Candidates for Local Office Square Off On Issues For First Time
Part I in a series looking at how the candidates running for local office in November stand on the various issues
Photos
The United Homeowners of Fort Lee’s debate-style “candidates night” at Lewis F. Cole Middle School Tuesday evening provided a first chance for local voters to learn where the six candidates for municipal office—two running for mayor and four running for the two open seats on the Borough Council—stand on the major issues facing the borough.
Incumbent Mayor Mark Sokolich and fellow Democrats, incumbent Council members Armand Pohan and Michael J. Sargenti, squared off against Republican challengers Judith Fisher, who’s running against Sokolich in November, and Council candidates Martha Cohen and Alfred V. Norton.
The Democratic incumbents made it clear from the outset that they’re running on their record, emphasizing successes during their terms in office, and chided their opponents for being short on specifics when it comes to solving the borough’s problems and dealing with its various challenges. The Republicans hammered home a message of change, fiscal responsibility, reduced spending and bond debt and the need to move away from what Norton referred to as a “legacy administration” and what Cohen called an “entrenched machine.”
Moderator Alex Floratos of the United Homeowners gave candidates three minutes to make their opening remarks followed by two minutes each to respond. The candidates were then given two minutes apiece to field questions submitted by United Homeowners members and another two minutes to answer audience questions directed either at a specific candidate or candidates or all six. The forum culminated with a three-minute final statement from each candidate.
Today Patch takes a look at what the candidates chose to say about themselves and highlight in their prepared remarks. We’ll take a closer look at how they tackled specific questions in a subsequent article or series of articles.
Sokolich, who said that “it feels like only yesterday” that he became mayor, although it was, in fact, nearly four years ago. He said he pledged then that he would “work as hard at this job as I possibly could.”
“And I will tell you that we have,” Sokolich said.
Sokolich went on to enumerate some of his administration’s accomplishments, including implementing a hiring freeze and reducing the borough’s workforce by 15 percent through attrition; cutting bond debt “by more than $20 million;” introducing “innovative, income-producing programs such as the ambulance co-pay program, which has “generated upwards of $1 million;” continuing to maintain “amongst the best emergency services” in Bergen County during tough economic times; and increasing the municipal tax rate by less than one percent, “0.89 to be exact—the lowest in over 21 years.”
“It could have been easy, and the approach four years ago simply could have been to cut all programs at the community center, reduce the fire department, reduce the police department, and then deplete the quality of life that’s offered here in Fort Lee,” Sokolich said. “Instead, we found a way to be fiscally prudent and continued to provide a way of life that Fort Lee residents have grown accustomed to—whether that’s the senior center, whether that’s the community center, whether that’s dialing 9-1-1 and having emergency services at your door within seconds with state-of-the-art equipment. Whatever the pros and cons may be, this all has culminated in Money Magazine ranking Fort Lee among the top five communities in the country to retire to for communities our size, and we’re very, very proud of that.”
Fisher touted her experience “running a state agency that earned over $11 million this year,” the DMV in Lodi.
“When I took this agency over from my Democratic predecessor, it was infamous for inefficiency and bad customer service,” Fisher said. “And while we’re still making improvements, we’ve been able to increase productivity, cut way back on customer complaints and boost revenue using the exact same resources and without cost increases--tackling and succeeding at what was widely believed to be one of the most difficult management positions in the state.”
She said that in Fort Lee she sees three significant problems: declining quality of life, in which “Fort Lee has gone from a stately suburban town to an over-developed one with ever-increasing overcrowding, traffic and crime;” schools “that fail to meet the educational needs of our children;” and “inefficient and opaque government that charges us more and more for fewer and fewer services.”
“These were the problems the last time I ran, and they are still our problems today,” Fisher said. “Time passes; nothing changes. Last time I sat down to debate for the mayoral election, the big issue was the then Centuria project. Now it’s Redevelopment Area 5, and it remains an issue. While the current administration has spent your tax dollars to study, litigate and promise changes, still the property remains fallow. Despite significant investment of our resources, they have been unable to bring the changes they promised to champion. The mayor then promised that if the property was underdeveloped in 2011, he would not run for re-election, yet here he sits. Their party touts the importance of social services, and at the same time, their spending habits drive hard-working people onto the rolls of public assistance. Instead of paving the way for local business to expand and create jobs, this administration has driven business out of our borough. It continues to increase taxes, fees and spending. My focus as your mayor will be to increase private employment locally, reduce public spending and taxes and improve the quality of life for all the residents of our Borough of Fort Lee.”
Pohan said that in spite of “the worst economic conditions in the country since the Great Depression, the Democratic Mayor and Council here in Fort Lee have stayed the course, tightly controlling municipal costs with no real decrease in municipal services.”
Pohan also highlighted the borough’s hiring freeze.
“Today there are 44 fewer employees in the borough than there were in 2007, a 15 percent reduction.”
He also touted the governing body’s successful negotiations of collective bargaining agreements with “our blue and white collar employees, providing for net cost increases of less than two percent per year.”
“And we have staunchly resisted the demands of the police union to exceed those levels,” Pohan said. “We have reduced the authorized debt of the borough over the past four years by $20 million. This year, we have taken advantage of historically low interest rates to re-finance $15 million of existing bond debt.”
He also said, “The annual increases in the municipal portion of the borough’s tax levy has been less than two-and-a-half percent per year over the past three years, and less than one percent in the current year.”
Despite increased state pension costs and county costs, “over which we have no control,” Pohan said the Mayor and Council have maintained existing services and taken “numerous steps to improve the quality of life here in town.”
“We have implemented a state-of-the-art communications system for all of our emergency services,” Pohan said. “Our parks are in immaculate condition. Our cultural and recreation programs are growing and are the most extensive in Bergen County. We have created the Sign and Façade Review Committee, which is slowly transforming the commercial face of this town. We continue to support green initiatives to reduce energy costs and protect the environment.”
Pohan concluded with Redevelopment Area 5, which he said remains on track, with the governing body having “conducted arduous negotiations to create a downtown area of which we all can be proud. We have accomplished this as a team—a team with a great leader and which deliberates but does not engage in partisan bickering.”
Cohen pointed out that when she ran for Borough Council last year, she received 44 percent of the vote in spite of being outspent by her opponents “at least 12-1.”
“I thought that this competitive race by an unknown would make the council more responsive to our needs and lead to a re-birth of our town,” Cohen said. “Unfortunately, that has not been the case. In fact, since last year, things have gotten even worse.”
