ChesterfieldNewJersey.com

A website, forum & blog for residents of Chesterfield, NJ

Spirit of Chesterfield Festival, Sep. 25th

		Monday, 06 September 10 - 05:48 AM (GMT -05:00) By Chesterfield NewJersey.com in Misc.

The annual Spirit of Chesterfield Festival will be held on Saturday, September 25, 2010 in Crosswicks.  For more information, visit spiritofchesterfield.blogspot.com.

Ordinance 2009-5: More Questions for Mayor Kelly

		Saturday, 07 August 10 - 05:19 AM (GMT -05:00) By Chesterfield NewJersey.com in Misc.

Last year, the Chesterfield Township Committee unanimously adopted Ordinance 2009-5 (Chapter 34 of the Chesterfield Municipal Code (PDF)), restricting the videotaping, audiotaping and photography of Township Committee meetings. 

As stated by the 1,900-word ordinance, Mayor Brian Kelly and his two colleagues "found it necessary...to protect the rights of the majority of the citizens of the Township and to ensure the unfettered administration and conduct of municipal government...."  Among the more persnickety provisions of this ordinance:

♦Cameras "shall produce no greater sound or light than a 35mm Luca "M" Services Rangefinder Camera when used alone or in conjunction with a professional sound muffling device, e,g,, the Nikon "bEmp"...."

♦Photographers and videographers must remain in an "inconspicuous corner of the meeting room toward the rear...as designated by the Township Committee" and are not "permitted to move about...."

♦Video and audio recordings may not "be used in any court proceeding, nor may same be used to contest the accuracy of the official record of the Township Committee."

♦The Chesterfield Police Department is the designated enforcement agent of this ordinance, along with the Mayor, the Township Committee, and the Township Clerk.  In other words, you can be arrested for recording a Township Committee meeting.


Questions for Mayor Kelly

♦What part of openness and transparency don't you get?  Chesterfield is the least representative local government allowed by law and, by far, the least representative municipality in Burlington County.  Shouldn't you be making it easier for the public to memorialize your meetings instead of making it harder? 

♦How does an ordinance that restricts the public's ability to record Township Committee meetings "protect the rights of the majority of the citizens of the Township"?  Aren't you simply trying to protect the rights of the all-important minority, namely, Brian Kelly, Lawrence Durr and Michael Hlubik?

♦When you and your colleagues unanimously adopted this ordinance last year, didn't one of you admit that it addresses a problem that has never actually been a problem?  See Jan. 22, 2009 Township Committee Meeting Minutes...except we can't see, you pull the meeting minutes after 12 months.

♦Ordinance 2009-5 was clearly cribbed from the rules of court (e.g., Michigan Supreme Court Media Coverage of Oral Argument).  Why did you impose restrictive courtroom-decorum rules on a public meeting of small-town local officials?  Who appointed you to the bench?  Oh yeah, that's right, the same two people who appointed you Mayor of Chesterfield Township. 

♦Would you know a "35mm Luca "M" Services Rangefinder Camera when used alone or in conjunction with a professional sound muffling device, e,g,, the Nikon "bEmp" if you saw one?  Did you even read this ordinance before you voted for it?

♦Isn't this ridiculous ordinance being peddled to other townships by your law firm of choice, Parker McCay?  See 04/06/09 Delanco Township Meeting Minutes, Ordinance 2009-6: "Ordinance Regulating Still Photography, Videotaping and Audio Taping of Public Meetings" (PDF)).  How much did taxpayers have to shell out in legal fees for the drafting of an ordinance that abridges their rights?  

♦Why are you preemptively excluding evidence in a court proceeding and/or precluding people from contesting the "accuracy of the official record"?  A court proceeding is a search for the truth in the interests of justice...so what's more truthful, an audio/video recording of a Township Committee meeting or the official "meeting minutes" version that you review and approve prior to publication?  What would you do if a court ignores your self-serving ordinance and allows a video/audio recording of a TC meeting into evidence?  Waste more taxpayer money on an appeal?  Haven't you and your colleagues squandered enough on legal fees in the last year to defend your conflicts of interest and insider self-dealing?

♦In a recent Register-News article, you and the other candidate for Township Committee, Richard LoCascio, reportedly "discussed increasing communication between the township and its residents."  How does restricting the audiotaping, videotaping and photography of Township Committee meetings further that noble goal?  You've been on the Township Committee for nearly nine years, right?  How come it took you eight years just to post an e-mail address so residents can communicate with you?

♦Speaking of restrictive ordinances, in all your years on the Township Committee, why haven't you ever restricted your right to (a) ignore conflicts of interest and insider self-dealing, (b) award no-bid contracts for professional services, (c) engage in pay-to-play politicking, or (d) collect benefits as a part-time elected official?  Doesn't that make you an official part of The Problem rather than The Solution?  

♦Can you understand why some people might be a little cynical about your three-term tenure on the Township Committee?  Not just the haters, the agitators, the bozo bloggers and perennial malcontents, but anyone else who's paying attention?  


News

"Check your township website before you vote," Letter to Editor, Burlington County Times, Aug. 30, 2010.  Stop picking on Mayor Kelly!  It's not like he can defend himself...or his record.

"More delays seen for Chesterfield school construction," Register-News, Aug. 18, 2010.  New final completion date for elementary school: February 17, 2011 (see July 2010 construction report (PDF)).

"Response needed," Letter to Editor, Register-News, Aug. 18, 2010.  Republican candidate for Township Committee, Richard LoCascio, criticizes Republican legislators for their inaction.  Meanwhile, Democratic candidate/mayoral incumbent Brian Kelly stays out of the public debate: what with this guy's record, that's a good strategy.

"Plumsted Awarded $103,000 D.O.T. Grant."  Ron Dancer, mayor of nearby Plumsted Township, writes press release touting state aid.  Nice work, with special assistance from double-dipping dual-officeholding Republican Assemblyman Ronald S. Dancer of the 30th Legislative District.  BTW, NJ Assembly Republicans have officially proposed a Blueprint For A Corrupt-Free New Jersey, which would ban dual-officeholding.          

Misc.

