Welcome Dr. Tilis

Tuesday, we appointed a new Councilman. I nominated Howard Tilis, and he was approved 3-1. I asked the Council to make it unanimous and we did. I really hope we can move forward now that all the appointing is done. It is time to think of what needs to be done to get us back on our feet again.

One thing I know. The budget is going to be horrible this year. Budgeting 101 teaches you not to use a one-time income to offset budget costs. If you do, you will be facing a hole right away. This is what happened last year, and it will be very hard to recover. Also, we do not know what state aid will bring this year, but we all know what shape the state is in. The whole town was revalued this year. That will really hurt some people whose homes haven't been reassessed for many years. I just hope we can cut spending, or we are going to be in big trouble.

I do feel better now that all the appointments are over. No more free rides. From now on, everyone who wants to have an office will have to run for it. And that is the democratic way. Believe me, I don't like appointing people.

It's Over But It's Just Begun

Last night, we appointed our new Mayor, Mike Reina. It was good to have that behind us, but it now opens up a whole series of problems. My abstention was truly heartfelt. I could not choose between my former running mates. There was no right way to do this, and either way, I caused hard feelings and probably appeared indecisive. Not true. I had decided I would do that a long time ago. I just followed through.

The second problem is the election of the new Council member. Last night I brought up a name, because I sincerely believe he would do an excellent job. Unfortunately, there were not three votes, and the nomination did not pass. If I thought that was going to happen, I never would have brought up the name. The idea that three people on the Council asked for resumes for the Council position would be funny if it weren't so sad. None of these people thought resumes for Mayor were necessary, and now resumes are suddenly vital. I see all the handwriting on the wall.

I will be leaving for vacation on Monday. I hope when I come back, I have restored my faith in the process, and we can move forward. I wish the new Mayor well, and I hope he and the Council can move on with the business of governing. This is NOT what I signed on for.

We're Tightening the Purse

The amount of spending our esteemed Mayor is doing is almost mind boggling. However, the Council is doing what it can to stop him in his tracks. After last month's lowering of the threshold for bid, we cut him off at the heels with a lot of the bills on Wednesday. The best one I found was his submitting to go to the League of Municipalities conference. Is he out of his mind? He told me the room he reserved was for the next Mayor. If he thought I believed that, he had another think coming. We unanimously voted NOT to pay that bill. And I can assure everyone that there will be more we will deny. None of us has the stomach to let this spending go on. And the next budget will be unbelievably scrutinized before it ever gets by this Council. The Department heads are on notice that we want some serious cuts.

As for transferring between accounts, that is a very common practice. We used to do that all the time on the Board of Education. It's just that when I served on that Board, I trusted the Superintendent of Schools. I do not trust the Mayor. And his people can't function under the Reign of Terror he has created. I couldn't function well either if I thought I would lose my job if I went against the Mayor's wishes. The Town is in "freeze" mode, and it won't go away until the Mayor does. We can't shut down the Government. We just need to keep a good eye on the Governors.

But we will keep on keeping on. This is a good Council. We work well together, and together we will try to fix what's broken. That is what we were elected to do.

He Didn't Resign

So, after the meeting I had with him on Tuesday, I had the feeling this would happen. Our esteemed Mayor was evasive at that meeting, and he wouldn't get pinned down to a date. I told him he resigned to the press in August, and he should follow through. He smiled and told me he had "projects" to complete. I also told him he should show up at Council meetings. He said they were a circus. I told him we are all professionals here, and we should act like professionals. He thanked me for my opinion. All of this was like talking to a wall. He was very polite, told me his "side"of things, and did exactly as he wanted.

So where does that leave us? The Mayoral "hopefuls" will all have to sit back and wait. I don't think he will resign until his term is over, but he did exactly what he wanted to do...cause chaos. Hopefully, the Council has sat on his ability to spend money like a drunken sailor by passing the resolution lowering his bid threshold. You can bet we will be closely monitoring any contracts he's thinking of awarding, and we are going to thwart him every way we can. He got the message when four of us overrode his veto. He is now in a real battle, and we are tenacious. With our taxes in threat of severely increasing, with the economy going into freefall, with people possibly losing their homes, it is inconceivable that anyone would spend the way he does. But that is our Mayor, and unless someone follows through on recall, we are stuck with him.

WOW!!!!

So much has happened since I last wrote that I don't even know where to begin. The Mayor issue has mushroomed beyond my wildest dreams. We have received fourteen (14) resumes, and I have read every one of them. We will be acknowledging receipt of them, but we haven't really set up any interview procedure. I know of at least three Council member who want to be appointed at this time.

George Gilmore threw a monkey wrench into the whole thing last night. He said that nobody on the Council should vote for himself/herself because by doing that, you are using your power for personal financial gain....meaning the Mayor's salary which is triple a Councilperson's salary. Of course, if you want to vote for yourself, it's quite all right to accept the Mayor's position at the current Council salary. That is ridiculous. Whoever the Mayor is, the responsibility is enormous, particularly in this climate. The Mayor should receive the salary designated for the position. However, the point is well taken that it could give the APPEARANCE of impropriety by voting for yourself and a larger salary. If that is the case, I don't see three votes for anyone, since you supposedly can't vote for yourself.

I have also heard rumors that Mayor Seda will now be pushing his resignation off until October 28th, or even more interesting, that he will not be resigning at all. I think I would laugh myself silly over that. Look at all the speculation, rumor, arguments, etc, this has caused, and now he doesn't resign? Wow!!!!! And, he keeps giving us last minute zingers. Painting, paving and creating contracts seem to be the name of the game.

Next week at this time I will know more than I know now. Either the Seda will still be Mayor or he won't !!!! That's about all I can predict. Hey, this is a lot more "interesting" than I ever could have imagained. In the meantime, and in spite of all, I hope I am doing a good job and getting things done.