She said there are more empty stores, higher taxes and fees, increased bonding and that Redevelopment Area 5 “remains in limbo.”
“Our council is asleep at the wheel while Fort Lee is dying,” she said. “It hurts me, and I know it hurts you.”
Cohen said she wasn’t going to run again, given the time, energy and “fortitude” it takes to do so, and especially “when you’re up against an entrenched machine where my opponents are running for their fourth term, and I’m a working mom.”
She also criticized the Mayor and Council for increasing their salaries by a total of $17,000 without explanation, and questioned whether they could have “seriously vetted an almost $68 million budget.”
“They bonded millions and had an ‘emergency appropriation’ to pay for almost $2 million in compensate absence liability, which would have raised the budget considerably,” Cohen said. “In addition, there was almost $2 million in salary savings coming from police retirements, and still your taxes went up. Not only can’t the current council members solve our borough’s problems, they also lack the motivation, the vision and drive to do so. Last year I suggested many things, including a free shuttle from the George Washington Bridge to the A Train for our residents, and they snickered. But it’s even more important now that we’re dealing with these outrageous tolls. Ask yourself: where was the council months before the Port Authority was considering a hike? It wasn’t a secret that they were considering it. Why didn’t they demand an audit then instead of joining the parade after the fact?”
Sargenti took a more personal approach initially; focusing on his family and involvement in the community over the 31 years he’s been a resident of the borough—especially as a coach of various youth sports.
“I have watched the children of Fort Lee grow and become active in our community,” Sargenti said. “Some now serve as coaches. Others have become business owners and police officers. I can’t express how proud I am to see the transformation in these people.”
He pointed out that he’s served as council liaison to the police, fire and recreation departments and to the school board, and echoed Sokolich and Pohan in highlighting the governing body’s accomplishments, including reducing bond debt and maintaining “superior services for the residents,” such as construction of the community center, which he said, “offers numerous daily programs for all our residents.”
“Our police department is second to none,” Sargenti said. “Our first responders are in a class of their own. We recently recognized them all at the 9/11memorial dedication. And now we are in the process of developing Redevelopment Area 5. I take great pride in the accomplishments of our governing body. It has always been my nature to be part of the community in which I reside. Now having served on the council, I proudly state that the community is part of me. I serve on the council as your friend and neighbor. And many will attest, if someone has a need, I am, and we are, always available to lend a helping hand to the community.”
Norton took a softer approach than his running mates when it came to being critical of the incumbents, first thanking the Mayor and Council for “all the hard work” they’ve done.
The 15-year resident of the borough said he’s running primarily for three reasons.
“By stating these reasons, I’m not casting blame or laying blame at anyone’s doorstep,” Norton said.
But, he said, there are “issues within Fort Lee that need to be examined.”
“Since 1995, I have not seen a betterment in either the business, visual or aesthetic footprint of Fort Lee,” Norton said. “Walking down the streets, we continue to see excess traffic, lack of pedestrian traffic, storefronts out of business and the highly-touted Redevelopment zone five, which is nowhere.”
He said the second reason he’s running is “property taxes,” which he said have increased by an annual average of 6.2 percent over the past 10 years and called “unacceptable.”
Norton said his third reason for running is “the Port Authority.”
“And I will leave it at that since it is the 800-pound gorilla in Fort Lee,” he said. “I commend the council and the mayor for opposing the toll hikes. I support a bipartisan committee and wish the audit that is supposed to take place in 90 days to be distributed and reviewed in a timely fashion—not distributed at five o’clock on New Year’s Eve.”
Stay tuned to Patch for continued coverage of the Mayor and Council race and for more from Tuesday’s debate.
The complete debate will be broadcast on Time Warner Cable channel 81 on Oct. 27 and 29 at 8 p.m.
Anna
12:34 pm on Thursday, October 13, 2011
Thanks for the summary. I look forward to reading more.
William Mays
8:50 am on Friday, October 14, 2011
Martha Cohen really wanted a free shuttle from the GWB to the A-Train. That just shows what kind of fantasy world she is living in where tolls and gas are both free. She isn't going to get elected, she is running against Armand Pohan, who is a good councilman but also keep in mind that he is is the chairman of the NY Waterway and Arthur Imperatore's stepson.
William Mays
8:53 am on Friday, October 14, 2011
Also, really Judith Fisher? Replacing public employees with private ones? That is just stupid beyond all levels. We should be battling outsourcing, not encouraging it.
Rita Murphy
4:20 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
Armand Pohan may be chairman of the NYW but Arthur still runs EVERYTHING and thank goodness because Armand Pohan ran APA transport into the ground after his father and uncles after WWII started with a few army surplus trucks. From 1991, a top trucking company to 2002 bankrupt. The company fell February 14 2002 - a valentine's day present? All those people were out of work because he wasn't strong enough of a leader to mesh the needs of the company with the demands of the market. I can compare him, although on a smaller scale, to our past Govenor Corzine who put NJ into such debt and dire situation and who went on to MF Global, recently highlighted in the news - now Corzine brings that company down and millions missing. Fort Lee needs new ideas and a new approach. I pray it gets three.
NOR
9:50 am on Friday, October 14, 2011
Martha Cohen continues to lie about bonding, demonstrating that she does not understand municipal bonds. As the Democrats pointed out, they have refinanced Fort Lee's debt in the same way that a homeowner refinances his mortgage. The Democrats have lowered interest payments by as much as $300,000 a year and at the same time they reduced debt by $20 million. Ms. Cohen's accusation that the Mayor and Council raised their salaries and could not explain it at a council meeting? Check with Peggy Thomas at the Town Hall, who has researched the issue and discovered a typo. Ms. Cohen also describes herself as a "working Mom," as if she is somehow different than the working Dads on the Council. Finally, Ms. Cohen's accusation that the Mayor and Council are "enriching themselves" is a flat-out lie. Mayor Sokolich, a real estate attorney, turns down business that puts him into conflict in his role as mayor. Mr. Pohan recuses himself from any matters concerning New York Waterway when they come up within the Council. Perhaps the Republicans are unaware of Mr. Pohan's successful prosecution on corruption charges of NJ government employees, early in his legal career. Finally, the Republians failed to offer one substantive idea to cut town costs, while the Democrats have proven that they can and will cut costs while maintaining services. The Republicans need to come back with real specifics, instead of sound bites that pack an emotional, but ultimately hollow, punch.