♦The Township Committee makes it easier for you to pay your property taxes and sewer bills while continuing to keep you in the dark about how they spend your money (see one-page 2010 budget summary; compare nearby Hightstown Borough's 61-page 2010 budget (PDF), posted in its entirety).  Vote for Kelly in November?  Shirley, you can't be serious.
   
♦According to Trulia.com, 17 homes in Chesterfield are in foreclosure or pre-foreclosure. 

♦ChesterfieldNewJersey.com analytic statistics for 7/22/10-8/21/10: 996 unique visitors; 1,789 site visits; 4,622 page views.

♦Speed-traps in Chesterfield, according to speedtrap.org.

♦Suggested campaign slogans for Mayor Brian Kelly's reelection bid in November 2010 (also works for Deputy Mayor Lawrence Durr in 2011 and Township Committeeman Michael Hlubik in 2012)

 •Mayor Brian Kelly: Faithfully Serving Chesdurrfield For Years

•Preserving Our Heritage While Lining Our Pockets

•Manipulating the Monetization of Development Rights For Personal Gain: Perfectly Legal, Totally Defensible...And We'll Never Do It Again
 
•What Conflict?  Our Interests Are In Your Interests

•Promoting Free Enterprise That Benefits Us...Supporting Strict Regulation That Doesn't Burden Us: Solar Panels Suck, Cell Towers Rock!

•Balancing The Needs Of New Residents, Existing Residents, And The Residents Who Really Count 

•Proud To Be Parochial: No-Bid Contracts, No New Ideas, No Competing For Your Vote

•Spending Half The Surplus To Keep Your Taxes Flat This Year: Any Gimmick To Get Reelected

•$mart Growth, Environmental Excellence: 'Nuff Said

•Not To Insult Your Intelligence, But Vote For Brian Kelly...For The Sake Of The Children of Chesterfield!

 

Professional v. Parochial: A Comparative Analysis of Mt. Olive BOE, Chesterfield BOE and Northern Burlington BOE

		Thursday, 08 July 10 - 10:34 AM (GMT -05:00) By Chesterfield NewJersey.com in Misc.

The members of the Mount Olive Board of Education (Morris County) post their e-mail addresses so the public can communicate with them.  The members of the Chesterfield Board of Education don't bother.*  Neither do the members of the Northern Burlington County Regional Board of Education. 

The Mount Olive BOE posts its budget in its entirety.  The Chesterfield BOE posts a "user-friendly" summary version and a PowerPoint presentation spin.  Northern Burlington doesn't bother to post anything.

Mount Olive posts its meeting minutes for the last three school years.  Chesterfield posts its meeting minutes for the last two years.  Of course, Northern Burlington doesn't bother.

Mount Olive posts its most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.  Chesterfield and Northern Burlington don't bother.

Mount Olive posts its monthly bill list, listing all of the school district's expenditures by line-item, demonstrating their commitment to total openness and transparency.  As for Chesterfield and Northern Burlington...if you have to ask, you haven't been following along.  No, they don't.

PS: Deputy Mayor Lawrence Durr recently commented at a Township Committee meeting that the "Chesterfield Board is very transparent and willing to answer everyone's questions." (see 5/18/10 Meeting Minutes).  Everyone must mean the members of the Chesterfield Township Committee, whose commitment to transparency is best demonstrated by their posting of a one-page 2010 municipal budget summary. (compare Bordentown City, which posts its entire 56-page budget).

*One of the Chesterfield BOE's goals in the 2009-2010 school year was to improve external communications with the community (see 6/9/10 Meeting Minutes).


Hey Mayor Kelly

During a Township Committee meeting in May, Mayor Brian Kelly "stated that Township budgets always been [sic] managed very frugally." (see 5/18/10 Meeting Minutes). 

Hey Mayor Kelly--what about the $700k in no-bid contracts you awarded to top pay-to-play firm Environmental Resolutions, Inc. in 2008-2009?  Are we supposed to believe that ERI was so uniquely qualified that it obviated the need for competitive bidding?  If that's the case, why'd you do it differently this year (soliciting bids, then awarding the contract to ERI)?  Oh yeah--CYA.  How much taxpayer money has been spent on legal fees to defend township officials against allegations of conflict of interest and insider self-dealing?  What's frugally about that?

Mayor Kelly and his colleagues on the Township Committee have taken a hands-off approach to affordable housing, letting the developers handle it .  They didn't even bother to appoint an affordable housing liaison as required by State regulation (N.J.A.C. 5:93-11.2).  At the same time, they (and their appointees on the Planning Board) have micromanaged the architectural aesthetics of the Planned Village District, from the roof lines to the fake dormers to the fence setbacks.  (See PB 10/14/09 Meeting Minutes--Mayor Kelly "noted that the roof line looked odd on this model").

Hey Mayor Kelly--is that how it works?  You get to regulate what interests you and let the rest of it go?  Why are you even running for reelection?  Isn't it time for voters to let you go?   


News

BordentownMayorReallySucks.com, Aug. 10, 2010.  Bordentown City Deputy Mayor votes no on legal invoice from Parker McCay, suspecting charges for personal use of the law firm's services.  Meanwhile, PM defends Chesterfield Township officials for manipulating $mart Growth for personal gain.  Same difference.    

"Concerns over expenses rise in Medford," Courier Post, Aug. 9, 2010.  Medford Council concerned about ballooning costs of professional services.  Familiar names include Parker McCay (Chesterfield Township's law firm), Capehart and Scatchard (Chesterfield BOE's law firm), and Environmental Resolutions, Inc. (Chesterfield Township's engineer).

"State must make it easier to go solar," Register-News, Aug. 5, 2010.  Editorial endorses proposed bill that would ban townships like Chesterfield from arbitrarily restricting solar panels.  Take that, Stepford!

Ramos v. Durr, App. Div. A-1033-08T3, July 29, 2010.  Litigation involving James Durr, former president of the Chesterfield Board of Education, current mayor of neighboring North Hanover Township, benevolent employer of migrant workers.

"Incumbent to see contest in fall," Register-News, July 14, 2010.

"Chesterfield to see contest in fall," Letter to Editor, Register-News, July 14, 2010.