And Now What

Well the date for the Mayor's resignation is nearing, and I am not a happy camper. I have been put in a terrible position. I do NOT want to choose a Mayor. I want to have him/her elected. Not only do I have to worry about choosing a Mayor, but I may also have to appoint a new Council member. This is not what I signed on for.

Not much of great import happened at the last meeting. We seem to be hitting a bit of a stride. We are such a great team, but I have a feeling we are going to be broken up. I would hate to see us go back to the old ways. I really believe we are giving the people an open form of government. Nobody can say we don't discuss items openly and above board. I believe it is different from what the residents of this Township are used to, and I think they are much happier.

I will do what I have to do, but I am my own person, and regardless of what happens, I will continue to vote my conscience, andIi will not be persuaded to do that which I don't think is right.

Still Late, But Moving Along

Although the last Council meeting ran until 11:30PM, we are definitely making progress. It is very hard to have an open discussion on the platform and at the same time shorten the meeting. The last thing we want to do is limit public comment, so the meetings will be running a little longer.

Well, we certainly won the battle if not the war, and the war is still able to be won, if Mayor Seda resigns. The Building Department will remain open, and that is what we set out to do. When the new Mayor comes on board, if we see we need to increase our staff at the Building Department, we will be able to do so. It was a long, hard fight, but I feel we won.

We also cancelled the CCTV contract, and I think we are on our way to creating our own agenda and not having to undo the past. The EDC will be reappointed, and that is a very good thing.

As of this writing, we still haven't received an official resignation from Mayor Seda. That is very unfortunate, but he is a stubborn man. Everyone in town seems to want to be Mayor but me, and I don't know how it will be resolved. I would love to see a special election in the near future with an interim Mayor until then. I will certainly suggest that, but I have no idea if I will have three votes. I hope so, because I feel it is the fairest way to get our new Mayor. Let the people speak.

After almost two months on the Council, I have to admit it is a huge job. We have to spend a great deal of time preparing if we wants to do it right. I want all the information I can get before I vote, and that is the way it is.

How About an Early Resignation, huh?

Well, I tried last night but to no avail. I respectfully asked the Mayor for his resignation earlier than October 17th. Unfortunately, because of his decision to resign on that late date, we will not be able to have our next election for Mayor until November, 2009. When I pressed him for his reasons for not resigning sooner, he stuck with his original answer of having things to finish. I asked him what things, but I got no answer. Till the very end, as a lame duck, he will be pulling strings in Jackson.

It looks like his back is to the wall about the Building Department. There is no other avenue available but to keep it open. DCA will not handle it, we will NEVER outsource to a third party, and there are laws governing having a Building Department and a certain number of staff. I cannot understand why he just wouldn't concede the issue, as there is no place for him to go.

We also cancelled the CCTV contract. We had many questions about that issue, including why we need to include the turf fields. We do need surveillance by the jail, and the Mayor will be sending out RFPs very soon so that we are in compliance with the state.

So far, the Council has been anything but dull. We are trying to have open discussions, and I think we are succeeding.

Holy Cow

Well now, this is an interesting turn. Our Mayor has resigned, and it is up to us, a 5-member Council, the majority of whom were just elected, to appoint a leader. Holy cow! This, of course, was by design, or the Mayor would have resigned in time for candidates to be on the November ballot. Alas, the Council is now in the unenviable position of appointing, not electing, a Mayor. We will clearly tick off half the population of Jackson no matter what we do. I have been on the Council exactly one month, and I am now being asked to pick out a person who will have to run Jackson Township until either a special election is held, or 2010 when the next scheduled election will be held. It would have been so much better if the people had a chance to speak in November. That would have been more than fair as far as I am concerned.

Jackson Township will be left in a mell of a hess no matter what. The Mayor has publicly stated he has unfinished business to clear up before he leaves. That, I assume, means pushing for the closing of the Building Department amongst other things. In truth, I wish he'd leave now, as long as he's going. How much more mess will we have to clear up before we can start to do what we said we would do? And there is so much that needs to be done. All I ask is a chance to do these things and get on with the business of healing Jackson. There is no question that Jackson is in pain right now, and we just need a chance to try to get it back together. This new development, while welcomed by the majority, will only cause more havoc by the way it was done. This is a scenario I was hoping to prevent by really having open Government. So much for pipe dreams. And so the saga continues, and I am now a central player in a drama I did not create.

Mayor, Mayor Everywhere, but Not a Drop to See

The havoc the Mayor is wreaking is evident throughout the town, but he has yet to show up at a Council meeting. We have requested his presence, he has written us a cryptic email about his appearing, and still he doesn't show. Right now we have more questions than answers on key issues. To say I am frustrated does not even begin to cover the ground. I, as a Councilwoman, will not make a decision without having every bit of information I need to form an intelligent conclusion. I would love to move forward with our own agenda for the Township, but instead, we are mired in trying to undo some of the past damage. That is no way to have to be on a Council.

As for the Building Department, the mayor finally, at the 11th hour, issued us a 30 day stay so we can hear the final report from our Budget Advisory Committee. There is a lot of "muscle" on that committee, and they are a bright group of people. I think they will be fair and forthright in their conclusion. I can only feel tremendous sympathy for the Building Department employees. They have been put through hell, and I wish I could speed this process up.

CCTV is really bugging me. We have put a hold on this project because we don't have one lick of information. The more we ask, the more we realize what we don't know. When I showed George Gilmore the PO, which was the ONLY piece of information I got because I asked for it, he said the PO itself was illegal. You can't pay a contractor for work not done yet. And, it seemed the work started before the contract was approved. This is yet another mess from before.

One thing that has become evident on this Council...there is NO rubber stamping. I have voted with different Council members on different issues. I think each of us really tries to vote our conscience, no matter who else agrees, and I think the public appreciates the honesty, even though not all votes go the way they think they should. But we listen, as was promised, and then we try to cast an informed vote. Remember the fortune cookie..."The will of the people is the best law." Do you hear that, Mark?

