The following was a letter I received from two local residents- The Edgewater Park Reporter
May 6, 2008
Dear Edgewater Park Reporter,
First, let us congratulate you on your blog..... bravo.
Reading the blog, we became very disturbed to learn about all the behind the scenes action. Can you say conflict of interest? We think some of the information is outrageous.
A little bit about us, we've lived in Edgewater Park for 24 years. We're Independent voters, we like picking the best candidate based on their qualifications and ideas, not their party affiliation. Reading about the links between the different organizations, (School Board, Township Committee, and Sewer Authority), it's very clear that it's time to change some seats. We believe a mix of representatives from both parties, usually provides the checks and balances needed to run an efficient government, but enough of the political stuff for now.
The reason we're writing to you is that we heard the Township Committee and Edgewater Park Administrator are working on laying-off workers and/or totally eliminating the Edgewater Park Public Works Department. This smells of the "Willingboro School Board of Education" (referring to an earlier blog post). Willingboro did the outside contractor thing with the school custodians in the early 80s, only to change back to having their own after a night mare experience and spending much more money then originally planned for.
Believe us it will cost us residents more money in taxes if Edgewater Park eliminates the Public Works. Typically, an outside contractor will low-ball the Township to get the original contract and then jack the costs up with unforeseeable situation costs, ultimately costing more then it will to keep the Public Works intact. The residents will suffer, by NOT getting the same caliber of service. Our Public Works Department does a fine job and we should keep it.
Look around at other towns. We don't know of any that have contractors doing the job of Public Works. What's next.......contracting the Police Department?
There is an alternative to total elimination. As a last resort, the Committee should think about merging the Public Works Departments from Delanco and Beverly, and share services and costs together. As you know, Edgewater Park already does it with the Fire Department and Emergency Squad.
Ummmm..........So why was the School Board's budget (with an increase) rubber stamped by the Township Committee, when the Committee knew the State Aid had already been cut? Shouldn't the School board tighten their belt like the Municipal side has to? It must be something political.
And.........Why is our Township Committee running past dollars just to save pennies?
Keep writing the blog, we need to know what's going on in Edgewater Park.
Thank you,
E & A (I withheld their full names to keep them safe from reprisals, E.P.R.)
12 comments:
The township committee has nothing to do with the school's budget. In most cases they never even see it let alone "rubber stamp" it. The school board is completely independent from the township. Hence why the school board's budget is voted on by the residents and not the township's, county's, fire department's, or states. The school board had a very modest increase to its tax levy and most of that is due to the current year's budget. The school board runs on a fiscal year and the township on a calendar year.
Therefore, the taxes paid from January through June are for the school's 2007-08 budget, not the 2008-09.
Correct! The school board operates at it's sole discretion.
What cracks me up is the fact that the school board is proud because they didn't raise taxes as much as last year. With the additional state aide the school taxes in the surrounding communities have either stayed the same or gone down.
Why are Edgewater Parks school taxes going up? Why are our taxes going up?
Answer: BECAUSE THE SAME FAMILIES RUN EVERYTHING IN THIS TOWN, AND THEY ARE NOT QUALIFIED TO RUN A FAST-FOOD OPERATION, LET ALONE MANAGE A MULTI-MILLION BUDGET.
I would suggest that we vote another party in to keep the corrupt members honest, but nothing is going to improve until qualified people are able to run for office.
Just for the record, there are plenty of ready, willing, and able bodied people in this town that would be an asset to the committee, the board of education, and the other power monger, the sewer authority - aka, the rip-off dept, but they have been deterred from participating so the "old guard" incompetents can keep their rein.
This town is going down the "sewer authority's toilet" in my opinion. Taxes will continue to rise, as no tax base is being created, and no investors are willing to risk dealing with this town. Believe me I know, I am developer and I am investing in other area towns as well - NOT EDGEWATER PARK!
Maybe when the town is finally broke after the cafeteria mom mayor, and the reining six or seven families (on both sides of the aisle) have nothing left to take, the state will do a take-over and merge us with another less corrupt town?
We can only hope........
Anyone can submit a petition to run for school board. When only 3 people submit petitions to run for 3 positions there isn't much choice. Where are all these qualified people when it's time to show up?
To E&A, Just look at what the current committee is allowing the sewer authority to do. Tom Pullion tells us residents, in the Beverly Bee, that our agreement with Willingboro is saving us money. WRONG!!!! The sewer authority is going broke and will soon have to raise your sewer tax as well or start digging into their investments to cover their $99,000.00 drop in net cash assets they incurred last year. Most of it went to Willingboro on this inter-local services agreemnent with which no bid is required according to their solicitor. So they had a bid that was lower but didn't even take it because Willingboro didn't have to bid like other contractors.Now their cash is bleeding out with not enough fingers between them on the sewer board and their solicitor to plug the holes to stop the bleeding. The sad thing is that they really don't care what it costs us as long as their political agenda is met. Just look at the increased legal costs from previous years, that's because they let their solicitor run the sewer authority. He's doing things as if he's the administrator and chairman. That's because the township committee appoints some people that don't have a clue about the board they're on. But politically, they're all connected somewhere, somehow. E&A, your're right it's well past time for a change in leadership in EP.
To E&A, Just look at what the current committee is allowing the sewer authority to do. Tom Pullion tells us residents, in the Beverly Bee, that our agreement with Willingboro is saving us money. WRONG!!!! The sewer authority is going broke and will soon have to raise your sewer tax as well or start digging into their investments to cover their $99,000.00 drop in net cash assets they incurred last year. Most of it went to Willingboro on this inter-local services agreemnent with which no bid is required according to their solicitor. So they had a bid that was lower but didn't even take it because Willingboro didn't have to bid like other contractors.Now their cash is bleeding out with not enough fingers between them on the sewer board and their solicitor to plug the holes to stop the bleeding. The sad thing is that they really don't care what it costs us as long as their political agenda is met. Just look at the increased legal costs from previous years, that's because they let their solicitor run the sewer authority. He's doing things as if he's the administrator and chairman. That's because the township committee appoints some people that don't have a clue about the board they're on. But politically, they're all connected somewhere, somehow. E&A, your're right it's well past time for a change in leadership in EP.
Correct Again!
Change ONLY occurs when the people in charge are changed. Same people same result. The problem is how do you get a lunch mom to step down as Mayor.....not going to happen. When you put the wrong people in positions of power, they will fight & claw to keep their position, because they have nothing else that gives them a sense of worth. That is why we have terrible people in politics. The successful people usually can't be bothered......that is of course until things get so screwed up that the situation now impacts them too. I think that EP is now at that level, but people are locked out of the process unless they want to run as independents.
If the residents of EP don't see that this town is at a major cross-road right now, they best keep their heads in the sand. The next tax increase is going to cause a major sell-off in EP, but the problem is the houses will not move very quickly. When a slow down occurs in home sales in a community, it just keeps compounding because the for sale signs just keep coming, even as prices fall.
Don't be surprised if you see a 20-30% drop in house values in EP in the next 18 months.
Don't forget to thank the committee members the next time you see them out in public. I believe credit should be given where credit is due.
When will people in this town get the picture. Things need to change. It will be no laughing matter when our properties are not worth anything. They have all ready started to decrease!
From what I have seen the Administrator at the sewer authority is clueless! She might be why the costs are going up!
To anonymous of 7:40PM:
The former administrator (get with current events)... she no longer works there because of the wasteful spending the current board has been exhibiting. She has been administrator for four years and you haven't seen an increase in your sewer taxes during this time. It is only since the board has become mostly and now all democrat appointees that the money is going down the sewer. So before you start calling the "former" administrator clueless....get your facts straight. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
Oh and by the way, did you know that there are renovations going on for the sewer authority's new office?
So as the other "anonymous" said...thank them for that too!
Who is clueless now?
All this talk about sewer rates, I just got my bill and I didn't see an increase. Did they go up or what? Maybe I was missed and I should be quiet about it.
You will see your sewer bill increase over the next year.....The sewer adminstrator did a good job along with past boards keeping the cost down and the service good. But the current board is only out to pay back their democrate buddies...and the residents of EP lose!
Thanks to the sewer authority adminstrator you did a great job and will be missed!
Isn't the next sewer authority meeting this week? I think I'll go and ask questions, like why are they moving? Everyone that is opposed to this move should attend. Why should my taxes pay for another office outside of the municipal building? I am very opposed to this move!
I just checked the calendar, the meeting is Wednesday night. All residents should attend.
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