"Stimulus Bond Program Has Unforeseen Costs," New York Times, June 15, 2010.  "Build America" bonds used to finance new Chesterfield Elementary School are generating larger commissions for Wall Street banks, getting priced too cheaply, raising costs for taxpayers.  

"Bordentown's Morelli is running to keep seat but party leaders want someone else," Trenton Times, June 6, 2010.  In neighboring Bordentown, Republican officials oppose each other, keep each other honest, negating the need for an opposing party.  In Chesterfield, doormat Democrat Brian Kelly votes in lockstep with his two Republican colleagues, punches their tickets, compelling the need for somebody new in November.
 

Meeting Minute Highlights

Planning Board 5/11/10 Meeting Minutes.  Joseph Malison pushes back on solar panels in the Planned Village District.  Meanwhile, the guy's got a cell tower on his property.  No, really--read the minutes!  Welcome to Environmental Excellence, the Chesterfield version: clean energy sucks, radio-frequency radiation rocks...Matthew Weismantel wants 1996 video of Transfer of Development Rights program "Preserving Our Heritage" posted on YouTube (clip 1 excerpt: "Fortunately, Chesterfield Township chose The Road Less Traveled...").  Hey Matt: didn't you poo-poo the videotaping of Planning Board meetings, stating how it was "quite easy to manipulate information even by simply limiting the movement of a video camera as [sic] during a meeting..."?  How about more transparency and topical relevancy, less stale $mart Growth propaganda?  That would be The Road Less Traveled, Matt.


Misc.

 

 

 

Breaking News! CBOE Awards Contracts...To Same Vendors

		Monday, 24 May 10 - 10:45 PM (GMT -05:00) By Chesterfield NewJersey.com in Misc.

Following a "solicitation of bids," the Chesterfield Board of Education awarded a contract for legal services to Capehart & Scatchard, their long-time Burlington County Republican Party machine no-bid law firm, ranked among the top pay-to-play players in New Jersey.  They've also re-hired their long-time no-bid auditor, who issued an audit last year with no findings, enabling the School Board to implement no corrective action plan (see CBOE Meeting Minutes, 12/16/09). 

BTW, the Per Pupil Cost Calculation for Legal Costs in Chesterfield for 2009-2010 was $45 (in neighboring North Hanover, the cost was $18).  But hey, who cares about the numbers? (see audit w/ no findings). 

According to the School Board's public notice, "Professional service contracts are issued in a deliberative and efficient manner, such as through a request for proposal based on cost and other specified factors that ensures the district receives the highest quality services at a fair and competitive price."  Huh? What were the "specified factors" that School Board doesn't bother to specify?  Isn't this a variation of the vague, dissembling, circular-reasoning, self-referential resolutions of the Township Committee (e.g., contract awarded to Parker McCay based on the merits and abilities of Parker McCay to provide the goods or services as described herein)?   

In accordance with recent Office of the State Comptroller guidelines, did the School Board... 

(a) solicit an expansive pool of bidders for legal services?
(b) appoint a qualified evaluation commitee? 
(c) use merit-based evaluative criteria?
(d) document the scoring process and award recommendation?

Is the documentation "available for public inspection, or is this just another Chesterfield pseudo-bid contract? 


Hey Mayor Kelly (new)

Democratic Mayor Brian Kelly and his colleagues on the Chesterfield Township Committee post their meeting minutes for the last 12 months.  By comparison, officials in nearby Hightstown Borough post their meeting minutes for the last five years.  Officials in Mount Olive Township in Morris County post their meeting minutes for the last 10 years.  In Franklin Township in Somerset County, officials show their commitment to total transparency by podcasting their meetings and posting their meeting minutes for the last ten years. 

Hey Mayor Kelly...if you're running for reelection this year on your record as a long-time committeeman, why not post that record for the public to see?  Why limit it to just a year?  What's up with your breadcrumb disclosure policy?

Last year, MK and his colleagues didn't bother to post the 2009 municipal budget, not even a so-called "user-friendly" one-page budget summary.  This year, in 2010, we got the summary.  By comparison, Hightstown posted its entire 59-page proposed budget for 2010, along with its annual financial statements for 2008 and 2009 and its 2008 audit.  Nearby Lumberton posts its budgets from 2007, 2008 and 2009.  Even Bordentown City posts its 2010 budget.

Hey Mayor Kelly, if you're running for reelection this year on your sound fiscal governance, why not show us the numbers?  Why not post the entire budget, proposed and actual?  Why not post the audit?  What's up with your financial non-disclosure policy?


News

"Notice to bidders for cell tower" (PDF).  So much for the joy of "being able to see an unimpeded horizon," huh, Mayor Kelly?  Clean energy (i.e., solar panels in the Planned Village District) sucks.  Radio-frequency radiation (cell towers in the township) rocks.  Keep up that Environmental Excellence for Open Space Protection & Preservation!

"Town uses surplus to prevent tax hike," Register-News, June 16, 2010.  Township Committee will spend nearly half the surplus to cap taxes this year, an unsustainable fiscal fix.  

"Township contributes $300K to defeated school budget," Register-News, June 9, 2010.  School tax reduced to $216, on average.

"Primary Election Results," June 8, 2010.  Brian Kelly (D): 28, Richard LoCascio (R): 109.  Twenty-eight registered Democrats actually vote for incumbent Brian Kelly, who's been voting in lockstep with his two Republican colleagues for years.  What's the difference between Brian Kelly (D), Lawrence Durr (R) and Michael Hlubik (R)?  There ain't none--that's the problem.

"School opening delayed by fire," Register-News, June 2, 2010.  New elementary school won't open till November.


Misc.

•Know Your Local Legislators: Double-Dipping, Dual-Officeholding Republican Assemblyman Ronald S. Dancer of the 30th District, a.k.a. Plumsted Township Mayor Ron Dancer.  During the last election cycle, Ron pledged to resign as Mayor if he was reelected Assemblyman.  For some ohasn't happened.  Ron's fellow Republican Assembly members have proposed a blueprint for a corrupt-free N.J., beginning with the elimination of dual office-holding.  No, really, not making this up.

