17 Jun
2018-554: A Resolution appointing DeCotiis, Fitzpatrick, Cole & Giblin, LLP of Teaneck, NJ as special counsel to represent the County of Union in the matter entitled H.C. Equities, L.P. v. UC, et als, in an amount not to exceed $20,000.
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15 Jun
The New Jersey State AFL-CIO announced their 2018 endorsements for political office this week and the headline news was that there was a Republican among the 20 lucky politicians. One of those Democrats endorsed was Linda Carter in District 22 who was a Union County freeholder back on December 17, 2015 when she listened to this pitch:
27 Dec
Per Assemblyman Jamel Holley’s financial disclosure form for 2016:
Resolutions passed (almost unanimously):
2017·1102: Authorizing the County Manager to enter into an agreement with: Millennium Strategies, Morristown, NJ, for the purpose of providing grant writing and procurement services to the County of Union for the period of January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 in an amount not to exceed $36,000.2017-1103: Authorizing the County Manager to award a contract to Winning Strategies, Washington/Hoboken Strategy Group, Washington DC, by way of RFP (Request for Proposal), to provide Comprehensive Federal Government Relations/Lobbying services to the County of Union for the period of January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019 in an amount not to exceed $300,000.
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26 Nov
For a quarter of a century Union County Democrats could count on various incarnations of the DeCotiis law firm and the lawyers working there to make campaign donations. According to the NJELEC website it came to $549,376 out of a total to all politicians of $3,615,540. But after being cut off as lawyers for the Union County Improvement Authority earlier this year it appears that Decotiis has also cut off Union County politicians.
However, there is no shortage of donors to replace the DeCotiis money as a new one seems to be Symcon Enterprises, Inc of Matawan which has been sowing some seeds lately.
The internet does not have much information on Symcon Enterprises, Inc. but it is a safe bet that, whatever their services are, the Roselle Mind & Body Complex will somehow be in need of them.
24 Nov
Rachel M Caruso, Esq. serves as the Roselle borough attorney, though not with the wholehearted backing of the mayor.
Dansereau also wants to replace Roselle Borough Attorney Rachel Caruso with Tracy Cosby. The mayor’s plan prompted Shaw to question Dansereau’s motivation. “Has anyone heard of any problems with the current borough attorney?” she asked. “How was the new attorney vetted?”
Dansereau said she no longer trusts Caruso. “The borough attorney works for the mayor,” she said. “I have to trust their legal advice. She represents me. The current attorney does excellent work, but the trust was lost. The lines got blurred between friendship and legal. There are reasons that I’m not at liberty to discuss. There are issues outside the borough of taking direction from someone outside.”
She is also a partner at Roth D’Aquanni, the attorneys for the Roselle Board of Education.
According to the NJELEC website Rachel Caruso individually has made $6,650 in campaign contributions:
Contributions linked to the name Roth Daquanni alone totaled $117,079.
Any conflicts here? Not according to Rachel Caruso:
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17 Nov
Now that the data has been uploaded to the NJ Election Law Enforcement Commission website we can see how much these votes cost each party:
SHERIFF
Dem – Peter CORVELLI 71,036
Rep – Marc A. KRAUSS 36,052
Personal Choice 41FREEHOLDER
Dem – Angel ESTRADA 68,884
Dem – Christopher HUDAK 67,960
Dem – Angela R. GARRETSON 67,054
Rep – Patricia QUATTROCCHI 37,055
Rep – P. Mark MARTINI 36,982
Rep – Peter B. LIJOI 36,359
Personal Choice 96
On average for the entire 2017 election cycle Democrats got $8.50 for each vote. Republicans got a quarter. Not a quarter of what the Democrats got but literally 25 cents for each vote.
Here are the details with spreadsheets sorted by donor:
5 Nov
The site of the proposed Roselle Mind and Body Company pay-to-play boondoggle remains dormant:
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But those opposing the project have been active putting up a helpful website that targets the prime beneficiaries who all happen to be major players in past Union County fiascoes worth exploring.