Kyle Reese
10:59 am on Friday, October 14, 2011
@NOR - Hmmmm... I smell your fear. Don't be frightened NOR, Martha will represent you very well on the FL Council.
Rita Murphy
4:22 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
I can't even believe the rhetoric! Taxes in Fort Lee are terrible, the infrastructure non-existent and the cronyism at an all time high. Funny you don't mention Mr. Pohan driving APA into bankruptcy in 2002......leaving out a little point?
Howard L. Pearl
11:13 am on Friday, October 14, 2011
To NOR = Democrat bashing Republicans.
Both parties made valid points and errors. Incumbents, i.e. the Democratic slate, have a distinct advantage in accessing information. Specific Issues:
(1) Budget interpretation. Mayor Sokolich made it clear that the bonding was “refunding” or refinancing. Martha Cohen indicated that she believed that there were “new emergency appropriations” that added to the fiscal debt, i.e. not lying, difference of perception. Funds do appear to have been borrowed to pay pension and retirement benefits to civil service workers in excess of budget allocations.
(2) Mayor Sokolich would reject business that would conflict with his role as Mayor; Mr. Pohan would recuse himself from matters related to his personal business interests. The citizens of Fort Lee should expect no less from any elected official.
(3) Our focus should only be on Mr. Pohan’s production as a Councilman for many years, not his private success.
(4) Note: you failed to mention Councilman Sargenti’s ambivalence regarding his position as Council Liaison to the Board of Education!
(5) No candidate proposed anything radical that would turn the Fort Lee economy around, Businesses are closing in Fort Lee and few new ones are opening. That does not bode well for our community.
We need to elect the best candidates available. Fort Lee needs a better educational system, new businesses to grow and flourish, and more involved citizens.
William Mays
12:33 pm on Friday, October 14, 2011
If he can run the NY Waterway, he can be on the council.
NOR
12:51 pm on Friday, October 14, 2011
Mr. Pearlman, I brought up the convictions Pohan won as a prosecutor, not as a lawyer in private practice. He won a major corruption trial, and because Ms. Cohen accused the Mayor and Council of enriching themselves, it was important to point out his recusals and his public service record: Hudson County prosecutor; Fort Lee boro attorney; and councilman. His expertise in legal, real estate, and financial matters make him well qualified for councilman. Would you want a neophyte handling town finances? As far as Ms. Cohen's talk about emergency allocations for pensions, I'm fairly sure that the state determines the pension contributions; the Council has no control over those numbers. The fact is that the town budget went up less than 1 percent last year while Fort Lee's borrowing dropped $20 million over three years, in spite of the state-induced pension burden. Finally, I did not hear anything substantive from the Republicans on how they are going to solve the problem of empty storefronts. Republicans, Independents and Democrats--we all share a problem in that consumer spending has dropped along with household income. Storefronts are empty in Fort Lee, in Greenwich, Connecticut, and on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Layoffs are continuing, particularly in the financial sector, which drove the New York metropolitan area economy for so long. The current Fort Lee government supports the development of local business, but it cannot solve an international financial crisis.
William Mays
12:41 pm on Friday, October 14, 2011
I'm not voting for anyone that supports outsourcing public employees, Democrat or Republican.
Kyle Reese
1:55 pm on Friday, October 14, 2011
Pohan and his cohorts are running the town... right into the ground! Enough with the re-treads, time for a fresh perspective.
William Mays
2:15 pm on Friday, October 14, 2011
Yeah, I'm sure some tea party morons can dig us out of this mess. I love how some people think that running a DMV office makes them qualified to be a mayor. Who are they going to nominate next? I heard the former manager of Path-Mark is looking for a job.
Rita Murphy
4:24 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
Outsourcing is at least a new idea...and why not? Oh, that's right, then the council wouldn't be sure to have their cronies first in line for jobs and votes! LOL
Howard L. Pearl
2:31 pm on Friday, October 14, 2011
NOR: Reading your dissertation, it is to be assumed that (a) you are Mr. or Mrs. Pohan, (b) a relative or friend of Armand’s or (c) someone who has devoted his/her life to chronicling his achievements. Mr. Pohan’s achievements as a prosecutor is not going to help Fort Lee now.
To be clear, Ms. Cohen asked a question regarding the minor raise authorized by the Council. She never accused them of “enriching themselves”. That interpretation is political rhetoric and a convenient distortion of the truth. Mr. Pohan’s honor was never really impugned.
FYI:The $ 20 million reduction in borrowing appears to be a bit deceptive in the amount of actual savings. Most of the candidates ARE fiscally savvy. Mr. Pohan: businessman; Mayor Sokolich: attorney: Ms. Fisher - accounting software; Mr. Norton - finance; and Ms. Cohen: media executive.
In local economics, the burden falls on the incumbents. Upon election to office, there is a reasonable expectation of positive change. Since 1990, I have seen a steady decline of business on Main St., the failures of the Centuria project, a steady dose of property tax increases. Global crisis agreed, but there has been a history of failure in local economics.
Change for the sake of change is not always the answer, but “new blood” can sometimes inject new ideas and new energy into government. There are many citizens of Fort Lee who believe that the status quo is simply not good enough.
NOR
5:04 pm on Friday, October 14, 2011
Mr. Pearl, yes, I am close to Mr. Pohan. No, I am not him. The Republicans used the words "enriching themselves" in a strong and accusatory tone. I'm not sure what you mean by the Democrats being deceptive regarding the debt reduction of $20 million and the actual savings.The math is straight-forward and the numbers are on the town's website. Frankly, Ms. Cohen's lack of savvy regarding accounting and municipal bond financing, as well as her claims that the town's debt increased, are problematic. And if you want to look at the main reason why real estate taxes have soared, please turn to the record of former Governor Christie Whitman. She made decisions that caused an underfunding of the pension fund, and Trenton goes to the towns to make up the shortfalls. The urrent Mayor and Council elected not to postpone Fort Lee's pension contribution this past year, even though in the short term a postponement would have made the budge look better. Instead, as I mentioned, the budget rose less than 1 percent last year, and the town cut borrowing costs as well as the expenses that they do control. If Fisher, Cohen and company have such good ideas, why haven't they given specific cost-cutting measures? Why haven't they given specific ideas to promote local businesses. They have offered no road map, and their rehetoric is just that, rhetoric. And the Mayor and Council are negotiating with the Centuria area developers to ensure that the project gives the boro what it wants and needs.