•The Chesterfield Township Committee seeks residents who are interested in volunteering on boards and commissions.  Must be willing to tolerate (if not defend) $mart Growth shenanigans, pseudo-bid contracts, selective disclosure of public information, restrictions on public rights, no corresponding restrictions on Township Committeemen's rights (i.e., pay-to-play, code of ethics, no-bid contracts, pension and health benefits), and limited democratic representation (three elected officials for a population of 7,000+, making Chesterfield by far the least representative local government in Burlington County). 

•Belated congratulations to Mayor Kelly and his colleagues on the Chesterfield Township Committee, recipients of the 2003 New Jersey Future Smart Growth Award, awarded by the research-and-advocacy group New Jersey Future.  Special thanks to NJF corporate sponsor, K. Hovnanian Homes. 

•Belated congratulations to Joseph Malison, named Vice Chairman of the Planning Board this year by unanimous consent of his fellow members (see PB 1/12/10 Meeting Minutes).  As you may recall, Joe reportedly sold Toll Bros. $168,000 in transfer-of-development credits, then approved Toll's requests for variances and relaxation of rules.  Hey Planning Board, is TDR your ATM? 

•Mayor Brian Kelly's top five talking points regarding $mart Growth (irony in italics):
(5) $mart Growth avoids the risk of sprawl.
(4) $mart Growth unlocks the equity the landowners have without selling the land out from under them.
(3) $mart Growth preserves the agricultural heritage of the township.
(2) "The $mart Growth we're experiencing here is the growth we've planned for, that's the key to what we've done."
(1) $mart Growth hasn't been for personal gain.  Oops, wrong committeeman (although Mayor Kelly was instrumental in this $mart-Growth-not-for-personal-gain personal gain). 

The Township Committee's PowerPoint Plan To Preserve The Agrigultural Heritage, Unimpeded Horizons And Small-Town Way Of Life In Chesterfield

 

---

May 25, 2010--In a startling new development, the Chesterfield Board of Education has

Environmental Excellence?

		Friday, 02 April 10 - 06:05 AM (GMT -05:00) By Chesterfield NewJersey.com in Misc.

In 2003, Chesterfield Township received the Governor's Environmental Excellence Award for Open Space Protection & Preservation.  The Environmental Excellence Awards were established by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to "recognize outstanding environmental performance, programs and projects in the state."  

Also according to the DEP, out of 40 municipalities in Burlington County, only Chesterfield and two others have the dubious distinction of a Tier 1 Radon Zone rating, the highest category of radon risk (i.e., at least 25 homes tested with 25 percent or more having radon concentratrions greater than or equal to 4.0 picocuries/liter).  According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), citing to the Surgeon General, radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.  

Chesterfield has a 21.5 square mile circumference, with six active contamination sites, one pending contamination site, and 40 closed sites with remediated contamination, this according to the DEP.

The water line to Old York Village tested positive for three contaminants above health guidelines: Combined Radium (-226 & -228), Combined Uranium, and Radium-226.

Oh yeah, and Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. recently paid a $1 million penalty to the EPA to resolve Clean Water Act violations at 591 construction sites in 18 states, including Cross Creek, Heritage and Chesterfield Downs, a Chesterfield trifecta (see consent decree for more details). 

Apparently, Environmental Excellence is to excellence what $mart Growth is to smart (click here for gratuitous link to last year's $mart Growth scandal).   


News

"Bordentown City Mayor James Lynch on mission to silence website that trashes him," Trentonian, May 25, 2010.  Local mayor squanders authority to try to silence blog, bordentownmayorreallysucks.     

"NBC towns agree to trim $639,000," Register-Newconflict of interest, insider self-dealing, pseudo-bid contracts, lack of openness and transparency, lack of accountability, parochial governance, disconnect with new ideas, self-promotion, and relatively minor but noteworhty contributions to the sorry state s, May 19, 2010. 

"Christie wants all elections in Nov.," Burlington County Times, May 19, 2010.  According to article, the New Jersey School Boards Association supports eliminating voting on school budgets.  Shirley they can't be serious...NJ is already one of the least democratic states in the nation.

"School district looks to cut costs," Burlington County Times, May 16, 2010.

"Top Towns," SouthJersey.com, May 2010 (registration required).  Chesterfield Township ranked #1 Small Town by South Jersey Magazine, in contrast to recent New Jersey Magazine ranking, 521st Best Place to Live (second-to-last place in Burlington County). 

"After jail, new world awaits N.J. lobbyist," Philadelphia Inquirer, May 10, 2010.  Ex-felon and former consultant to the notorious Burlington County Bridge Commission suggests a solution to NJ government corruption: all resolutions, minutes, and spending should be posted on the web.

"Part-time public employee compensation under scrutiny," Philadelphia Inquirer, May 8, 2010.  Chesterfield's part-time tax assessor (and Bordentown's and Bordentown City's) is simultaneously a full-time tax assessor for Willingboro, eligible for a "six-figure [padded] pension that will be among the highest in New Jersey, according to state records."  Nice work if you can get it--that is, if the Township Committee will punch your ticket.  

"Fireman suffers gash battling 3-alarm blaze at new Chesterfield grade school," Trentonian, May 5, 2010.

"Three-alarm fire damages new school," Register-News, May 5, 2010.

"Wild day in Chesterfield: Man stabs cop, cop shoots man, new school burns," Trentonian, May 4, 2010.

"Fire damages could delay school opening," Burlington County Times, May 4, 2010.

"Fire erupts at NJ school under construction," 6abc.com, May 4, 2010.

"3-Alarm Fire Damages Burlington Co. School," cbs3.com, May 4, 2010.


Misc.

♦The members of the Chesterfield Township Committee haven't bothered to post the 2010 proposed budget on the website...though they did give residents a sneak peak in the newspaper a few weeks ago.  Copies of the proposed budget (a public record) are available at the municipal building.  You'll just have to go there and pay the copy costs. PS: Compare the Hightstown Borough 2010 proposed budget (PDF), posted in its entirety by the Hightstown Borough Council.  Smart Government (as opposed to $mart Growth).  Update: TC posts 2010 budget summary, the same one that was published in the Burlington County Times last month.  What about posting the entire proposed budget?  Enough with the partial disclosure, "user-friendly" facts and interesting distractions (e.g., bicycle and pedestrian study).

♦The Chesterfield Board of Education "invites community attendance at its monthly meetings, which are posted on the district website" (see May 2010 newsletter).  Translation: You'll have to attend our monthly meetings to give us your feedback; we only use e-mail (through proxies) to influence your vote.  BTW, the Chesterfield elementary school budget was defeated last month by one of the worst margins in Burlington County, 62.21% to 37.79%.  But hey, who's counting? 

♦FYI: According to Trulia.com, there are 12 homes in foreclosure or pre-foreclosure in Chesterfield. 

♦BTW, whatever happened to that local business directory the Chesterfield Township Committee was supposed to post on the municipal website?  See the website's stats (i.e., missed opportunities to promote local businesses).  See what TC chooses to promote instead.  See how the Medford Township Council does it right.  Chesterfield Local Business Directory up and running.

"Chesterfield Has Good News and Bad News"

		Sunday, 28 March 10 - 06:54 AM (GMT -05:00) By Chesterfield NewJersey.com in Misc.

Update (April 20th Election)

Chesterfield School Budget: 512 No (62%), 311 Yes (38%).
N. Burlington School Budget: 2,372 No (61%), 1,513 Yes (39%).


The Chesterfield School Disrict is losing up to 83.5 percent in State aid this year, more than any other district in the county (percentage-wise).  Hard decisions have to be made, and the Chesterfield Board of Education needs your help.  Attend their public hearing on Wednesday, March 31st at 7:30 p.m., or e-mail them with your suggestions, post on their Facebook pages (assuming you're their Facebook friend), or leave a comment here.  And don't forget to vote on election day, Tuesday, April 20, 2010.

PS: The public hearing for the Northern Burlington County Regional School District is on Monday, March 29th at 7:30 p.m.  Oddly, there's no mention of it on the school district calendar, but here's the public notice.  F. Gerry Spence represents Chesterfield on the Northern Burlington County Regional Board of Education (he's also a member of the Chesterfield Planning Board).  You can reach F. Gerry by e-mail as well.    
_______________________________________________________

Unofficial Election Results, April 20, 2010.

"Chesterfield has good news and bad news," Burlington County Times, April 8, 2010.  Proposed tax increase is about $417, on average.

Chesterfield Township School District 2010-2011 School Year Budget PowerPoint Presentation 

Chesterfield Board of Education Proposed School Budget for 2010-2011, "user-friendly" version (i.e., budget summary)

State Aid Chart, Burlington County Times

"Jobs on the line in NBC district," Burlington County Times, March 31, 2010.  Thirteen jobs eliminated.  Chesterfield hit hardest by the Northern Burlington County Regional District with a proposed 4.7 percent tax increase.

"[Northern Burlington County Regional] Board proposes cutting positions to save money," Register-News, March 31, 2010.  Hey F. Gerry--why doesn't the Regional School Board post its meeting minutes?  What's so wrong with openness, transparency and accountability?   _______________________________________________________

News

"A place for the youngest of students," Burlington County Times, April 29, 2010.  Chesterfield to open a part-time preschool in the new elementary school.

"Residential Homebuilder Settles Clean Water Act Violations in 18 States...", Environmental Protection Agency, April 20, 2010.  Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. pays $1 million penalty to resolve alleged CWA violations at 591 construction sites, including Cross Creek, Heritage and Chesterfield Downs in Chesterfield (see consent decree (PDF)).  Meanwhile, township officials fret about fence-setbacks and the Chesterfield Environmental Commission prepares to plant seedlings dogwoods on Arbor Day.

"All eight area school budgets fail," Register-News, April 20, 2010. 

"Hoping to make a connection," Burlington County Times, April 20, 2010.  "New Jersey is not on a sustainable path...."  Gee, ya think?

"Candidates file petitions for June primary," Burlington County Times, April 13, 2010.  The first competitive election for Township Committee in four years: Democratic nominee/incumbent Brian Kelly versus Republican nominee/challenger Richard LoCascio. 

"[School] Board candidates set forth goals for school districts," Register-News, April 7, 2010.  Candidate Richard Buck wants to improve how the School Board communicates with parents via e-mail.  Candidate Marie Goodwin wants to focus on better fiscal efficiency.  Too bad neither candidate is actually running in Chesterfield.

"Top Ten Campaign Contributors among State Contractors," PolitickerNJ.com, April 6, 2010.  Parker McCay (Chesterfield Township Committee's law firm) ranked 6th, Capehart Scatchard (Chesterfield Board of Education's law firm) ranked 10th.  Chesterfield officials do their part in helping these firms recover their business expenses with your tax-dollars.  PS: Click here to see how much the School Board paid Capehart Scatchard in 2009. 

"GlouCo Republican calls for ending all dual office holding," Philly.com, March 29, 2010.  Are you reading this, Republican Assemblyman Ron Dancer, (a.k.a. Plumsted Township Mayor Ron Dancer) and Republican Senator Rob Singer (a.k.a. Lakewood Committeeman Rob Singer) of the 30th Legislative District (which includes Chesterfield)?  Didn't you both pledge to resign one of your offices if you were reelected last year?  Whatever happened with that?  Way to undermine your own party, Dancer/Singer.
 

Misc.

•"Message from the Code Enforcement Officer: Satellite Dishes in the [Planned Village District] zone are not permitted in the front yard.  This is an Ordinance Violation."  Way to go, Planning Board!  Enrich yourselves, relax the rules for the developers, then enforce your rules against residents.

•Huh?  You didn't know satellite dishes in the front yard was an ordinance violation?  Ignorance of the rules is no excuse--except when it comes to conflicts of interest--right, Mayor/Planning Board Member/Attorney Brian Kelly?  The 2010 Chesterfield Township Municipal Code (PDF) is available online, so start reading--hell, it's only 504 pages long.

•FYI--Chesterfield Township has at least six contamination sites (including one in proximity to the Planned Village District), according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (click here to see the complete list of all active sites with confirmed contamination in New Jersey).  Toxic waste?  No problem with that.  Got a satellite dish in your front yard or a solar panel on your roof?  Planning Board has a problem with that.