My First Meeting

Well, I fulfilled my own prophecy last night. I voted on different issues with different Council members. The two votes that I made after much soul searching were to pay the bill for work done by a vendor who owes us fines. I know I'd like to stop the payment, but we were told last night that legally, we can't do it. I do not want to be placed in this position in the future. We either need to go after the fines, bring the people into compliance, or stop awarding lucrative contracts to the very people who owe us money.

The second issue was lowering the Mayor's salary. After the 2 years he has given us of missteps, arrogance and nose thumbing, this would have been sweet revenge. But I couldn't do that in good conscience. I am hoping that by this Council showing some restraint, the Mayor will also show some restraint in coming up with self-serving, autocratic decisions that will hurt many, many people. Let me say this now. I used restraint and caution in my vote last night. I will not be so generous next year if this Mayor doesn't start seriously rethinking himself. Enough already!!!!

I could feel a definite difference in the air last night. Everybody had a chance to be heard, and they were treated with respect and courtesy by this Council. In return, the speakers addressed us with courtesy and respect as well, even though they might have been passionate about their issues. John was very kind when he said he disagreed with one of our decisions, but he felt that we voted according to our own conscience. Ken was very informative with what goes on at the Planning Board, and he was very discreet in discussing anything about any open applications before his Board.

I know there will be times when the issued become heated. I know sometimes people will lose their tempers, but if we as a Council go to the dais with the thought of doing our best, letting people be heard and voting our conscience, it can't help but be better than it has been for the last two years.

Let There Always Be REAL Fireworks

Last night the Township sponsored its annual fireworks display. I couldn't even estimate how many people were there, but it was wall to wall. It was a true "Hometown USA" event. There were hotdogs and hamburgers, popcorn, and vendors of all kinds. Kids were running around, playing ball, using the basketball courts and the playgrounds and in general having a high ole time.

The band was excellent. I couldn't help dancing to their music, and many others couldn't keep from dancing either. You could feel the excitement as the fireworks got closer, and everyone was really ready to enjoy them. Well, they were worth waiting for. I think our Township has got to have one of the most spectacular fireworks displays around. I have usually watched it outside the park, but being there has to be an experience to remember.

I wrote a thank you to the Mayor telling what a wonderful event it was, and I asked him to convey my thanks to the Township departments who worked so hard to make this happen. I saw many of our Township employees there last night, and they were doing a bang-up job.

I was proud to be a "Jacksonian" and a member of the Council. No party politics in Johnson Park last night. These are the type of fireworks we could all enjoy.

What a Night!

Ok, even I'm impressed. When a Governor, a US Senator, a Mayor of the largest city in NJ, and a US attorney for the State of New Jersey show up to speak at your swearing in, then you know you have been sworn in!!!

Governor Corzine swore Michael Kafton in, Attorney Christie swore Mike Reina in, and Senator Lautenberg swore me in. They all spoke afterwards, as did Mayor Cory Booker of Newark, and their words were impressive and inspiring. I don't think there was any show of politics in the whole ceremony as both Republican and Democrat came together to witness this great event.

The only dignitary missing was our own Mayor, Mark Seda. I could not believe he was not there. I spoke with Republicans and Democrats at the end of the ceremony, and all had the same thing to say. It was certainly unfortunate that our Mayor was not there. If politicians from all over the state of New Jersey, from both parties, found the time to come to this event, then where was our Mayor? I was very disappointed since I saw him just last night, and he said nothing to me. I know there were some very important Republicans at the meeting including Todd Porter and Ken Bressi (thank you guys). I wish the Mayor was able to attend as well.

The reorganization went unbelievably well. We approved all suggested appointments as a unified Council, and I hope this will continue. In the interest of running this township in the best possible manner, I believe we need a spirit of compromise. It isn't all going to be smooth sailing, but this was a wonderful beginning. Thank you Scott, Ann, Mike and Michael for making my first night a rewarding experience.

I'm sure by the next meeting, I will get used to the fact that I am actually a voting Councilwoman. I have my own township email address (bobbier@jacksontwpnj.net), and my own phone extension (which I have not yet figured out how to set up). As I have said before, I have no political aspirations, and my only thought is to do right by Jackson. What a night!!!!!

WHEW!!!!

Well, I must say last night's Council meeting could have been a TV show. There was so much on the agenda that it was impossible to cover it all without glossing over some of it. As it was, the meeting ended at !:00AM, and everyone who spoke pulled no punches.

The chief issues were the budget, the creation of the position of Construction Inspector, and closing the Building Department. The budget passed 5-0 without any cuts. There will be a shortfall next year, and there is nothing political about it. We are starting with a $2,000,000 one-time land sale that was applied to the budget and will not be there next year. Everyone in that room last night heard the dire predictions. Even the Mayor agreed, so this is not a question of Democrat or Republican or Independent...it is a question of financial fact. There WILL be a fiscal problem next year.

By far, the biggest issue was the Building Department. The questions from the audience were very probing, and the Council was just not prepared to answer them. Unfortunately, there was not enough information provided to the Council for them to make an informed decision. That became more and more obvious as the meeting progressed, and finally, Mr. Stallone, who was embarrassed by Mr. Mayorwitz, made a motion to carry the ordinance until the second meeting in July , and I don't take this decision lightly. You can bet I will do my homework.

Other items were the appointment of Debbie Garafano to the MUA upon Charlie's resignation before his term was over. No comment. There was also the installation of 1/2 million dollar surveillance camera in the Justice Complex. Again, no comment. I don't care how you spin it, the current Council certainly tried to pass a huge agenda a mere seven days before the new Council members take their seats. We will be starting with basically a clean slate of expectations and ideas. I expect to see us fill it with resolutions and ordinances that are good for all the people of Jackson.