Kyle Reese
5:17 pm on Friday, October 14, 2011
You nailed it Howard, NOR=spoonfed Mrs. Pohan hiding behind a pseudonym.
NOR
10:22 am on Saturday, October 15, 2011
Mr. Reese, I am bowled over by your ability to ferret out that I know and support the reelection of the Democratic slate, especially my friend Mr. Pohan. But I am not running for Council, sir. And making me the issue on this board is a rather juvenile approach. Instead, why don't you talk about what matters most to you in Fort Lee, and how those matters are being addressed by current government and their challengers in this election.
Howard L. Pearl
7:09 pm on Friday, October 14, 2011
Nor: First, if you are Ms. Pohan, as Kyle Reese has alleged, you may not lambaste an opposition candidate under a pseudonym. It is the equivalent of Mr. Pohan doing it himself.
Your harping on the words “enriching themselves” has become tedious. $ 14,000; that would not even cover one semester at a major university.
Your denigration of Ms. Cohen’s fiscal savvy so vehemently may make voters believe that she is on to something. The Shakespearean quote: “He doth protest too much”, would seem to apply here.
Each town has to protect itself against crisis by having“a line of credit”. The $ 20 million related to unused funds that the Council did not require during the fiscal year for expenditures. That is to the Council’s credit. However, to state that $ 20 million was a direct savings that will offset expenditures in the following fiscal year, which is what you are implying, is misleading.
Whitman, Florio, McGreevey, and Corzine were all terrible governors who sold New Jersey down the river by poor negotiations with municipal unions, conceding pension and retirement benefits that border on ludicrous. But the Fort Lee administration is not off the hook. When you announce a budget and then borrow money to pay off pension contributions, it is fiscal manipulation.
As for the Centuria project, there are no guarantees that it will be a boon to the community. The only guarantee is that it will increase the overcrowding in our school system.
William Mays
9:21 pm on Friday, October 14, 2011
I'm sure it isn't Mrs. Pohan
NOR
10:02 am on Saturday, October 15, 2011
Mr. Pearl, you are incorrect. I did not say that there was a $20 million savings in expenditures. I said that the current Mayor and Council reduced debt by $20 milllion, thereby saving money in interest expense. I used to work in the municipal bond market, on the buy side, and Ms. Cohen's statements verge on the ludicrous. The current Mayor and Council have used borrowing power in a fiscally responsible manner. About Centuria, did you listen to the small percentage of the apartments that will be three-bedrooms? Did you not hear the percentage of real estate taxes from the project that will go directly to the Fort Lee school system? You, like Ms. Cohen and Ms. Fischer, are speaking in generalities. I have disclosed that I am close to Mr. Pohan. That does not infringe on my right to free speech, which is protected by our Constitution. And while I am at it, let's pose a question for Ms. Cohen. She has trumpeted her business experience as a television and film executive. Yet how much film and television business has she brought to Fort Lee, esepcially during the period when there was a tax credit incentive (killed by Governor Christie) that brought a show like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, to town? The only Repbulican candidate who spoke with substance is Mr. Norton. I am not going to vote for Mr. Norton, but I respect him because he understands the issues and thoughtfully articulates his opinions and ideas.
Al Norton
9:26 am on Saturday, October 15, 2011
I'm Al Norton and a candidate for Fort Lee Council.In the Fort Lee Homeowner debate I indicated that one of the reasons I was running for Council is the means in which the Port Authority seems to act with impunity relative to residents of Fort Lee and Bergen County.I described it as the 800 pound gorilla in Fort Lee taxing both municipal manpower and infrastructure.I'm penning this note before getting my flu shot to urge all our elected officials to keep pressing for full disclosure.Write/email to Messr's Christie/Cuomo /Samson and continue to press the case.
As reported in todays Record the PA is seeking independant bids for 2012 auditor. The Record reported that Deloitte & Touche has held the contract for 30 years.I'm not sure what their audit reports have said but in August 2011 the New York State Comptrollers audit indicated that overtime pay “flows like water” and “Management has no clear strategy to achieve its own benchmarks and goals for curbing costs,”.
The revised $25 Billion Capital Improvement plan for which these toll hikes are required will create 131,000 jobs as per PA press releases. Great I'm all for that if they materialize, but have any of our local lawmakers asked how many of these jobs will flow to Fort Lee?
Their is an audit promised within 90 days of the toll hikes.Lets get it and without political rancor,continue to press our case.
Thank you
William Mays
11:13 am on Saturday, October 15, 2011
Mr. Norton, you were the most polite and intelligent out of all the candidates there. I do have a question for you? Why didn't you run in the Democratic primary, with your views?
NOR
10:06 am on Saturday, October 15, 2011
Mr. Norton, I am in complete agreement with you. The Port Authority needs to be far more accountable in its expenditures. I also believe the entire tri-state mass transit system needs a comprehensive plan that puts commuters first.
Howard L. Pearl
11:29 am on Saturday, October 15, 2011
NOR: (or Ms. Pohan?) I never said that you did not have the right to speak, rather that speaking anonymously, when related to a candidate, is self-serving and pure deception, better known as “cowardly politics”.
You have now verified my analysis that $ 20 million was not saved. Thank you.
Your flawed analysis of Centuria is so slanted that you are ludicrous. The number of children that move into Centuria may not be predicted with any certainty. The amount of tax dollars generated that go to the school system may enable the hiring of new teachers and purchase new textbooks and equipment, but it will not solve the overcrowding problem; it will exacerbate it.
You might take note that I have never abased Mr. Pohan in any way. You, on the other hand, continue to denigrate Ms. Cohen; you obviously greatly fear her. FYI: I can assure you that if Ms. Cohen had the power to generate business for Fort Lee, she would have done so. I have always known her to be woman of great integrity.
You compliment Mr. Norton on his ability to articulate. Curiously, you fail to mention Mr. Sargenti, Mr. Pohan’s running mate, who performed rather poorly at the candidate’s debate!
I am seriously considering recommending to Ms. Cohen to engage you as her campaign manager. I doubt there is anything that she could do to Mr. Pohan’s candidacy that could inflict more damage than your rhetoric
Kyle Reese
7:39 pm on Saturday, October 15, 2011
NOR(Mrs. Pohan?) is having a convenient memory lapse. Weren't Mssrs. Pohan, Sokolich and Sargenti part of the Council that let CNBC waltz out of Fort Lee and up to Englewood Cliffs? Judging by her vapid criticism of Ms. Cohen, she should be outraged that her own husband lost a huge ratable for our town.