Pseudo-Bid Contracts: More Questions for Mayor Kelly

		Tuesday, 16 March 10 - 04:37 AM (GMT -05:00) By Chesterfield NewJersey.com in Misc.

 Dear Mayor Kelly:

You and your colleagues on the Chesterfield Township Committee--Deputy Mayor Lawrence Durr and Committeeman Michael Hlubik--have a long-standing tradition of awarding annual no-bid service contracts to the same handful of firms for Township Solicitor, Township Engineer, Township Planner, Township Auditor, Planning Board Engineer, and Planning Board Solicitor.  Late last year, for the first time, you solicited proposals for these contracts, some of which are quite lucrative.  You then awarded the contracts to the same handful of firms. 

A cynic might suspect your competitive bidding procedure was a sham, perpetrated by the same people who gave us $mart Growth.  It's also possible these contracts were awarded fairly and competitively, but it's impossible to tell from the public record.  For example, according to Resolution 2010-1-7 reappointing Township Solicitor John Gillespie of the law firm of Parker McCay (ranked 4th among NJ's Most Powerful Law Firms by Politicker.com), you state the contract was "awarded to Parker McCay based on the merits and abilities of Parker McCay to provide the goods or services as described herein." (see Jan. 4, 2010 Meeting Minutes).  That's a little thinly worded, not to mention circular in reasoning (i.e., Parker McCay gets the contract because Parker McCay has the merits and abilities to get the contract).  The "goods and services" aren't described in the resolution at all--and what "goods" does a law firm provide?  You don't bother to disclose the costs, the hourly rate, the criteria you used to evaluate the proposals, the scope of services, etc. (notably, Governor Christie reportedly vetoed another Parker McCay contract because of a thinly worded resolution like this).  All of your contract resolutions are similarly vague and uninformative. 

Questions for Mayor Kelly:

♦The Local Public Contracts Law allowed you and your colleagues to award professional service contracts without much scrutiny.  However, since you voluntarily chose to solicit proposals for these contracts, didn't you have a corresponding responsibility to engage in fair procurement practices (i.e., soliciting an expansive pool of bidders, appointing a qualified evaluation commitee, using merit-based evaluative criteria, and documenting the scoring process and award recommendation)?  The Office of the State Comptroller seems to think so--it recently issued guidelines to help "clean up" the awarding of contracts for services and turn the tide on corrupt contracting.  These guidelines were e-mailed to more than 1,500 government entities in New Jersey.  By the way, could you pass the guidelines along to the members of the Chesterfield Board of Education?  They don't actually have e-mail addresses.       

♦You and your colleagues awarded contracts to Parker McCay, ranked 5th among the top pay-to-play firms in New Jersey, as well as Environmental Resolutions, Inc., ranked 14th.  Similarly, your counterparts on the Chesterfield Board of Education solicited bids for legal services last year, then awarded the contract to its long-time no-bid law firm Capehart Scatchard, ranked 18th among pay-to-players.  This question is for both Brians: Why do you suppose these three firms contribute hundreds of thousands of dollars every year to Democrats and Republicans alike?  To advance their ideology, or score more contracts like the ones you give them?  How do you suppose they recover their business expenses?  Read this recent Philadelphia Inquirer article on pay-to-play here in Burlington County: Capehart Scatchard scored $2.2 million in legal fees off the notorious bridge commission (the reporter is Maya Rao, who wrote about $mart Growth last year).  If pay-to-play is at the heart of the problem with soon-to-be-bankrupt New Jersey, who's really to blame for that?  The firms that pursue a business advantage in their own self-interest, or the elected officials who pledge to pursue the public interest?  

♦Speaking of legal services, Brian (Mayor Kelly this time), why do you and your colleagues allocate so much money for legal expenses every year?  Back in 2008, the Township Committee approved a $5.7 million municipal budget, allocating $91,000 in legal expenses (apparently, $92,474 was spent).  By contrast, nearby Lumberton Township approved a budget twice the size ($10.4 million) with half the legal expenses ($55,000).  Not sure what you did in 2009, since you didn't bother to post last year's municipal budget on the township's website (in fairness, you did post a one-page 2009 "user-friendly" budget summary, while Lumberton posted its entire 53-page 2009 "user-intelligent" budget (PDF)).  Considering the money you spend on lawyers, why didn't you bother to consult with the Township Solicitor about Committeeman Larry Durr's financial ties to one of the developers?  Are you spending our tax dollars in legal fees to prevent mistakes or defend your shady actions after-the-fact?     

♦Does the hiring of politically well-connected firms confer any personal gain on you?  For purposes of this question, "personal gain" is defined in the generally understood sense of the term, not in the uniquely self-serving way of the Chesterfield Township Committee (e.g., "I'll take some of the credit for the success of the program.  It hasn't been for personal gain.") 

♦Considering that Governor Christie is proposing drastic cuts in State funding to municipalities and schools (the Chesterfield School District may lose up to 83.5 percent ($317,341) this year, and Chesterfield Township may lose up to 23.5 percent ($157,715), can taxpayers afford your government contract giveaways?  Here's another example of your patronage, nearly $400,000 in no-bid contracts to two vendors in 2008.  Before you and your colleagues start cutting services, laying off municipal employees and raising taxes, shouldn't you ride herd on these run-amok contracts?

♦You recently reappointed your long-time auditor after soliciting proposals.  The School Board did the same thing last year, reappointing the same person, who produced an audit report with no findings (no, really--see Dec. 16, 2009 B.O.E. Meeting Minutes).  It's clear that Township Committee and School Board officials aren't big on critical self-analysis, preferring not to "highlight areas of discourse that could only be interpreted pessimistically..."  But that only makes the audit all the more important.  The Office of the Comptroller recommends the replacement of a sitting auditor every 10 years to ensure that taxpayer money is spent properly and financial oversight isn't compromised.  When was the last time the Township Committee hired a new auditor?