One More to Go

Last night, I attended the next to last meeting of the Council as it is now constituted. I was dismayed to see how many major decisions are in threat of being made at the last minute. It is almost as if the Council is trying to railroad in whatever they can as one last zinger.

Of course, I realize this Council has an obligation to pass a budget. After the initial 32% increase, the Council has kept the tax rate stable. However, the expenditures have increased this year more than 6%. Throughout the budget hearings which were attended in their entirety by me, John Gaskill and Ken Bressi, and in part by Mike Kafton, cuts were suggested by Council members and audience. from what I can see, none of these will be implemented, and the budget will be passed as presented. From the outset, this Council has stated that they inherited a mess, and that is why they raised taxes 19 cents. Well, in spite of their insistence to the contrary, we will be inheriting as big a mess. With no expenditure cuts this year, with gas prices soaring, with department demands being met almost entirely, with re-vals coming up on all the homes in Jackson, and with a recession in full swing, the Council is practically insuring a handsome tax increase for next year which can and will be blamed on the new Council.

They are talking about creating a new position which is almost an exact duplicate of the one now held by Barry Olejarz. By doing this, they are adding another level of government, and by association, closing the Building Department. Mike Reina and I both asked them to hold off on this major decision until one week later when the new Council will be in place. None of the new members is ready for such a drastic step, but the Council was turning deaf ears last night. And once again, Mr. Stallone was as rude as he's ever been which is not the way I will address the public. As I learned from 23 years in public office...an elected official will take heat. However, he or she should respond with dignity and grace and not engage in insults and nastiness.

I know this is going to be a tough job. You can never please everyone all the time, and you are as popular as your last decision. The best part for me is that I don't aspire to higher office....EVER. Therefore, I can do what I think is best in my heart and not worry about losing an election. And that is a wonderful way to feel as I start my Jackson Township Council career.

Now That the Election is Over

Whether the election was won by us, or lost by the Mayor and his current Council, it really doesn't matter. There are three new members voted to the governing body, and we need to get down to business.

As Councilwoman elect, I have tried to mend some fences and reach out to my former opponents. I have made my peace with Charlie (for whom I never held any animosity to begin with), with Todd, with Barry and with Ken. I have also reached out to Ann and Scott, the remaining Council members. I can only hope that some of the bad feelings will go away in the interest of moving on. Really, only time will tell.

The first issue to hit the fan was the senior/disabled Tax Rebate problem. It seems that during the state mandated block and lot number changes, thousands of records of seniors and the disabled were wiped out. Homestead rebate forms were never sent out, and the deadline for filing was June 2nd. Through some concerted effort, and lots of phone calls, we were able to get the deadline for filing forms extended to August 15th. Emily Ingram, Ann Updegrave, Mike Kafton, Senator Singer's office and I all worked together to to try to get this accomplished immediately, even though the Memorial Day holiday intervened. I had a good feeling about the way this issue was resolved through teamwork, and I hope that is a harbinger of things to come. I am not a Pollyanna. I realize there will be lots of rocky road ahead, but at least we got off on the right foot.

Two more meetings to go, then I'm up there on the platform looking out. I know it's a huge responsibility, but I really think I'm up to the challenge. I have no future political aspirations, and my goal is to do right by Jackson. I only ask for a chance.

I Can Now Smell the Roses

Well, it's all over but the shouting. The "A" Team, Mike, Mike and the Mad Dog, won by an almost 2-1 margin. We took every district, and it was a landslide.

Westlake cast 1100 ballots. I received 800 of those votes. Charlie, my Westlake neighbor, received 399. I got more than 70% of the vote. Negative campaigning does not always work, Charlie. It really doesn't. But let me say how much I appreciate that Charlie, Emily, Todd, and the entire campaign team came over to our headquarters to personally congratulate us. I know that wasn't easy to do, and I think it was very gracious of all of you. I also appreciated Mayor Seda calling our team on the phone and congratulating each of us as well.

It's been a long, hard fight since I wrote my first post on the "Run for the Roses." I am truly humbled and overwhelmed by the trust people have placed in me. I hope I can live up to it. I promise to work side by side with the remaining two Council members.
One of the things I hope to do is to work closely with the Board of Education if I am lucky enough to be appointed Liaison from the Council. I think the BOE and Council should work together for the common good, which of course includes the children and the taxpayer.

I am going to see if I can get a copy of the full budget so I know what I am talking about when I make suggestions. I know we won't be the ones voting for this year's document, but I want to know exactly where our tax dollar is going if I am going to be one of the overseers of the taxpayer's pocketbook. I truly want to put my money where my mouth is.

I know we will start working on the gypsy moth problem right away. We cannot afford to let another year go by, and then find ourselves with our tails in the air again because it's too late to come up with a decent solution. This is a REAL problem, and I truly want to try to alleviate the situation.

Mike, Mike and the Mad Dog are a great team. We plan to work to make Jackson a great place to live. I am only human, and I'm sure I will make mistakes. But it won''t be because I owe somebody something. That will NEVER cloud my judgment.

From here on in, my Blog will be about being a Councilwoman. Even though I don't take office until July, I will start working NOW.

And on to the Election

Well, last night we had our last coffee. All that's left is the election, and that isn't until Tuesday. There will be lots of flier distribution and mail between now and then. I am sure they are saving their "best" for last. My opponents are running an unbelievably nasty and dirty campaign. Character assassination seems to be the name of their game. If they win, I will congratulate them, but I will NEVER respect them. They have never heard a nasty word from me, nor will they.

The sign fairy has struck again. Yesterday when we drove through the neighborhood, we found that all the signs around Westlake stretching from Manhattan street to Hope Chapel Road were stolen for the second time. The rest of the signs around town will undoubtedly be gone this weekend. One has to be desperate to do something like that, but I was told it is commonplace with that particular political group in town.