Kyle Reese
8:01 pm on Saturday, October 15, 2011
FYI-received from an unimpeachable source that Pohan's wife is Nancy O. Rieger(NOR). Looks like you're busted tootsie.
Howard L. Pearl
8:27 pm on Saturday, October 15, 2011
Congratulations Kyle! Exposing someone who comments under the cloak of anonymity is the best way to show that her arguments are self-serving. Ms. Pohan is fully discredited now, as she should be for her verbal assault on Martha Cohen. She no longer has any credibility and has certainly hurt Armand Pohan's credibility and respect in the community.
Jack B Goode
9:35 pm on Saturday, October 15, 2011
Mr. Pohan is a non practicing attorney. He is also a non practicing Councilman. When you look up "empty suit" you will find his picture. He has been a Councilman forever and hasn't 1 achievement . He was President of A.P.A Trucking ....it went out of business,
He was CEO of Arthurs restaurant..POOF...bankrupt..he was NY Waterways president when they came 1 inch from Bankruptcy..(they were bailed out by taxpayers money)...so does he deserve re-election? He shouldn't have even been re nominated. Stale 1 party government.......not good for anyone
William Mays
3:20 am on Sunday, October 16, 2011
Hes been a councilman for 3 or 4 years.
Kyle Reese
11:53 pm on Saturday, October 15, 2011
Source: refdesk.com
Nancy O Rieger
4 Horizon Rd, Apt 1015
Fort Lee, NJ 07024-6726
Armand M Pohan
4 Horizon Rd, Apt 1015
Fort Lee, NJ 07024-6726
Jack B Goode
10:34 am on Sunday, October 16, 2011
Mr. Pohan, 66, is the chairman of New York Waterway, a ferry company that has its headquarters in Weehawken, N.J. He was a member of the borough council in Fort Lee 1978 to 1981.He is now finishing his 4th (non consecutive)term having been elected in 2003. If reelected,this will be his 5th term . A total of 15 years
Not 3-4 years as stated above.
William Mays
6:27 pm on Monday, October 17, 2011
I confused him for someone else, who got elected in 2008 or 2007?
carol simon
12:32 pm on Sunday, October 16, 2011
"Ms. Pohan is fully discredited now, as she should be for her verbal assault on Martha Cohen. She no longer has any credibility and has certainly hurt Armand Pohan's credibility and respect in the community."
Since when do bloggers and community members make random judgments about people's credibility based on arbitrary claims and accusations??? Seems to me there are a lot assumptions and inuendo that does not warrant the demise of an experienced candidate nor the upliftinging of another. (Howard, not personal to you, just used as one example)
Some of these remarks are baseless, unjustified and tasteless.
carol simon
12:33 pm on Sunday, October 16, 2011
Just to clarify, the initial quote is not mine, rather taken from prior dialogue.
Tom
7:41 am on Monday, October 17, 2011
HMMM I can surely see that Democrats or their supporters are bashing Republicans. But I like facts, Armand Pohan is running NY Waterway because his step dad owns the Company. No bashing, just the facts. I do have a question. If he is such a terrific lawyer, why is he wasting his time on the Council? He bought his condo in Horizon House just to run for council?
William Mays
6:29 pm on Monday, October 17, 2011
His step-dad could have easily appointed someone else. He has a law degree from Harvard, I think that says something.
jimmy
10:30 am on Monday, October 17, 2011
NOR, that could easily be checked out by anybody who thinks drug dealers working with our children is a serious problem or threat ..any respectable new agency would follow up on it, and any respectable politican would quickly correct a very poor decision before it became a big issue !!
Hey i could have gone to a newspaper or tv station with this ..think it would be a newsworthy story for two guys running for re election ?? But i chose this forum because i know they'll read it, and they'll know that i know that they;re no better then anybody else , and that's really all i wanted !!
jimmy
12:10 pm on Monday, October 17, 2011
And apparently NOR the powers that be saw the comment , or were told about the comment by one of their lackeys and had borough officials calling borough employee's and asking for my phone # ..I was contaced by someone claiming to be from the patch, but since the patch denies contacting me, i'm only left to assume that the powers that be in fort lee govt. went out of their way to try and find out who this jimmy was , how much he really knew and what he intended to do with that information ..Well NOR, you can tell them that they can rest easier today, cause i just wanted to prove a point and am not out to try and ruin them, and I'M not going to stoop as low as contacting a news paper ot tv news station that would do exactly that ..i think i proved my point and that's all i wanted to do !!
carol simon
7:47 pm on Monday, October 17, 2011
Tom, don't know if you were referring to me as a Democrat bashing Republicans. Just want to clarify that I'm somewhere on the spectrum, of sorts, and I would never disparage my Republican neighbor! I was just taken aback by the seemingly unfair conclusions that were drawn in this discussion based on hearsay and exposing someone who chooses to remain anonymous, and without certainty chastising her/him as if it is the truth seemed wrong, no matter which party. Just to reiterate, I was not bashing any candidate. I know we're not journalists here but fair play, I think should prevail. However, it is politics, isn't it.
Howard L. Pearl
11:35 pm on Monday, October 17, 2011
Carol: First,there is a strong difference between someone who chooses to remain anonymous for personal reasons and someone who cloaks bias through anonymity.
In politics, where deception and unfulfilled promises seem to be the norm, the very least that we can do is seek the truth and elect those candidates that appear to have the intention of representing the voters, those individuals who appear to have real qualifications and at the least a modicum of integrity.
Tom
3:33 pm on Tuesday, October 18, 2011
You know some of you folks really make me laugh.This guy is Arthur Imperitore's son, step or not. This Pohan was in charge of bringing the Colorado Rockies to NJ. They sold the team when they realized they didn't know anything about hockey. The team became the New Jersey Devils and won four Stanley Cups. NY waterway was close to Chapter 11 when they were bailed out. He went to Harvard, where would you expect one of the wealthiest and powerful men on the East Coast's son to go to school? Bergen Community? with daddy's connections?
jimmy
6:10 pm on Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Posting that the franchise pohan ran had to be sold because he didn't know anything about what he was running, seems more damaging to him then helpful..especially when you consider how they went on to great heights once he left the picture !!
carol simon
6:11 pm on Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Howard, I appreciate your comment and insight.
NOR
2:38 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
I am Mrs. Pohan, "hiding" in plain sight. NY Waterway was never bailed out by the government. Arthurs Landing closed after 20 years and a 2009 two-star NY Times review--it got slammed by the economc downturn. Most new restaurants do not survive beyond one year. Armand did not buy his Fort Lee apartment to run for Council. He was already in Fort Lee when he made the decision to run. His mother lives a half-mile from us, and he looks after her. APA closed after 50 years. If you study the deregulation of the trucking industry and the effect union contracts had on companies that had to continue to abide by them, you would understand why APA closed. Regarding the Colorado Rockies, the Rockies were a small-market, money-losing team. The Imperatore family did not have a taxpayer-funded stadiuum waiting for them in NJ. After giving it a go, they cut their loses and sold the franchise. It rankles me when someone claims my father-in-law gave my husband his job because he is a family member. When my husband was around 32, his father asked him to leave a lucrative, rewarding and highly accomplished career as a partner at the law firm McCarter & English. Armand was the youngest person to make partner at McCarter, a testatment to the skills that also brought him the job of Fort Lee boro attorney when Burt Ross was Fort Lee mayor. You wont't see my husband on here telling you these things. He believes his work says enough. I am not him, though, and I wanted to set the record straight.
Rita Murphy
6:19 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
If Mr. Pohan cannot work out he issues with union contracts in the private sector where there is more leverage for business owners than in the public sector, how will he do that as a town councilman? Are not those the same issues facing the town today and why will his approach now beget a different outcome? There are many companies that face these issues every day and survive. One could extrapolate you are saying that the increasing regulations forced upon us in our everyday life by liberal democrats is causing havoc for us all in our lives from the companies we work for to the homes we live in.
Howard L. Pearl
3:58 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Now that you are being subjected to a torrent of criticism, much of which is also being targeted at your husband, perhaps you will now begin to understand how Martha Cohen felt during your constant stream of derision. Some of these comments are half-truths and thus painful. But your responses are so obviously biased that the public is no longer listening.
Let me reiterate one point. I have never attacked your husband or abased him as a candidate. Rather, I took umbrage at your comments regarding a specific opponent, whom I highly respect. But I have one question for you. If your husband’s record stands for itself, why have you been castigating Martha Cohen and fighting so hard to defend Armand?
Tom
5:29 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Howard, I think I have the answer. This year the Fort Lee Democrats are in panic mode. The reasons that I believe is responsible for the panic is: the tea party's growning success, President's very low approval rating and the ever rising taxes. I have heard rumors througout Fort Lee that pressure or bullying, is applied to business folks not to openly support the Republicans in any way. Since I was sworn to secrecy, I cannot go into detail.
NOR
5:29 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Howard, now, why did I castigate Ms. Cohen? Because Ms. Cohen makes false statements and leads with innuendo. You referred to Ms. Coehn by using the words "she believes" in an earlier post. But people runing for office need to do more than believe. They need to know the facts, and the fact is that she said the town's debt increased. She waved a piece of paper with a bond offering notice as proof at the debate. That's disengenous. You may think I asked my husband about the debt. I did not. I went online and looked at the PDFs myself. The facts are esy to read. You accused me on this board of stating that there was a "$20 million savings" in the budget. I never said that. This is what I actually wrote, and its' right there in one of my earliest posts: "The fact is that the town budget went up less than 1 percent last year while Fort Lee's borrowing dropped $20 million over three years, in spite of the state-induced pension burden." Is that really too hard for you to understand? Now, why am I defending Armand? Because my husband is not interested in getting down here in the mud, and truth be told, he would rather I not. But since I have an enormous amount of respect and love for him, I will not sit still while people who have done little or nothing for Fort Lee dump on his record. You want ludicrous, try the "enriching statement," which can be clearly heard on the debate tape. You've pooh-poohed me on that one as well, but it was said with ugly derision.
Tom
5:35 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Howard, I know and have spoken to Martha Cohen. She is an intelligent, articulate, educated woman. Maybe NOR feels threatened by Mrs Cohen.
Kyle Reese
6:10 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Hmmm... an incumbant Councilman's wife masquerades as an anonymous blogger and issues scathing & biased claims against the local challenger. When her cover is blown, and her ethics revealed, she spins the "stand by her man" defense. Absolutely priceless! Nancy - are you sure you're not working for the other team?
William Mays
6:19 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
So intelligent that she wants to initiate a moratorium on building in Fort Lee.
Rita Murphy
4:32 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
It's actually kind of odd that a councilman's wife has to be taking up the bat for him......I guess it makes me wonder why with his his financial backing, NY Waterways (not mentioning the bankruptcy of APA transport) and lifestyle why it's so important to be councilman........what are the real perks that make incumbents fight so hard to retain. It's as if they become so imbedded in the system of cronyism that they actually believe they shouldn't even be challenged.
Howard L. Pearl
6:19 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
NOR: First, I never dragged anyone through the mud, you did. When an individual runs for office, he/she cites the facts based on available information. Candidates are not invited to closed session Council meetings, i.e. incumbents have a clear information advantage. If one adds in the money from “emergency appropriations”, a strong case can be made that Fort Lee’s budget went up by more than 1%. Data is subject to interpretation. You accuse Ms. Cohen of falsification of facts, while you are concealing your identity. Then you want validation! How pathetic is that!!
Regarding your comment to me: “Is that really too hard for you to understand”? After I exposed you as a fraud (with Kyle Reese’s assistance), it is almost humorous for you to attempt to condescend to me. To again quote you: “I will not sit still while people who have done little or nothing for Fort Lee…). You deign to judge people like Martha Cohen or anyone else and question her commitment to Fort Lee. Beyond the fact that you appear quite incapable of using spellcheck, your arguments reek of fear. Tom appears to be right on target.
I think it is safe to say that if your husband loses this election, you will have been a major contributor.
William Mays
7:40 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Is it for you to judge whether she is a fraud or not? Nowhere on Patch.com's rules does it say that you have to use your real name, so stop demanding that people use it. She stated that she was close to him and just because she is his wife, that doesn't mean that what she said was wrong. She wanted to stand up against the lies being made against her husband, and she had every right to. Her husband won't lose the election to someone who suggests not allowing new construction in Fort Lee.
Tracy Mattei
7:54 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Billy,
at the debate I thought Pohan was rather articulate and smart and conservative but this NOR (no matter who she is) kind of ruined it for me. Should have left well enough alone.....he did well in the debate and didn't need this.
carol simon
8:48 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
I think Mrs. Pohan exhibits courage to come forth with her identity!