♦A few years ago, the Bordentown Township Committee adopted a competitive bidding procedure for service contracts exceeding $17,500 to ensure public confidence and the "highest ethical standards" of public business.  In all your years on the Chesterfield Township Committee, why haven't you bothered to adopt a similar procedure?  Last year, you passed an ordinance (2009-5) to "protect the rights of the majority" by restricting the public's right to videotape and audiotape Township Committee meetings.  Why restrict the public's rights while reserving your right to give away no-bid service contracts?  Whose rights are you trying to protect, the majority or the three-man minority?

♦Are you planning on running again for Township Committee this year?  Say it ain't so, MK.  You're not looking too good now, and the scrutiny is only gonna get worse.

*More questions to come on lack of openness, transparency, accountability, and democratic representation. 


News

"More legal hassles for a Burlco farmer," Philadelphia Inquirer, March 24, 2010.  North Hanover Township Committeeman (and former Chesterfield Board of Education President) James Durr indicted by federal grand jury.  Hey Maya--how about a follow-up story on $mart Growth?  Brian Kelly, the current mayor, was on the Planning Board that approved the insider deal you wrote about--and he may get reelected without opposition again this year! 

"With shock and awe, Christie's budget ax whacks towns," Register-News, March 24, 2010.  Ouch--Chesterfield will sustain the highest cut in state aid in Burlington County.

"N.J. municipalities predict massive layoffs, public services reductions after Christie's state aid cuts," N.J.com, March 18, 2010.  Chesterfield Township may lose up to 23.5 percent ($157,063) in State aid. 

"Schools facing crunch," Burlington County Times, March 18, 2010.  Chesterfield School District may lose up to 83.5 percent ($317,341) in State aid.

"Burlco Bridge Commission has deep ties to county GOP," Philadelphia Inquirer, March 14, 2010.  The Chesterfield Board of Education's law firm and bond counsel, Capehart Scatchard, scores off the notorious Burlington County Bridge Commission.  If you think the School Board should be more judicious with your tax-dollars, e-mail 'em at whocareswhatyouthink@chesterfieldschool.com.*

"Public Notice of Contract Award," Chesterfield Township Committee, March 14, 2010.  TC extends contract with the Mansfield Township Ambulance Corps (MTAC).  Question: If the MTAC negates the need for an EMS engine from Fire District #1 (see 1/28/10 TC Meeting Minutes), and the MTAC miraculously improved the local emergency response time (see 1/22/10 TC Meeting Minutes), might the contract be expanded to negate the need for a local emergency squad?      

 "Best Places to Live in New Jersey 2010," New Jersey Magazine, Feb. 2010.  Chesterfield ranked 521st out of 566 Municipalities (or 45th Worst Place to Live, depending on your viewpoint).

*The members of the School Board don't have e-mail addresses.  You'll just have to attend their monthly meetings or join their private Facebook social network.

Misc.  

•Did you know Chesterfield is a "Tier 1 radon zone" (i.e., at least 25 homes tested with 25 percent or more having radon concentratrions greater than or equal to 4.0 picocuries/liter)?  Only two other municipalities in Burlington County share that dubious distinction, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (read more about radon here).  Meanwhile, Mayor/Planning Board Member/architectural critic Brian Kelly thinks the "roof line looked odd" on a proposed townhome model in Old York Village (see Oct. 14, 2009 PB Meeting Minutes).  Heck of a job, Brownie!

•Chesterfield Residents Against Competition, Progressive Government, Openness & Transparency endorse Brian Kelly for reelection to the Chesterfield Township Committee.  Mayor Kelly best embodies the values, principles and heritage that CRACPOT so proudly stands for.

 

 

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Questions Regarding Smart Growth

		Monday, 22 February 10 - 09:03 AM (GMT -05:00) By Chesterfield NewJersey.com in Misc.

Dear Mayor Kelly:

Congratulations on your recent election appointment as mayor of Chesterfield Township.  In the unfortunate event you run for Township Committee without opposition this year, perhaps you could address some questions about Chesterfield's Transfer of Developments Rights program, a.k.a. Smart Growth.

You and your colleagues on the Chesterfield Township Committee--Deputy Mayor Lawrence Durr and Committeeman Michael Hlubik--appoint the members of the Chesterfield Planning Board.  Back in 2006, Committeeman Durr bought a farm for $2 million, using a side-deal with a developer to secure favorable financing.  He then petitioned the Planning Board to increase the corresponding development credits on the farm from 28.25 credits to 38.5 credits.  Notably, Durr was a member of the Planning Board at the time, though he did step down from the dais and didn't vote on his own petition.

You were also a member of the Planning Board.  You didn't step down.

According to the Planning Board's July 20, 2006 meeting minutes, the Durr petition was supported by the Township Engineer, Nancy Jamanow, Environmental Resolutions, Inc. (ERI), who received an annual no-bid contract from you and your colleagues on the committee (this year you gave her the contract through "competitive" bidding).  ERI has done extremely well in Chesterfield, receiving a contract in 2008 valued at $288,185.  The company is currently ranked 14th among pay-to-play firms in New Jersey.  Only a few months ago, Durr wanted ERI to serve as the township's sewer operator in addition to the business it already receives. See Aug. 27, 2009 Meeting Minutes.  Sure enough, ERI got the contract through the "competitive" bidding process.  Notably, you and your colleagues have awarded "competitive" contracts this year to the same seven vendors who received "no-bid" contracts last year. 

The Durr petition was unanimously approved by the Planning Board, including you.  A year later, Durr sold the credits to the developer for $2.37 million, a tidy profit plus a free farm.

This isn't the only example of $mart Growth with a dollar sign.  According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Planning Board member Joseph Malison sold credits to a developer, then voted to approve the developer's request for variances and relaxation of rules instead of recusing himself.  Planning Board member Gerry Spence sold credits to a developer, then voted to approve the developer's subdivision application a year later.  Presumably, you thought this was perfectly proper (or else you wouldn't have gone along with it in the first place).

There's an appearance of impropriety here, to say the least, but there's also an appearance of impunity.  Chesterfield Township was sued for engaging in these flagrant conflicts of interests, and taxpayers are footing the legal bill.  Yet for some reason, you and your colleagues are reelected to the Township Committee without opposition every year--the same people are reappointed to the Planning Board without scrutiny every year--and the same contractors are awarded contracts without accountability every year.  Change isn't coming to Chesterfield, that's for sure--not with people like you in office.