Barry, how can you can be so pleasant in person and such a jerk on the blogs. I truly meant it when I congratulated you and Ken on doing CPR in that emergency situation in Meteteconk during the debate. But, I wish you would learn to spell my name right when you are bashing me. It's spelled R-I-V-E-R-E. You have come up with some really creative spelling over the last weeks. It even rivals your creative math.

And, Charlie, my friend and neighbor. You chose to be the spokesman for their trash against me. I thought you might have taken the high road, but you didn't. You could have spewed their other garbage, the things not aimed at me. And please, don't say it's not personal. It is VERY personal to me. We work together, and we have always gotten along. I told my campaign up front that I would say nothing negative about Charlie, and I stuck to that. For one who prides himself on his accounting skills, you sure dropped the ball on this one. You didn't have to say everything they told you to say. You might have done your own math to see the absurdity of what they told you to say. Are you always going to listen to the party that way?

And Emily, even though my son knows you, I guarantee you he would vote for me and my "A Team" if he lived in town. Please don't think otherwise. He is, after all, MY son.

My next and last blog posting on my "Run for the Roses" will be after Tuesday. Whether I win or lose, it has been a good fight. I have made many new friends. People really put themselves out for my team, and they didn't get paid a dime. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Sign in Please

Well, now I've seen it all. Yesterday, Bob and I and a whole group of UNPAID volunteers put in our campaign signs around town. This morning when we got up, many of the ones we put up were gone and replaced by the Seda team's signs in the exact same place. I also heard that at least 50 signs around town, including those on private property, were removed or damaged. Holy cow! I said this would get worse, and lo and behold, it got worse. But this is 7th grade antics...similar to their 7th grade math.

Why would sane, grownups go around acting like children? Could it be they are scared? I can't believe that while we were putting up our signs, we noticed that one of the the Seda team's signs was lying on the grass. I picked it up and put it in the ground again. Isn't this the courteous, normal thing to do? Isn't this what a decent person does? Believe me, I would never touch one of their signs again if it were burning to the artificial turf that cost me 4 million dollars. I am very happy to say, that many, many Republicans are ashamed of what happened. They are the good people, despite the shady few.

I do not act this way. I do not debate this way. And most of all, I didn't raise my kids to be this way. What is wrong with these people? Do they have no decency? Bob and I went out and put new signs up. I will almost bet the farm that by tomorrow morning, they will be gone. Shame on you, Seda team. Shame on you.

The Debates Are Done

Well, we have completed five debates, and that's all she wrote. Now, it seems all that is left is the nasty literature.

Two accountants are running for election for the Seda Republicans, and neither one apparently can do math. I am accused of raising the Merrick school budget by 300% on their flyer, or 330% in their debates. Take your pick. It was either over 23 years (my length of service) or 27 years from their newspaper quote in 1974. I didn't even get elected to the board until 1976. But let's take their numbers...330% over 23 years. Ms. Emily "I'm a CPA" Ingram was quick to say that if you divide 23 into 330%, it comes out to approximately 14.3% per year. Mr. Garofano, the other accountant, and Mr. Porter, not an accountant, were quick to ask if we would like someone who raised budgets 15% per year (a little poetic license) to be on our Council. Well, either they don't know math, or they are listening to the wrong advice and delivering it as fact. And either way, I wouldn't trust them to work on my budget. What if someone told them to say the world was flat? Would they? If indeed a budget were to go up 14.3% a year over 23 years, it would come out to over 3000%. In actuality, when you annualize 330% over 23 years, it comes to a little over 5% a year. It is less if you use 27 years as your base. Any 7th grader can tell you about compounding. The bottom line is that while I was on two school boards (one elementary board and concurrently on a central high school board), during years of double digit inflation, I was involved in preparing 27 budgets. Every single one was passed by the voters. How many 32% increase budgets would the voters of Jackson pass if given a chance? I would venture to say NONE. Mr. Seda and team had better learn how to do basic math.

Mr. Garofano said that this wasn't a personal attack. Are you kidding me, Charlie? You are impugning (not a math word, an English teacher word) my fiscally responsible record with manufactured numbers that anyone with half a brain can refute. I take it very personally, my friend. I was a very well known figure in Merrick because of all the good I did, and I refuse to let you knock it down with a few words which someone else encouraged you to say. You have attacked the wrong girl, in the wrong place, with the wrong issue.

I guess I haven't yet seen the worst of it. But again, if all they've got on me is a misrepresented series of facts, then I am WAY ahead of the game.

How Nasty Can We Get

Well, I was warned about the nasty politics in Jackson, and now I am experiencing it first hand. The flyer just sent out printed in our colors was the tip of the iceberg. It was certainly mean spirited. "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." It is amazing that they couldn't even find anything bad to say about me other than I'm linked to Mike and Mike. I'll take it, my friends. I think these two men are wonderful assets to Jackson, and I'm proud to be associated with them.

The supposed "independent poll" conducted over the weekend was nothing more than a "push poll" paid for by the opposing team. I wish I had a dime for every person, including strangers, who called me to tell me they were incensed. A true poll does not ask leading negative questions. The negative question against me had to do with my raising taxes in Merrick while on the school board. What they DIDN'T say was that the raises were over 25 years time. What they DIDN'T say was that there was never a defeated budget in my entire tenure on both boards...Merrick Union Free School District and the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School Board. That's 27 budgets without a defeat. What they DIDN'T say was that I was re-elected eight times by residents of my community. I am very proud of my record, and the opposition can say and do whatever they want. They will not rattle me, nor will they get a majority of clear thinking people to listen to that nonsense.

Yup, it's turned dirty, and it will probably get worse. Hey, I'm writing about it, aren't I? The game isn't over till it's over.

Stop and Shop and Then Some

Today, Bob and I went to Stop and Shop to meet people and get our message across. It was incredible to see the reception we got. The dissatisfaction with the current Mayor and Council is rampant. We both spoke to many people. One even asked me if I was an incumbent. When I said no, she told me we had her vote for sure. The incumbents appear not to be in good grace right now.