Anna
9:29 am on Thursday, October 20, 2011
The personal attacks back and forth have really become too much. What's the difference if someone uses their real name or a pseudonym? Or their full name? People use pseudonyms all over the Internet. That doesn't make someone a "fraud". We should focus on the issues.
Al Norton
9:48 am on Thursday, October 20, 2011
Agreed Anna totally."he said-she said" comments are not productive.
See my comment on Part 2 Patch re:Historic Bonding and Interest.It is disengenuous for Democrats to take credit for reducing any debt when they created it in the first place.
Howard L. Pearl
10:11 am on Thursday, October 20, 2011
To Billy: As much as I would love to take umbrage at your comments; you spew inanities too often to really be taken seriously. However, you are an anonymous individual who comments. You are not posing as an objective outsider making comments on a candidate. When a candidate's wife chooses to cloak her identity, that is fraud by definition, not opinion.
To Carol: When you have been already exposed, how much courage does it take to admit you've been caught? Being forthright from the beginning would have been courageous, as you have always been. Mrs. Pohan is a political tool for her husband, no different than a shill at an auction, forcing the bidding to go higher. She has a personal vested interest in this campaign.
To Anna: I apologize for the personal attacks. I do not appreciate the viciousness of politics, but there does not seem to be a viable alternative, e.g. Rick Perry and Mitt Romney. These elections seem to bring out the worst in all of us. Ms. Pohan's subterfuge is exactly the reason why these things occur.
Armand Pohan
12:58 pm on Thursday, October 20, 2011
OK, Howard---I've refrained from entering the blogosphere, but enough already! My bride of 17 months, Nancy Rieger, is a feisty, independent Barnard graduate who says and does many things without my foreknowledge or approval---e.g. wading into this particular swamp; or pseudonymous blogging, even if done in support of me. Alas, Howard, this is not the '50's of our childhood, with Jane Wyatt greeting Robert Young at the door. In the 21st century it is indeed possible that a married woman would speak her own mind even to her husband's displeasure---not as his "shill" or "political tool."
Tracy---I'm the candidate, and a pretty good one, as you know----not my wife. Please vote for me.
Nancy---I love you, but could you please stay out of this mud-wrestling until the election's over?
And Al---as long as we pay off more old debt than we authorize new debt, the total net debt of the Borough will go down. This year we have authorized $1.9 million in new debt and are paying down $4.8 million in principal on old debt. The net debt of the Borough will therefore go down.
Now for MY question of the day: Out of the 70 municipalities in Bergen County, how many had a municipal tax increase of less than Fort Lee's .89% this year? Or less than Fort Lee's aggregate of 7.17% increase over the past 3 years? Please be specific!
----Armand Pohan (himself)
Anna
3:20 pm on Thursday, October 20, 2011
You go, Armand!
Howard L. Pearl
2:00 pm on Thursday, October 20, 2011
Armand: Nice to meet you. Out of respect to you, I will refrain.
As an almost newlywed, you are entitled to congratulations. I hope that you recognize that there was no malice intended. I also hope that you and I are not the only ones reading this blog who remember Father Knows Best. If you help me get this school referendum passed, we can consider it even.
Armand Pohan
2:41 pm on Thursday, October 20, 2011
Howard, thank you for your gracious response. On Monday of this week I spoke with Art Levine, who is arranging for me the same facilities tour that the Mayor took last Friday. Even without a tour, It isn't hard to imagine why a 50-year-old middle school, an 80-year-old high school, and a 100-year-old School #4, inter alia, would be in serious need of major capital repairs and improvements, esp. in a town whose population is still growing. I doubt that blogger here would let his/her own residence go into such disrepair. It isn't in my power or duties as a Councilman to approve or disapprove a Board of Education bond issue, but as a private citizen I have every right to express my support for this intitiative.
Art Elmers
4:48 pm on Thursday, October 20, 2011
Armand, thankyou for your interest in our schools.
Howard L. Pearl
4:46 pm on Thursday, October 20, 2011
The reasons for the disrepair and deterioration has been the lack of a dynamic BOE to drive a referendum through Fort Lee. There are BOE minutes from the late ‘80s and early 90’s denoting the overcrowding and need for upgrade. I was not involved at the time, but nothing was done with the exception of the “band-aid approach”, i.e. nothing gets repaired or upgraded until it breaks down.
Now our children are suffering the consequences. While Edgewater has a beautiful new school, Fort Lee suffers the indignity of having embarrassing schools, with no real solution in sight. This referendum is a small step in the right direction. Town Council members are citizens are Fort Lee and we need their vocal support.
William Mays
5:08 pm on Thursday, October 20, 2011
How much did Edgewater pay for it?
Tracy Mattei
5:06 pm on Thursday, October 20, 2011
Armand~ I was glad to see you came to the blog-ospere, I think you and Al Norton, cleared up quite a bit in a few short paragraphs. Anyway, I get the whole wife thing, I may have done the same thing, given the circumstances. And you did do well at the debate, there is no contesting that- for all you who were not there, his answered addressed specific concerns in the same style as his blog response, clear and concise, respectful and accurate.
Now, by biggest objection to the council as it stands now is that you did not address the needs of the school system. The school system is the major part of our taxes and I expect the Mayor and town representatives to take an active role as the bridge connecting municipality and school district; the SD is not a segregated entity, it is a large part of the community. The SD is interdependent on the greater community but for whatever reason is not connected or managed as part of that at the council level. It seemingly is pushed aside and and independent. I would like to hear more of what the council has done in support of the SD, and what they plan to do.
Armand Pohan
10:45 pm on Thursday, October 20, 2011
Tracy, like it or not, NJ state law mandates a near-total separation between Mayor & Council & BOE: they have separate elections; they have separate budgets and bonding; they even have totally separate volumes in the NJ Statutes (Title 18 vs.Title 40A). The only official point of intersection is if the voters reject the school budget, the Borough Council becomes the final arbiter. I think that the State of NJ in its infinite(?) wisdom has two reasons for this separation: (1) SDs often include multiple small municipalities; (2) BOEs should be "above" the partisan politics (Rs and Ds) of municipal government. Despite this mandated separation, we try to work with the BOE. Examples: (1) The M&C paid for the renovation of the Van Fleet Park field, the re-turfing of the Stillwell Ave. fields, and the Community Center---all necessary because the BOE has insufficient athletic facilities for our children. (2) We agreed to a property swap with the BOE which allowed the last referendum to go to the voters. (3) We are working with the BOE on the possible acquisition of the Trinity Church school to address the issues of classroom space and special-needs students. Beyond all this, the Mayor and individual members of the Council, including Mike Sargenti and myself, have frequent informal contacts with BOE members. The State mandates our separation, but we are all in this together.
