MV Strategies Coverup

The good news is that “Daily Reports to Ed Oatman and the UC Board of Commissioners from MV Strategies” and “emails, texts, memorandums and any communications between Edward Oatman/Jessica Cohen and Megan Brown/Elaina Estrin of MV Strategies beginning June 2020 through December 2021” exist. The bad news is that it will cost you $750.91 (not including copying charges) to get them.

Cultivating Justice in the Garden State

David Wildstein had Chapter 3 – Settling Scores – on his blog which led a my first blog. Now the book is out and reveals Union County political power broker Raymond Lesniak to be in line with almost all other politicians here who believe they know it all because they elicit the largest bribes. Lesniak’s career highlight was some forensic competition he won in France opposing the death penalty. We find out about France, his method of preparation, and the skill level of his opponents that day but nothing about his argument. It’s all about him.

UCCF 5/12/22: MV Strategies in NJ

When asked what MV Strategies did and who else they did it for, we got this response:

So these are supposed to be the clients of MV Strategies in New Jersey:

• Union County
• Hudson County
• Camden County
• Gloucester County
• Burlington County
• Middlesex County
• City of West New York
• State of New Jersey

If googling is supposed to yield better results than sending in OPRA requests it’s worth a try.

UCCF 5/12/22: MV Strategies Called Out

Nobody got the poll question right as Bruce Paterson was shut down after 4 paragraphs of his statement at last night’s Union County commissioner meeting – though it had to do with running into a time limit after laying out his timeline of trying to find out what MV Strategies did for $750,000.

But most of you were right about commissioner backlash:

Here is the full exchange:

UCCF 5/12/22: MV Strategies To Be Called Out

This is what Bruce Paterson proposes saying at tonight’s Union County commissioner meeting:

UCCF 4/28/22: Roasting Paterson

Interested in making your voice heard in Union County? Think again.

You are not going to hear anything substantive about what MV Strategies really did for their $750,000 but you will see more commissioners taking out their hatred of free speech on Bruce Paterson.

UCIA Stipends – 2022

Even with a cloud over the Union County Government Complex project, monthly stipends paid by the Union County Improvement Authority (UCIA) continue.

UCIA Stipend Change

Since last September when the Union County Government Complex project was initiated there have stipends being out. As of January 1, 2022 there was a change in how those stipends are being paid:

County violated state law

It happens that Bergen County had a similar situation and today the Star Ledger reported (or maybe mis-reported) on what the State Supreme County had to say. Excerpts follow.

Covid Emergency Costs

When Union County was asked for records concerning Emergency Contracts this is what they came out with. When you total the amount column it comes to $48,196,550. When you total the Amount of EAF column it comes to $162,293,808. What EAF means is anyone’s guess.

Of more interest are the names that appear in the Vendor column including these three: