimming was not part of his work outline." Stay classy, Jim! Did I mention this guy was President Of The Chesterfield B.O.E.?
♦Nearby Plumsted Township (home of Mayor Ron Dancer ) applies for $300,000 grant from the State. Maybe Assemblyman Ron Dancer of the 30th Legislative District (who's running for reelection in November) might be of assistance with that. No wonder his colleagues on the Plumsted Township Committee select him to be the mayor every year. Previously, Assemblyman Dancer sponsored legislation that would have eliminated capital-gains taxes on farmers who sell off their development rights. Connecting the special-interest dots yet?
♦Check out Republican Assemblymen Ron Dancer's and Joe Malone's election circular, Taking on the Trenton Politicians:
School Construction Slowdown
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Saturday, 25 July 09 - 06:43 AM (GMT -05:00) By Chesterfield NewJersey.com in Misc. |
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"Construction delays caused mostly by rain," Register-News, July 29, 2009. New school nearly 66 days behind schedule. School Board blames the rain; Township Committee blames the Contractor; Project Manager suggests Township Inspectors work overtime; Township Committeemen claim they can't approve overtime (i.e., they can but they won't); Township Solicitor suggests Contractor donate money to pay for overtime. Prediction: Opening date of new school (Sep. 2010) delayed due to inclement weather, problematic Contractor and lack of cooperation by local officials.
Wanna weigh in on this? Contact the Township Committee and School Board by e-mail and let them know what you think.*
Update 1: Local officials from School Board and Township Committee respond to article: "While we are excited that [the Register-News] would give an update on the district's new elementary school project to your readers, our excitement quickly waned when the article chose to highlight areas of discourse that could only be interpreted pessimistically by your readers if not given the proper context...."
Update 2: Contractor responds to article: Article "contained false and misleading statements capable of damaging" our reputation (i.e, Township Committee defamed us and we may decide to sue), but "[o]ur relationship with Township construction code officials is not contentious and/or adversarial." Only one out of 53 inspections failed (Township alleged a 20% failure rate). Project delay has been reduced from 65 days to 43 days.
Update 3: Read July 23, 2009 Meeting Minutes for yourself. Looks like the Register-News got it right.
*The members of the Chesterfield Township Committee and School Board don't actually post their e-mail addresses (compare Hightstown Borough Council and Bordentown Board of Education). They don't want to hear from you any more than they have to (until election-time, of course). Notably, the custodians at Chesterfield Elementary School have e-mail addresses, so feel free to contact them with your concerns. Have a nice day. 
News
"All 44 townhouses sold in Heritage development," Register-News, August 5, 2009. Mayor Hlubik gives a self-congratulatory shoutout to $mart Growth; doesn't mention that township officials made a windfall from their $mart Growth insider status.
Public notice of no-bid contracts awarded for professional services, Chesterfield Township Board of Education, Sep. 6, 2009.
Misc.
♦Chesterfield Township posts a one-page 2009 proposed budget summary and a 405-page bicycle and pedestrian study (PDF). By comparison, Hightstown Borough posts its 59-page 2009 proposed budget (PDF), 61-page 2008 actual budget (PDF) and 129-page 2007 audit (PDF). Which of these rural /suburban municipalities would you trust more with your local tax dollars, Mayberry R.F.D. or Mayberry 2.0?
♦Progressive Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Chris Christie proposes 10-point plan (PDF) to eliminate corruption in New Jersey and move forward into a new era of transparency and accountability. Point one: eliminate grandfathered dual-officeholders like Republican Assemblyman Ron Dancer (a.k.a. Plumsted Township Mayor Ron Dancer) and Republican Senator Rob Singer (a.k.a. Lakewood Mayor Rob Singer) of the 30th Legislative District (which includes Chesterfield). Point six: ban pay-to-play at all levels of government, including municipalities like Chesterfield, which never bothered to pass an anti-pay-to-play ordinance.