I have received several phone calls about the negative phone poll the other team is conducting right now, and it is very damaging to the instigators. People are appalled at the misleading and slanted content of the questions. I have tried to keep my campaigning on a positive note. I am telling people why they should vote for me and my running mates, not why the the other guys are bad. Anyone who serves their community, even if I disagree with their viewpoint, is doing a good thing. I have given my heart and soul to being honest and above board during this and all my campaigns for the school board in the past, and that is why I was reelected eight times. I wish others would do the same.

Campaigning is tough. It is tiring, but it's worth it if we can establish a balance in town government.

Hair, There and Everywhere

Today I attended the "Locks of Love" event held at The White Butterfly. People came to donate their hair to cancer victims. Many of these kids and adults had grown their hair long just to be able to donate it today. The event was suggested by a young man who lost his grandmother to lung cancer last year. What a wonderful way to memorialize Grandma.

I know so many people who have lost their hair to chemotherapy. It is so generous of people to cut off 10 inches of their hair to give to those who have lost theirs. Many of my friends who have had chemo treatments have told me that one of the hardest things about it was watching their hair fall out bit by bit. It made their illness all seem so scary.

Last week we participated in our first debate. All the candidates were there, and every one of us had a chance to introduce ourselves and then participate in a question and answer period. I personally do not like negative campaigning. I don't want to know who did what to whom. I want to talk about what I can do NOW. That is how I have always faced debates, and that is what I will do in the next ones.

We have many more events, debates, coffees and meetings coming up in the next few weeks. The schedule is hectic, and the pace is furious, but I will continue to give it my all. I am still hobbling, and I expect I will be for a while since I have a bone bruise on my knee. But I am a feisty little thing, and I'll fight it all the way.

Ouch

Well, so much for walking for awhile. The other day, I had an argument with a cement parking strip. and I lost. I went down hard on my knee, and I'm not walking very well. The scraping isn't so bad, although it was bleeding for two days, but I must have gotten a bone bruise, and I am limping.

Maybe I can get the sympathy vote. I'm a mess. But it's not stopping me. I'm hobbling like a trooper.

Knock Knock...Who's There

Well, today I went knocking on doors for the campaign. At first, I had some trepidation, but as I went to each house, I was amazed at the nice reception I got. People seem to be fed up with what is happening now, and they are willing to go for a change.

I realize name recognition is very important, and that's why campaigners go door to door to begin with. But I didn't count on getting such a welcome from the young homeowners. I guess they are feeling the pinch of a 32% increase in taxes. Most of them were aware of all the issues of the campaign. When I mentioned gypsy moths, or the illegal road or the mayor's salary increase, they all reacted the same way. They were not happy, and they wanted change. Luckily it was a beautiful day, and many homeowners were outside doing the lawn or chatting with neighbors.

Yesterday, I went to a fashion show to benefit the Jackson Educational Foundation. Mike Kafton looked great in the tux he modeled. It was a fun afternoon, and I won a few things in the raffle. I really had a wonderful time. It was all done for the Jackson Schools, and my School Board background came shining through.

There is an amazingly busy six weeks ahead. Coffees, meetings, and campaign "stuff" will fill almost all my days. But I plod onward with the goal of changing this township by getting the "A Team" elected. Row A all the way!

I Saw the Easter Bunny Today

Today I attended the Jackson Gives Back Easter egg hunt held at the White Butterfly. There were hundreds of people there, and the event was a smashing success. I worked hard, but I had a great time, just as I did at the Valentines Dance they sponsored.

The kids were so excited as they hunted for eggs. Nobody came up empty handed. There were 2000 eggs provided for the event. Once again, they held a free raffle with Webkinz as the prize. The kids loved it, even if they didn't win. The screaming each time one of the little Webkinz was held up reached more decibels than my poor ears could stand, but I couldn't help smiling.

This is such a great organization. I will be supporting their events in the future whether I am elected to Council or not. I find that giving back to Jackson is fun as well as rewarding. Oh, and I got to buy an adorable little purse in the store. Now that's what I call a great day.

The Battle Lines Are Drawn

Well, the deadline for petitions has come and gone. The battle lines are clear. It is the Seda supporters against the Independents. And away we go!!!!!

We have been unbelievably busy. Coffees, meetings, events and hard work. I'm loving it...mostly. Sometimes I get a bit tired, but I NEVER get tired of meeting new people.

The issues are now crystal clear. Gypsy moths, basketball court on a land fill, 32% tax increase, wetland disaster, EMS, etc. I can't promise to straighten out the mess. Even thinking about undoing all the disasters would be a waste of everyone's time. So where do we go from here?

High on our list of priorities is the environment. We need to preserve open space. The Township in the past has bought up open spaces and thus prevented development. Trees were planted, not killed. Parks were formed, not destroyed by gypsy moths.

We MUST slow down the building in Jackson. If every new home brings an average of three children, our schools cannot keep up. We will need new schools, and the builders are not responsible to help in any way. Impact tax is illegal in New Jersey. The homeowner will be forced to foot the bill, since property taxes fund education for the most part. We are currently educating some of our kids in trailers. Imagine a major influx of new students.

There are no easy answers here. But, if we are thinking independently and not voting one way because the Party tells us to, we will be able to get a lot more accomplished. Emily Ingram has stated that she feels diversity on the Council will cause arguing. According to Ms. Igram, the Council is, and should remain, one party, one mind. I guess that's fine if you go along with that "mind." I don't, and I happen to like some differing opinions on the Council. Surely, not everyone in Jackson thinks the same way. And that's what I'm all about.

Where's the Principal?

I just returned from the Town Council meeting. In all the years I have been on a public board, I have rarely seen anything like tonight (and I was the President of a BOE that held a public forum to discuss closing two neighborhood schools). The screaming back and forth between the Council and the speakers at the microphone was not only juvenile, but also a downright disgrace. I felt as if I wanted to call the Principal to discipline the class. Is this the group of officials who are running our town?

It is my opinion, and my experience, that elected officials assume the mantle of decorum, even when an audience member is making inflammatory remarks aimed at them. It is the job of the President of the Council to keep order, not to jump into the fray with the other Council members. What we had tonight was a free for all. If, in the judgement of the Council President, a question is inappropriate or out of order, he or she must rule on that before everyone on both sides starts screaming at each other and calling each other names. Save that for elementary kids who will then be disciplined by their teacher.

In spite of all this, there were some issues addressed. The spraying for gypsy moths is a dead issue. The Council, in its infinite wisdom, once again sited lack of money for failure to act on this serious problem. Apparently, the state is cutting our aid, and there is not enough money in the budget for anything more than the one state aerial pass the Council voted for. I am sure I heard a note of defensiveness on the part of the Council members. So, if I get it right, township residents can cry over their dead trees while they play basketball on the new half-million dollar lighted courts in Johnson Park.

Cablevision is the lucky recipient of a 15 year contract. According to Mr. Martin, there is an escape clause somewhere in there, but why in the world tie our hands to one company for 15 years? And, why blame the "previous administration" for not signing a contract they thought was inadequate?

You will NEVER hear me address the public the way our Council addressed them tonight. Actually, as an audience member, I will never address the Council that way either. A former BOE member who served before my time was known to say, "You can disagree without being disagreeable." I hope I remember that if I am elected to the Council.

What's Next

Well, Election Day is only two months away, and the road ahead is busy. There are many, many coffees at people's homes. All three of us, "Mike, Mike and the Mad Dog," have arranged for coffees. Therefore, we are being graciously hosted by a variety of people. We have several coffees scheduled here in my own community, and even here, I am meeting new people at each one.

Tonight we were hosted at a mobile home park. We had a chance to introduce ourselves and answer questions from the residents. Because it was a small business meeting with a small group in attendance, they have invited us back for another evening to address residents from several other parks as well. I eagerly look forward to having the opportunity to discuss issues with another segment of our community.

I would love to meet the parents of school children. Having served on a Board of Education for so many years, I would like to hear about their concerns here in Jackson. I think that parents everywhere have the same issues at heart. They want the best possible education for their kids. That's just plain mother and apple pie stuff. But I want to hear what they have to say regarding what they want from the Town Council, what issues they would like to see addressed, and how best I can meet their expectations.

And of course I will continue to attend the Council meetings. I wish they would discuss issues before voting. A list of ordinances on an agenda does not offer any insight into their votes. I never hear any dissenting votes except on the hot ticket items such as gypsy moths. I have learned more about caterpillars than I ever wanted to know. It was only through the anger of the residents that the issue was addressed at all. At this point, all their "give them what they want" posturing cannot erase the pain of the residents who lost their trees. All I can do is promise to be very careful before I vote "yes" on any issue that has such huge ramifications as not spraying for gypsy moths, or building a half million dollar basketball court in the middle of three senior communities.

And so we move on. Soon we will be knocking on doors and giving out literature. By the time this campaign is over, the residents of this town will know my name...win, lose, or draw.

A Visit to a Mobile Home Park

Tonight we had the pleasure of being invited to visit a mobile home park to address the residents. They were having their monthly meeting, and we had the opportunity to introduce ourselves.

In some ways their problems are different, and in many ways their problems are the same. The people are struggling to make ends meet, and they are running against a brick wall when they try to speak to our elected officials. They have several problems, including some related to safety that they were trying to get resolved without result.

There are people from all walks of life who are part of this town, and everyone must be given the opportunity to be heard. I will listen and do what I can to represent everyone, not just those of my particular beliefs.

And the Beat Goes On

I continue to appear before groups and meet new people almost every day. The main question, of course, is taxes and what we can do about them. I have never promised to CUT taxes, because I know that may be an empty promise. With the Governor's latest budget, there come some enormous aid cuts, and municipalities are included in the slicing. We all know that electricity, gas, and other day to day operating expenses increase every year, and we don't have much say about it.

So what do I plan to do about taxes? I will do my very best to hold the line. One thing I did repeatedly on the school board was work on budgets. I can promise you, I will do a line by line analysis of any budget placed before me, and I will try to make sure that everything being spent is accounted for. I want to understand every expenditure, and if I don't understand, I will ask. I know we have fixed costs such as contracts, bonds etc., but where there are items that can be cut, I will certainly try to do so.

Bonded indebtedness is another issue I plan to address. It is so very easy to go out to bond anything we want, but this bonding has to be paid for over time. The taxpayer's obligation to pay for these bonds can significantly impact taxes. I want to make sure that if we DO go out to bond, the cost of the bonded items is pretty tightly monitored. And I would be very, very cautious about accepting only one single bid for anything.

Surplus is another issue I would like to address. In my past experience, surplus was applied to the bottom line and was used to reduce taxes. I want to make sure I know what our surplus is, how it got there, and what amount, if any, can be applied to reduce the tax impact of a budget.

None of this can be done in a vacuum. I know Mike Reina and Mike Kafton are as concerned as I am, and like me, they are going to be right in there fighting to hold the line.

Coffee Tea and Me

Last night, "Mike, Mike, and the Mad Dog." attended a Coffee Klatch in someone's home. These coffees are a good way to get our message out to the people, one intimate group at a time. We have quite a few coffees scheduled, and we really hope to meet as many new people as we can.

Several issues were addressed. Amongst them was EMS, land use and conservation, commercial rateables, and Council communication. Mike Kafton and Mike Reina both have a very strong history in this town. They will be invaluable resources to the Council and to the township.