Armand Pohan
10:53 pm on Thursday, October 20, 2011
Slight correction (typing too fast!): "Trinity Church" should read "Holy Trinity Church."
Tracy Mattei
8:25 am on Friday, October 21, 2011
Part 1 of 2
Armand, Thank you for replying.
While I did know that there needs to a fiscal and electoral separation, that does not give reason for the lack of presence of the council members at the BOE meetings, providing representation of the municipality (and vice versa). The legislated separation does not negate the overwhelming influence of the mayor and council members in supporting or ignoring the school system. I am a bit offended that the council has only gone to the school recently for a tour, while kids endure some unhealthy conditions. Our schools are closer to a poor inner city than what Fort Lee esteems itself. In our case, we are a single municipality School District. Casual or informal contacts with BOE members are simply not reasonable to me. We need council members to observe, participate and understand what is going on with the vantage point of the gallery members (school parents and other tax payers), during the BOE meetings. As far as BOE members being above the politics, I agree, but at some point the Mayor and Council should be above it too when it comes to helping our children and supporting our SD.
Tracy Mattei
8:25 am on Friday, October 21, 2011
Part 2 of 2
On a very positive note: The updates to the parks are a success, (don’t forget the American LL Field). However, it was not in response to the school district 'insufficient athletic fields'- but fulfilling a need in our community, fields or any outdoor space (beyond the school activities) is not part of the duties of a SD. It is part of the municipality's, and it is part of the council’s achievement. Somehow, in your reply, the connection to the SD softened the achievement of providing fields for your citizens. It is for all the citizens of Fort Lee, not just those who go to the schools. Schools and parks are not the same issue, blurring the line diminishes the issues in one and the success of another.
Hope to hear from you again!
carol simon
9:47 am on Friday, October 21, 2011
Mr. Pohan, I'm impressed with your candid biosphere input...you changed the tone to one of deserved respect and focus of the issues.
Howard L. Pearl
11:02 am on Friday, October 21, 2011
Tracy: I’m sorry that you “get the whole wife thing”, very disappointing! I have and will continue to criticize anonymous blogging. But in the case of “biased, deceptive blogging”, it is simply unacceptable.
Armand: The fact that NJ Statutes separate the powers of the BOE and the Mayor and Council is a convenient excuse for not taking a stance on a controversial topic, e.g. a school referendum. Councilmen are also citizens with a vested interested in the betterment of the community, and not only have the right to speak on behalf of a civic matter, but a responsibility to be involved. Note: If a school budget is rejected by the voters, it is referred to the Town Council, i.e. interactive relationship. The Mayor and the Town Council were silent in the media regarding the original referendums. The First Referendum failed by six votes. Had our representatives publically supported this referendum, it may very well have passed and Fort Lee, as a community, would have greatly benefited.
As to the point of BOE elections supposedly being “above” partisan politics, it doesn’t stop special interest groups from dominating the election. As for “informal meetings” with BOE members, we have no direct knowledge of which Councilmen do or do not participate or the frequency, i.e. hearsay evidence. Councilmen should attend BOE meetings when possible in order to thoroughly relate to the serious educational crises in this community.
Tracy Mattei
1:04 pm on Friday, October 21, 2011
Oh Howard! I said I understand the whole wife thing, because I would have the same need too, she probably did it out of love! I said nothing about anonymous bloggers! You know I put my name on everything I write and bear the consequences!
William Mays
5:37 pm on Friday, October 21, 2011
They aren't obligated to support it Howard. Anyway, the first one was a huge waste of money, and the second one as well. I think we should just pass this one and then go from there.
Jack B Goode
11:27 am on Saturday, October 22, 2011
Mr. Pohan's role in the failed "Town and Country/Centuria" debacle. He has been a Councilman and a party to the Planning Board during most if not all of the Town and Country hearings. Citizens Community Bank of Ridgewood, NJ failed in 2009..The chairman of the board of the bank is James Bovino who is also the chairman and founder of Whiteweld & Company. CENTURIA, an affiliate of Whiteweld & Company, acquired a 16-acre tract of land in Fort Lee, where it planned the $1 billion project named CENTURIA. The bank had $24 million loans in real estate. In 08, the FDIC issued a cease-and-desist order alleging "hazardous" lending practices, "unsatisfactory" capital, inadequate management oversight, violations of the Federal Bank Secrecy Act and other problems. The 41/2 year-old bank never reported a profitable year and had been hurt by commercial and residential loans.
Regulators stated that the bank was operating with "an excessive level of adversely classified loans and/or delinquent loans" and "inadequate earnings to cover losses, support operations and augment capital." The bank was also accused of operating a mortgage division "without proper oversight and risk analysis."
These problems did not begin in 2009, so why did Pohan repeatedly vote to allow Town and Country to become the approved Developer of this property? As an elected representative,shouldn't he have known this and protected Fort Lee against it?....Mr. Norton is a much better choice
Tom
9:06 pm on Saturday, October 22, 2011
After sitting fallow for some 40 years, the Helmsley property will be developed. The Helmsley property was renamed Town and Country then area 5. With all the secrecy surrounding the property mabe they should name area 51. When the current Mayor and Council awarded the contract to build, who did they give it to? well they gave it to a fellow Democrat who donated thousands of dollard to Democratic candidates all over. You can check their names here. http://fundrace.huffingtonpost.com/
Al Norton
7:11 pm on Sunday, October 23, 2011
The whole Helmsley ,Town & Country,Centuria,Redevelopment Zone 5 project leaves me with a queasy feeling. Not sure it rises to the level of Area 51 but brief overview seems to go like this.
Leona dies-Town & Country (2005)buys property but goes kaput.(noted Mr Goode)
Bids ensue and in April 2010 project winner is SJP/Dematrakis.
In May 2010 losing bidder Turner sues claiming unfair bidding practice by the Borough,
In May 2011 Turner case is settled and SJP/Demetrakis is de-selected as sole developer.Turner re-emerges as co-developer.Sounds to me as if there had to have been some merit to the Turner case and of course encourage everyone to have an opinion.
William Mays
8:15 pm on Sunday, October 23, 2011
I don't like the plan the borough chose. They should have chosen Amerea.