Questions for Mayor Kelly

♦What part of "conflict of interest" don't you get?

♦What part of "insider self dealing" don't you get?

♦Township officials are supposed to police the developers instead of being in business with them.  You get that, right?

♦Is it appropriate for local officials to manipulate the monetization of development credits for personal gain?  Isn't that like printing your own money?

♦Who else is getting greased by $mart Growth, besides the people we know about? 

♦How much taxpayer money has been spent on legal fees to defend the actions of township officials?  At least $50k, right?  The case file is getting voluminous.  Shouldn't the people who profited from these insider deals pay their own way?

♦The last new person you appointed to the Planning Board denied there was any conflict of interest on the Planning Board.  No, really, and this was after the Planning Board's own attorney admitted there was a conflict of interest.  Shouldn't the Township Committee and Planning Board adopt a Code of Ethics (like Mount Olive Township) instead of insisting they acted ethically? 

♦Is there any difference between Democrats, Republicans and Independents on the Township Committee and Planning Board, or are you all on the same page (as it appears), setting aside ideology to defend each other's actions while punching each other's tickets? 

♦Any other get-rich-quick schemes we can get in on, like $mart Growth, or do you keep those to yourselves?

♦You're a long-time member of the Chesterfield Township Committee, the least representative local governing body in Burlington County by far (and arguably one of the worst).  Considering the role you've played in undermining the public trust, why would anyone (other than friends, fronts, and those getting greased by $G) vote for you again this year?  Isn't it time to step down from the dais for good and give someone else a chance?

*More questions to come on sham bidding, lack of accountability, lack of openness and transparency, lack of democratic representation, etc.

News

"Federal Grand Jury Indicts NJ Resident For Making False Statements," U.S. Dept. of Justice, Feb. 18, 2010.   Former president of the Chesterfield Board of Education (and current mayor of neighboring North Hanover Township) James Durr in trouble with the law again. 

"Towns list school board candidates," Burlington County Times, March 2, 2010.  C. Samuel Davis running against incumbents for School Board.  This is the first competitive election in Chesterfield in four years!

"Voters approve five fire budgets," Register-News, Feb. 24, 2010.  Tax disparity between Bordentown Fire District #1 and #2 averages out to three dollars.  Tax disparity between Chesterfield Fire District #1 and #2?  Over a hundred bucks!  If that makes sense to you, you've been living in Chesterfield too long.  

"Change date of fire district elections," Letter to Editor, Burlington County Times, Feb. 24, 2010.  Little oversight for poorly publicized, low-turnout elections.  Here's another great letter by the same local resident.  Hey Rich, how about running for Township Committee?   

"Schools learn of new aid cuts," Register-News, Feb. 17, 2010.  Northern Burlington Regional School District loses $2.14 million+ in state aid, Chesterfield loses $121,534.  

Public Notice of Contract Award, Chesterfield Planning Board, Feb. 2, 2010.  "Competitive" contracts awarded to former recipients of no-bid contracts. 


Meeting Minute Highlights

Township Committee, Jan. 4, 2010.  Township Committee holds its first meeting of the year on Monday at 10 a.m., drawing the blinds on public participation.  Brian Kelly appointed mayor for no other apparent reason than to raise his profile (he's up for reelection this year).  TC awards contract for legal services to Township Solicitor John Gillespie, Parker McCay (ranked fifth among pay-to-play firms in NJ), presumably on the advice of Township Solicitor John Gillespie, Parker McCay.

Plannning Board, Jan. 21, 2010.  Clark Caton Hintz appointed Planning Board Planner, with four board members actually voting no, an extremely rare dissent.  Wasn't Philip Caton the guy who said last year there needs to be a State-supervised central command over the way affordable housing is handled by the many local authorities?  Don't mess with Home Rule, dude.  New Jersey has 566 municipalities, more local governments per square mile than any other state in the nation--it wouldn't make sense to centralize the administration of affordable housing--much better to mishandle it at the local level 566 different ways.

Chesterfield Board of Education, Dec. 16, 2009.  School Board's auditor presented the annual audit with no findings.  Hey, why not just phone it in next year, for all it's worth?  Isn't this the same auditor who's been getting a no-bid contract from the School Board for years?  Oops, my bad--that last contract was awarded through the "competitive" process.   


Misc.

Navigating Local Government Ethics seminar, March 6, 2010.  Topics include conflicts of interest, ethical rules pertaining to public officials.  Guest panelists include John C. Gillespie, Esq. (Chesterfield Township Solicitor).  No, really.

•The members of the Chesterfield Board of Education continue to network on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter...yet they still don't bother to post their official e-mail addresses so the general public can contact them (you'll just have to show up for their monthly meetings or join their private social e-club).  Wow, they've got even more gall than the Chesterfield Township Committee, which finally embraced e-mail as a new communications tool.  Didn't they learn anything during that taxpayer-funded casino trip conference last year in Atlantic City?

2010 Chesterfield Township Athletic Association Baseball/Softball Online Registration (Jan. 4-24)

		Tuesday, 05 January 10 - 10:43 AM (GMT -05:00) By Chesterfield NewJersey.com in Misc.

 

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 Township Committee, Planning Board and School Board are on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter...yet they decline to post their e-mail addresses so people can contact them with their concerns?  Public office is not just a networking opportunity.  If you agree, let 'em know: send them an e-mail, attend their monthly meetings or join their private social network.  Update: Township Committee members have finally posted their e-mail addresses (bkelly@chesterfieldtwp.com, ldurr@chesterfieldtwp.com, mhlubik@chesterfieldtwp.com).

Where's The 2009 Municipal Budget?

		Tuesday, 13 October 09 - 03:10 PM (GMT -05:00) By Chesterfield NewJersey.com in Misc.

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.

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.  

"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 /dɪsˈgrʌntld/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [dis-gruhn-tld].  Displeased and discontented; sulky; peevish.  Ex: Her disgruntled husband refused to join us.

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? 

 

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