♦Congratulations to Plumsted Mayor Ron Dancer for scoring $543,780 in State funding for Plumsted Township (with the invaluable assistance of Assemblyman Ron Dancer). Hey, at least Mayor Ron posts his e-mail address (r.s.dancer@att.net).
♦Senator/Lakewood Mayor Rob Singer bashed Chris Christie's ethics plan back in April 2009, defended dual-officehogging as benign, expressed skeptism about eliminating blatant conflicts of interests on local planning boards. Take heart, Chesterfield Planning Board--at least one legislator excuses your conflicts of interest (as well as his own), suggesting instead you abstain from any vote that touches your property...Oops, you didn't even do that (click here for gratuitous link to Philadelphia Inquirer exposé). Hey Joe Malison, we are not your ATM!
♦See New Jersey Assembly Republican Blueprint for a Corrupt-Free New Jersey, raising the bar on conflicts of interest and special treatment by banning dual-officeholding, criticizing Democrats for allowing grandfathered dual-officeholders (e.g., Ron Dancer-R, Rob Singer-R) to remain in office. Hey GOP, what you're doing is so loud, it's hard to hear what you're saying.
♦Chesterfield Elementary School website gets a facelift, removes obsolete frames, adds RSS feed. Waiting for School Board to post their e-mail addresses before welcoming them to the 21st Century.
♦Spirit of Chesterfield Township 5k Fun Run/Walk, September 26, 2009 (see route).
Chesterfield School Budget Approved
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Wednesday, 22 April 09 - 05:08 AM (GMT -05:00) By Chesterfield NewJersey.com in Misc. |
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Chesterfield Township approves local school budget 227-200. Terran Brown elected to Chesterfield Board of Education.
Northern Burlington County Regional School District approves regional school budget 1,584 to 995. F. Gerry Spence (one of the crummy Chesterfield Planning Board members who sold credits to a developer and then voted to approve the corresponding development a year later) defeats incumbent William Publia 180-170 for Northern Burlington County Board of Education. Uh-oh...better start scrutinizing the regional school board for conflicts of interest, self-dealing and other Chesdurrfield-style funny bizness.
Chesterfield Officials Squander Your Tax Dollars on No-Bid Contracts, Relying on Voter Apathy to Get Away With It
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Monday, 16 March 09 - 12:53 PM (GMT -05:00) By Chesterfield NewJersey.com in Misc. |
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Progressive Republican legislators Amy Handlin (R-Monmouth, Mercer) and Bill Baroni (R-Mercer, Middlesex) are co-sponsoring legislation that would restrict municipalities (like Chesterfield) and school districts (like Chesterfield) from awarding no-bid professional service contracts to favored vendors. Click here to read the proposed bill.
"Bidding in secrecy without competition only breeds corruption and higher costs for the public," says Assemblywoman Handlin. "There is no reason why public officials who see a need to spend public money in these areas should not be able to better quantify the expense and encourage serious cost competition. An accountable government cannot hide behind flimsy reasons to avoid competitive bidding."
"This will help taxpayers by lowering the costs of government contracts through open government and competition," says Senator Baroni. "During this bleak economic times [sic], public officials should welcome anything that passes savings along to taxpayers."
Over in Bordentown, the Township Committee has already adopted an ordinance providing for a competitive bidding procedure for professional service contracts (PDF). This ordinance was intended to assure the public that contracts are awarded on "objective quality-based criteria" and "ensure that the public has confidence in the honor and integrity of the individuals holding public office and positions, and that elected and appointed officials maintain the highest ethical standards in the conduct of public business on behalf of the residents and taxpayers of the Township of Bordentown...."
And what about in Chesterfield? The three-man Township Committee (and their puppet Planning Board) have awarded at least seven no-bid professional service contracts this year. They've also added 12 new ordinances to their 500-page municipal code, including Ordinance 2009-5, imposing unwarranted restrictions on the audiotaping and videotaping of public meetings. Yet they haven't adopted an ordinance that would circumscribe their authority to award professional service contracts without competitive bids. In other words, these autocrats reserve the right to give away no-bid contracts to whomever they want while restricting the public's right to record them doing it!
PS: Click here to see no-bid government contracts awarded by Chesterfield Township officials in 2006 (including $515,422 to Environmental Resolutions, Inc., $123,163 to Clarke Caton Hintz, and $51,021 to Parker McCay). Click here to see the Top 20 "pay-to-play" firms in New Jersey in 2008, including Parker McCay (ranked #5), Environmental Resolutions (ranked #14), and Capehart Scatchard (the Chesterfield Board of Education's no-bid law firm for school construction, ranked #18).
Question: In light of recent revelations (see Conflict of Interest? That's an Undurrstatement), should we ask if these people are personally benefiting from their no-bid handout contracts? When government officials disregard propriety, they invite assumptions of impropriety.
Update: Public notice of solicitation requests for qualifications, Chesterfield Board of Education, April 6, 2009. School board solicits bids for professional services. As for the Township Committee following suit...don't hold your breath.
News
•"Steeped in frustration," Trenton Times, April 16, 2009. Tea party tax protest in Trenton; Joe Malison of Chesterfield carries poster reading, "I am not your ATM." Is this the same Joe Malison, former chairman of the Chesterfield Planning Board, who sold credits to a developer and then approved the developer's request for variances and relaxation of rules? Talk about SELECTIVE OUTRAGE!!! Didn't Committeeman Larry Durr use the Chesterfield Planning Board and the TDR program exactly like a cash machine?
•"Municipal tax rate should be stable," Register-News, April 15, 2009. Click here for one-page summary of 2009 proposed budget. You'll have to drive down to the municipal building or file a public-record request to see the 50+ page version of the proposed budget (the one they never make available on the internet).
•"Mayor avoiding a Hornet's Nest," Burlington County Times, April 16, 2009. Chesterfield Planning Board Solicitor Fred Hardt involved in another planning board conflict of interest, this time in Pemberton Township (see also recent BCT editorial on "small-town politics at its worst"). Hey Fred, why not ask your clients to adopt conflict-of-interest rules and restore some integrity to the planning board process?
•"Primary election candidates," Burlington County Times, April 7, 2009; "Primaries yield only one contest," Register-News, April 7, 2009. Republican nominee Michael Hlubik files petition to run for reelection; no petitions filed by Democrats. For the third year in a row, the crummy incumbent goes unchallenged by the opposing party, ensuring the crummy status quo.
•"Board candidates outline goals if elected," Register-News, April 7, 2009. Terran Brown running for Chesterfield Board of Education unopposed; competing for Northern Burlington County Regional Board of Education, incumbent William R. Publia and F. Gerry Spence (one of the Planning Board members who sold credits to a developer and then voted to approve the corresponding development without bothering to recuse himself).
•Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie proposes "ethics reform" that would prohibit dual-officeholding and planning board members with conflicts of interests. "Christie wants to end dual office-holding in NJ," Associated Press, April 2, 2009. FYI: Chesterfield has two dual-officeholders in its legislative district, Assemblyman Ron Dancer (a.k.a. Plumsted Township Mayor Ron Dancer) and Senator Rob Singer (a.k.a. Lakewood Mayor Rob Singer), both of whom are endorsing Christie for governor. Dual-officeholding is primarily a Democratic malpractice, but guys like Dancer and Singer prevent the GOP from taking the ethical high-ground on this issue. BTW: Christie also has the early endorsement of Chesterfield Township Committeeman Lawrence H. Durr, who didn't see any conflict of interest when he manipulated the TDR program for personal profit at the expense of the public trust.
Misc.
•Noteworthy Quote: "The main reason I'm running is to help see this through to fruition." Mayor Michael Hlubik, running for reelection back in 2006, referring to the Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program. "Election Guide - Chesterfield," Register-News, Oct. 31, 2006. Mr. Mayor, if that was the main reason you ran three years ago, what's the main reason you're running now? Ethics reform?
•While the Chesterfield Township Committee (and their puppet Planning Board) defend their conflicts of interest as proper and perfectly legal, the Mount Olive Township Council (Morris County) adopted an ethics committee and a code of ethics to prohibit such conflicts, holding their public officials to the highest standards. One township gets it right; the other one doesn't get it at all. Shouldn't Chesterfield officials be held to a higher ethical standard than Whatever-We-Can-Legally-Get-Away-With?
•While the Chesterfield Township Committee restricts the audiotaping of public meetings, the Franklin Township Council (Somerset County) posts the audio-recordings of public meetings on their website. Guess Franklin Township has nothing to hide, huh?
•The grassroots group Chesterfield Residents Against Competition, Progressive Government, Openness & Transparency (CRACPOT) supports Ordinance 2009-5 restricting the audiotaping and videotaping of public meetings and encourages the Township Committee to adopt more restrictions. All public meetings should be held in private!! When Mike, Brian & Larry want you people to know what's going on, they'll tell you...until then, stop complaining!! Stop the misinformation!! There should be no information at all! Move to Bordentown if you love it so much!!
•Wanna correspond with Chesterfield's elected and appointed officials? They sure wanna hear from you, as evidenced by their municipal e-mail addresses:
Township Committee
Michael Hlubik, Mayor, bonnie@chesterfieldtwp.com
Brian Kelly, Deputy Mayor, bonnie@chesterfieldtwp.com
Larry Durr, Committeeman, bonnie@chesterfieldtwp.com
Planning Board
Donald Coover, bonnie@chesterfieldtwp.com
Rocco DeFelippis, bonnie@chesterfieldtwp.com
Lawrence H. Durr, bonnie@chesterfieldtwp.com
Brian Kelly, bonnie@chesterfieldtwp.com
Deborah Kelly, bonnie@chesterfieldtwp.com
Gregory Lebak, bonnie@chesterfieldtwp.com
Thomas Leyden, bonnie@chesterfieldtwp.com
Joseph Malison, bonnie@chesterfieldtwp.com
Lido Panfili, bonnie@chesterfieldtwp.com
F. Gerry Spence, bonnie@chesterfieldtwp.com
Brian Wilson, bonnie@chesterfieldtwp.com
Matthew Weismantel, bonnie@chesterfieldtwp.com
John Nunziato, bonnie@chesterfieldtwp.com
Municipal Clerk
Bonnie Haines, bonnie@chesterfieldtwp.com
Conflict of Interest? That's an Undurrstatement
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Monday, 09 March 09 - 11:55 AM (GMT -05:00) By Chesterfield NewJersey.com in Misc. |
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"Controversy over land deals in Chesterfield Township," Philadelphia Inquirer, March 9, 2009. "But an Inquirer examination has found that four of the six projects in Old York Village are going forward after developers made $3.1 million in preservation payments to farmers who are members of the Planning Board and who voted on the projects...."
Highlights
♦Township Committeeman/Planning Board Member Lawrence Durr buys neighboring farm in 2006 for $2 million; gives developer an option to purchase development credits; uses option to secure mortgage on favorable terms; asks puppet Planning Board to allocate more credits to farm (worth $500k+); lobbies county officials to help developer secure more credits; approves local ordinance relaxing credit requirements, facilitating the proposed development (and saving developer $1 million); sells credits to developer in 2007 for $2.37 million (a net profit of $372,500); doesn't see any conflict of interest.
♦Planning Board Member F. Gerry Spence (candidate for Northern Burlington County Regional Board of Education this year) sells credits to developer, then votes to approve developer's subdivision application a year later.
♦Planning Board Member Greg Lebak votes to approve subdivision application, then sells credit to sponsoring developer.
♦Planning Board Member Joseph Malison sells credits to developer, then votes to approve developer's request for variances and relaxation of rules.
♦Township Solicitor John Gillespie (whose law firm, Parker McCay, the "go-to firm in South Jersey," is annually awarded a no-bid contract from the Township Committee) has no knowledge of Durr's financial ties, dismisses local resident as "disgruntled," helpfully suggests that conflicts of interests be fully disclosed going forward.
♦Burlington County Freeholder William S. Haines demeans small-town officials everywhere by saying they don't think about conflicts of interest that are "obvious" to him.
♦Mayor Michael Hlubik and Deputy Mayor/Planning Board Member Brian Kelly missing in action. Were they complicit or merely incompetent? Answer: complicit (see March 11, 2009 Meeting Minutes).
♦March 11, 2009 Meeting Minutes: Resident asks why income from Durr's TDR credits not reported on mandatory financial disclosure form for public officials. According to Township Solicitor, sale of TDR credits not counted as income (i.e., mandatory disclosure doesn't necessarily mean full disclosure). Same resident asks Mayor Hlubik to have Committeeman Durr step down. Mayor says Philadelphia Inquirer article was written because of pending lawsuit, which will go away if the plaintiffs get what they want (i.e., the Inquirer is a tool for the disgruntled, and the Township Committee and Planning Board did nothing wrong by ignoring flagrant conflicts of interest and allowing Committeeman Durr to exploit the TDR program for personal gain). Hey Hlubik--Why didn't the township itself acquire the farm, allocate $500k in additional credits and sell them to the developer for the benefit of all taxpayers? Wasn't it your ethical and fiduciary duty to advance the public interest over your own private interests?
♦Here's a discussion thread about the Inquirer article on PennJersey Forums. Unflattering comments about Chesterfield officials.
♦Notice of Special Joint-Meeting of Township Committee and Planning Board, April 1, 2009. Closed session to discuss Liptak lawsuit. Is a settlement in the works to protect the members of the Township Committee and Planning Board from further embarrassment and legal exposure?
News
"Freeholders Haines, Wujcik announce retirement," Burlington County Times, March 30, 2009. Burlington County Freeholder (and apologist for Chesterfield officials) (and supporter of taxpayer-subsidized firesales of farmland) William Haines to retire, giving "other qualified individuals an opportunity to serve...." Good idea, don't ya think, Mayor Hlubik?
"Proposed budget a mixed bag for four sending districts," Register-News, March 26, 2009. Northern Burlington Regional School District proposes 1.5-cent increase in taxes for Chesterfield ($1,876 for house valued at $452,036).
"Shadows amid sunshine in towns with three-person governments," Philadelphia Inquirer, March 24, 2009. Three-man governments in farm-towns like Chesterfield raise thorny ethical issues. Ya think?
"Eight file for City Commission race," Register-News, March 19, 2009. Eight candidates compete for City Commission in Bordentown City (pop: 4,000). But will anyone challenge incumbent Michael Hlubik for Township Committee in Chesterfield (pop: 7,000) this year? This guy so needs to go.
"Board approves budget to go before voters April 21," Register-News, March 17, 2009. Chesterfield school board sends proposed $5.4 million budget to county for approval. Public hearing on budget to be held on March 31st.
"County hit hard by budget cuts," Burlington County Times, March 14, 2009. State aid to Chesterfield Township reduced by four percent due to "high incomes and moderate taxes...." Moderate taxes? A moderate-taxing municipality in New Jersey (the most tax-punitive state in the nation) is like a moderately hot place in hell.
"Farm auction under scrutiny," Burlington County Times, March 12, 2009. Two county freeholders (both Democrat) refuse to accept winning bids from last month's auction of preserved farms, objecting to the low sales prices and high acquisition costs. (For example, the county acquired a Pemberton Township farm in 2006 for $1.05 million and sold it to Chesterfield Township Committeeman Larry Durr (Republican) for $320,000. "County auctions preserved farms," Burlington County Times, Feb. 13, 2009.) Remaining freeholders (all Republican, including William Haines) approve the bids. Oh well, at least politics didn't play a part in this taxpayer-subsidized firesale of farmland. ;)
"Ten school districts to get more state aid," Burlington County Times, March 12, 2009. Chesterfield getting a five percent increase.
"District cuts hydrant rental to trim budget," Register-News, March 10, 2009. Township Committee reduces Fire District #1's budget by $50,000, criticizes fire commissioners for failing to pass along fire-hydrant rental costs to developers. Hey TC--at least they didn't enrich themselves off the developers they were supposed to regulate, i.e., $mart Growth.
Public notice of no-bid contract for property appraisals, Chesterfield Township Committee, March 2, 2009.
Misc.
•Chesterfield Public Education Fund (CPEF) Annual Golf Tournament, Dinner & Live Auction, Thursday, May 7, 2009.
•Alternative website for Chesterfield chatter, Neighbors At Chesterfield.
•Flashback: Read how Capehart & Scatchard (the Chesterfield Board of Education's no-bid law firm for school construction) billed the Lenape Regional High School District $447,000 for legal work in conjunction with the construction of a new school ("Public contracts prove lucrative to Burlington County GOP leader," Asbury Park Press, Sep. 24, 2003). Question: In this era of economic calamity, with people losing their jobs and more (four homes are scheduled for foreclosure in Chesterfield according to a recent news article), wouldn't this be a good time to demand greater fiscal accountability from the school board...before they burn through $37 million in taxpayer debt? How much have they spent so far and what have they spent it on? Any "conflicts of interest" we should know about?
•Noteworthy Quote: "We recognize that everyone is not as affluent as the other." Township Committeeman Lawrence Durr, who, with the invaluable assistance of fellow members of the Township Committee and Planning Board, increased his affluence in 2007 by flipping transfer-of-development credits to a developer he was supposed to be regulating. "The human side of N.J.'s affordable housing law," Philadelphia Inquirer, Sep. 14, 2008.
•Help Wanted: Progressive Democrats, Republicans and/or Independents to run for Township Committee. Fidelity to the public trust a must; lack of experience with this local government and its parochial (and possibly crooked) practices a plus. If you oppose conflicts of interest, self-dealing, three-man rule (the least representative form of local government allowed by law), no-bid contracts, pay-to-play, planning board puppetry, party boss politics--and if you support more representative democracy, ethics reform, efficiency, accountability, competition, openness and transparency, throw your hat in the ring and get on the ballot. It doesn't matter if you lived here a year or all your life: it's your ideas and integrity that count. The deadline to file a petition to run in the primary election (Democrat or Republican) is April 6th. The deadline for Independents is June 2nd.
It's That Time Again, Chesterfield's Annual Fire-Tax Disparity Debate
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Tuesday, 27 January 09 - 06:13 AM (GMT -05:00) By Chesterfield NewJersey.com in Misc. |
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Fire District #1 Budget Defeated
Yes 58, No 69
Fire District #2 Budget Approved
Yes 23, No 6
Related News
"Four fire budgets pass, one fails," Register-News, Feb. 25, 2009.
"Delran puzzling over fire budget defeat," Burlington County Times, Feb. 24, 2009.
"Hamilton fire commish booted," Trentonian, Feb. 23, 2009.
"Voters OK most fire district budgets," Burlington County Times, Feb. 23, 2009.
If you haven't already, read this Chesterfield Fire District shared-services study commissioned by the Township Committee (which never bothered to release it to the public who paid for it). Residents of Chesterfield Fire District #1 pay for professional firefighting services and fire hydrant/water services at no cost to residents of Fire District #2. Soon, FD1 residents will be paying for a new $630,000 fire truck, thanks to an under-the-radar low-turnout special election last summer. Whether a new truck was needed is still debatable--the district didn't bother to make the case for it until after it was approved (by a total of 79 voters).
Firefighters (professional and volunteer) provide a vital life-saving service, and we shortchange them at our peril. But is it fair for residents in Fire District #1 to pay
Setting aside the issue of whether Chesterfield actually needs two firehouses, is there any question it doesn't need two fire districts and two boards of fire commissioners, each with independent taxing authority?
Neither
Whether you vote yes or no, be sure to vote. The annual fire district elections will be held on Feb., 21, 2009. Chesterfield Fire District #2 is proposing a budget of $234,866, about $7,300 more than last year (click here to see last year's fire-district election results).