One of the questions we addressed was the diversity of opinion on our team. We come from different political backgrounds, but we are united in our belief that the makeup of the Council must change. In order to have a truly non-partisan governing body, we need to have a majority of the Council accountable to nobody but the people of Jackson. This team will disagree on issues, and that is a good thing. I know I personally will take each issue seriously, and I will not vote until I have all the information I need. That is my training as a school board member, and I don't plan to change. We cannot vote as a block, or we defeat our own purpose. All of us stand together on being accountable to the people. We will listen to what the residents of Jackson have to say.

I am truly looking forward to other such gatherings, because only through communication can we show our constituency that we are the RIGHT team for Jackson.

Shall We Dance

Last night I had the pleasure of going to the Jackson Gives Back Father Daughter Valentines Dinner Dance. It was amazing. To see the love between those kids and their dads was wonderful. The ballroom at the AMVET Hall was decorated beautifully, and the kids were having the time of their lives. There were more than 300 people there, and I understand there was a waiting list of 100 people. There was a free raffle with "Webkinz" donated by The White Butterfly. Please don't ask me what "Webkinz" are, but the kids were screaming with pleasure when they saw them. I drew the winning numbers out of a bowl, which immediately had half the room ticked off at me for not picking their number, but it was a delight to see the looks on the kids' faces when they won. And the food, catered by Classic Caterers was delicious. I can't even describe the dessert table which included a chocolate fountain. Ah, if only I ate dessert.

Jackson Gives back was started by Mike Kafton as a way to help Jackson families in time of need. Whenever a problem strikes a Jackson family, Mike gets many callers asking him how they can help. So Jackson Gives Back was born. It is a not-for-profit organization which will be sponsoring other events in the future. I plan to attend those events.

Bob and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We are born volunteers at heart, and I can't count the number of organizations we were part of in Merrick. We are also very active in our community here in Jackson. Recently, we volunteered at the Jackson Food Pantry, and that was another rewarding experience. There are so many people less fortunate than we are, and it feels really good to help. We plan to continue volunteering here in Jackson as long as we are able.

This coming week is filled with "Meet the People" events for me. I look forward to that, and whether I win or lose this election, I will cherish the opportunity I had for meeting people from all sides of the table and all walks of life. There is much to be said for running for office.

To Spray or Not to Spray

The gypsy moth problem here in Jackson is of mammoth proportions. With all the families who will be requesting spraying from the Township, with one machine, or even two, using BT, we will never have time to go from place to place to attack ALL the problems. BT is only effective in the early stages of infestation. There isn't a huge window of time here. And, of course, Dimilin is out of the question. I would NEVER suggest Dimilin.

The Council is going to have to make some hard decisions. My running mate Mike Reina is right..some people are going to have to bite the bullet and get a private provider. I really don't know how the Township is going to pick and choose among the residents requesting spraying and keep it all within the time frame.

We MUST spray one pass through the state program. We would be cutting off our nose to spite our face if we don't. Two years without ANY aerial spraying would be disastrous. If we don't spray, we have NO chance of any control for the gypsy moth problem. Some help is better than none.

This is partially a result of some very unfortunate decision making last year. But I would assume that the Council and Mayor already know that. Pointing fingers now is not going to solve the problem. We must take viable action, and ground spraying, either by the homeowner or the Township, in addition to one pass from the state, is really the only option we have now.

First Appearance

Last night, our slate was invited to the Jackson Tea Party meeting to be introduced to the group. Mike Reina was the President of the Tea Party, so naturally they knew him. There were many people, both Democrat and Republican, who also knew Mike Kafton. There were some who knew me or had met me recently, but I did not know the majority of the people. Both major political parties were represented, and it felt good to be able to reach out to both sides of the table.

We had a chance to introduce ourselves. It gave me a chance to articulate my views on the state of the Township. The people were very receptive to our non partisan slate, and they were very welcoming and cordial to us. They will be inviting the other slate to address them as well, so they can hear both sides present their view of township issues.

Now that our requisite number of petitions is in, we can concentrate on the election itself. We have several coffees, debates and meetings planned. I know I will be meeting many people of all different political beliefs. I believe if we can get our message of non partisanship across to enough people, we will be elected. It is really quite an experience to be running for Township office.

Run for the Roses

Well, it is official. I am running for the Jackson Township NJ Town Council. It is quite an interesting race. When I was first asked to run, I was stunned. I know I chaired the Jackson Walks Committee for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer organization which was a wonderful venture for Jackson (that's why there is so much pink on this page). But still... ME? For Council?

I certainly have had strong opinions about our current Mayor and Council. I have seen them in action, and I think they have made some incredibly bad decisions in the last year and a half since they've been in existence. And, they wouldn't back down...no matter what the public said. Now, election year 2008, they are suddenly listening to us. In all the years I was on the Merrick School Board, I was never too arrogant to say I made a mistake. We are human after all, and humans make bad decisions sometimes. After 23 years on that board, I swore I would never get so deeply involved again. But here I am.

I ask myself what I bring to the table. I know I am very active in Westlake, my home for the past seven years. I also believe we need a senior viewpoint on the council. We have been the cash cow for way too long, and it's time we had a voice in what goes on. I hope I can be that voice. However, I am also aware that this township consists of many communities...parents, young children, students, people with no children, and so many others. We all have one goal in common...to make Jackson a great place to live while getting the best bang for our buck. I am a soccer Grandma. I know the needs of young people, and I will try to balance and prioritize. I am FOR a senior viewpoint, but not ONLY for a senior viewpoint.

The campaign has been very interesting so far. I have met some wonderful people. I imagine life will get more hectic as the campaign gets heated, but that's what you sign on for when you become a candidate. My running mates are outstanding men who have been very active in Jackson over the years. Former Mayor Mike Kafton and Mike Reina are my go-to guys and now my good friends . I call us "Mike, Mike and the Mad Dog," clearly stolen from the radio show. I only hope I can hold up my end of the bargain. I certainly am independent, and nobody can say I am a rubber stamp.

I know this is a huge undertaking, and win or lose, I will never forget the experience.