“I’m not sure why we’re all still here”

Something I’ve often felt about living in New Jersey – Union County – and lately, Kenilworth. It may not be much longer.

However the quote in the title is from Superior Court Judge Thomas J. Walsh at a hearing yesterday on the construction of a Union County government complex.

Other excerpts from the TAPintoWestfield article.

UCCF 7/14/22: Video – UC Gov’t Complex Fiasco –

Comments on an OPRA settlement and the UC Gov’t Complex Fiasco:

Response to the latter:

UCCF 7/14/22: UC Gov’t Complex Fiasco

In about an hour Bruce Paterson should be expounding on the “cluster–f” that is the UC Gov’t Complex project. Here is what he intends to say:

Union County in NJ FY23 Budget

NJSpotlight noted how Democrats divvy up COVID-19 aid quickly and in private and spotlighted how much the Union County Improvement Authority benefited.

Still, there’s been no explanation in the budget documents that spells out precisely how many of the approved appropriations will be utilized. They include the combined $40 million that will be going to the improvement authorities located in the home counties of Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-Middlesex) and Senate President Nicholas Scutari (D-Union).

But in looking over the FY23 budget, there is more than just what the UCIA got.

Square One for UC Government Complex

When laws are broken in the real world there are often consequences. But when it is Union County ignoring New Jersey’s Local Public Contracts Law what we get is an attempt to make what is blatantly wrong perfectly legal, as per the nj.com article.

UCCF 6/23/22: Resolutions

Resolutions referenced:

UCCF 6/9/22: Q&As and MV Strategies

Questions on resolutions:

Comments on MV Strategies:

Responses:

UCCF 5/26/22: Underpaid County Employees

Some turn employment with Union County into hundreds of thousands of dollars in salaries and stipends annually. While others:

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.