You can vote by absentee ballot if you submit a timely application (PDF) to the Burlington County Clerk. Despite these recent public notices from Chesterfield Fire District 1 and Fire District 2, you do not need a reason to vote by absentee ballot.
UPDATE: Fire District #2 proposed budget results in estimated tax rate of 6.6 cents per $100 assessed home value, an average fire tax of $298. Fire District #1 proposed budget results in estimated tax rate of 9.4 cents, an average fire tax of $425.
Recent News
"Foreclosures on the rise in the region," Register-News, Feb. 24, 2009. Four houses are scheduled for foreclosure in Chesterfield.
"Voters to pass judgment on fire districts," Burlington County Times, Feb. 19, 2009.
"Fire elections set for Saturday," Register-News, Feb. 16, 2009.
"Support local fire budgets," Register-News, Feb. 11, 2009. Editorial encourages Chesterfield to continue looking into the possibility of considering the feasibility of consolidating the fire districts some day in the far-off future, despite the fact that last year's study was "inconclusive" about it. Whuh? Read the study, which recommended a "full merger of the two Fire Districts into one district covering the entire municipality...." What's inconclusive about that?
"Five fire budgets to go before voters," Register-News, Feb. 3, 2009.
"Chesterfield: EMS pact uncertain," Register-News, Jan. 27, 2009. Township Committee to solicit competitive bids for emergency medical services. According to article, Mayor Michael Hlubik approved of competitive bidding in accordance with the advice of the Township Solicitor (who just received a contract from the Township Committee without having to competitively bid for it). Who elected this guy The Mayor? Oh, that's right, nobody did.
"Hamilton mayor hopes to save money with fire districts study," Trenton Times, Jan. 24, 2009. The consolidation of fire districts is a "touchy topic"--hence, it rarely happens.
Misc.
Public Notice of No-Bid Contracts, Chesterfield Planning Board, Jan. 18, 2009. By contrast, Bordentown solicits competitive bids for Township Planner and Planning Board Engineer. Bordentown does it better; Chesterfield doesn't bother.
•Here's the current teachers' contract (PDF), the terms of which the Chesterfield Board of Education declined to disclose to the public in 2007. Hey, it's none of your business how they spend your tax-dollars. If you wanna know so badly, the burden is on you to attend their monthly meetings. Only the handful of people who show deserve to know.
•The deadline for filing a petition to run for the Chesterfield Board of Education is March 2, 2009. If you oppose competitive bidding for professional contracts, fiscal accountability to taxpayers, and complete disclosure by the school board, you'll fit right in.
•FYI: Chesterfield was ranked "Best Place to Live" in Burlington County by Philadelphia Magazine in 2006 (see township website homepage), and 401st out of 566 "Best Places to Live" by New Jersey Magazine in 2008. New Jersey has 566 municipalities in total.
•The grassroots group Chesterfield Residents Against Competition, Progressive Government, Openness & Transparency endorses Mayor Michael Hlubik for reelection in November and opposes all potential challengers in the primary and general election. If you support the status quo (e.g., no-bid contracts, three-man-rule, one candidate on the ballot per election cycle, etc.), join CRACPOT today!
•Visit the virtual yard sale at Craigslist > Central NJ > Chesterfield. Free listings to sell your stuff.
Extra
•The authors of Soprano State: New Jersey's Culture of Corruption are having a book-signing kick-off party at Barnes & Noble (Hamilton Marketplace) on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. The premise of the book is that New Jersey is a massive political Ponzi scheme perpetrated by Democrats and Republicans alike: corruption, patronage, undue political influence, party bosses, nepotism, cronyism, self-dealing, unfunded entitlements, wasted taxpayer money, ballooning taxpayer debt, out-of-control taxing authorities, multiple-officeholders, regressive government practices...you name it, we've got it. The book mentions both Parker McCay (the Chesterfield Township Committee's no-bid law firm) and Capehart & Scatchard (the Chesterfield Board of Education's no-bid law firm).
Chesterfield: Less Government in the Worst Possible Way
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Friday, 02 January 09 - 07:44 PM (GMT -05:00) By Chesterfield NewJersey.com in Misc. |
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What's the least-representative local government in Burlington County? Well, there are 30 municipalities in the county, 25 of which are represented by five or more elected officials. Only five municipalities are represented by three elected officials, the minimum number allowed by law: Washington Township (pop. 621), Bass River (pop. 1,150), Woodland (pop. 1,170), Bordentown City (pop. 3,969), and Chesterfield Township (pop. 5,955, based on pre-Old York Village 2000 census--the population is nearly 7,000 now).
The winner (or loser, depending on your viewpoint): Chesterfield, where "progressive government" is a contradiction in terms (visit the website of Hightstown Borough for an example of progressive local government).
Compare nearby Springfield Township (pop. 3,227), which elects a five-member council, Fieldsboro (pop. 522), which elects a mayor + six-member council, and Beverly City (pop. 2,661), which elects a mayor + nine-member council!!!
But if you think representative democracy is overrated, and three heads are better than five, and voters shouldn't be burdened with more choices at election time, then you're residing in the right township.Smart Growth, maybe...but is this Smart Government?
Recent News
"From the ground up," Register-News, Jan. 14. 2009. Ground broken for new school. Click here to see obligatory groundbreaking photo-ops.
"Township plans careful '09 budget," Register-News, Jan. 6, 2009. Why doesn't the Township Committee post the 2009 proposed budget--why do they wait until mid-year, when the budget is a fait accompli? Oh, just answered my own question.
"7 towns set stage for 2009," Burlington County Times, Jan. 4, 2009. Chesterfield Township's annual tradition of three-man musical chairs, with Michael Hlubik as
"The human side of N.J.'s affordable housing law," Philadelphia Inquirer, Sep. 14, 2008. Former Mayor Lawrence Durr scared "half to death" over Chesterfield's affordable housing obligations. Be afraid...be very afraid...cause this guy just got reelected to another three-year term.
Misc.
Public Notice of No-Bid Contract for Township Solicitor, Chesterfield Township Committee, Jan. 7, 2009. By contrast, Bordentown solicits competitive bids for Township Solicitor, a better deal for taxpayers more often than not (BTW, Parker McCay, the township's law firm, is one of the most politically connected in NJ).
Public Notice of No-Bid Contract for Township Engineer, Chesterfield Township Committee, Jan. 7, 2009. By contrast, Bordentown solicits competitive bids for Township Engineer, a better deal for taxpayers more often than not.
Public Notice of No-Bid Contract for Township Auditor, Chesterfield Township Committee, Jan. 7, 2009. You guessed it--Bordentown solicits competitive bids for Township Auditor, a better deal for taxpayers more often than not. Bordentown does it better, Chesterfield doesn't bother.
Proposed Ordinance 2009-5 to impose restrictions on citizens who want to videotape or audiotape township meetings in Chesterfield (they'll have to get pre-approval and turn over the tape to the municipal clerk for duplication or hold onto it for a full year). Compare Franklin Township in Somerset County, which posts audiotaped recordings of its township meetings as a public service, promoting greater transparency & open government. The Franklin Township Council gets it, the Chesterfield Township Committee still doesn't.
Fire District Elections, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009. You can vote by absentee ballot if you submit a timely application (PDF) to the Burlington County Clerk. Contrary to this recent public notice from Chesterfield Fire District 1 and Fire District 2, you do not need a reason to vote by absentee ballot.
Extra
State Fire Marshall Report, Cross Creek model-home fire (PDF)
Happy Holidays
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Wednesday, 10 December 08 - 08:34 PM (GMT -05:00) By Chesterfield NewJersey.com in Misc. |
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Merry Christmas &
Happy New Year!
"Over-coddling fools!"
Recent News
"School ready to break ground," Register-News, Dec. 30, 2008.
"Paid staff eyed for ambulance coverage gaps," Register-News, Dec. 16, 2008.
... More items are available in my News Archive
