Paying For Solar Panel Fiasco

832-2021 ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE GUARANTY BY THE COUNTY OF UNION, NEW JERSEY OF PAYMENT OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON THE COUNTY GUARANTEED REVENUE BONDS, SERIES 2021 (RENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRAM PROJECT) OF THE UNION COUNTY IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY IN AN AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT NOT EXCEEDING $5,500,000.

This represents the bonds that the UCIA still has to pay on that solar panel boondoggle that anybody could see were destined to default . Here are comments made on the ordinance and a little background as gleaned from the EMMA website.

UC Government Complex Costs

Getting back to looking at Union County Improvement Authority (UCIA) bill payment resolutions, starting with the money spent on the Union County Government Complex over the last year:

UCIA Story: Take Three

With more information here is what I now plan to submit next week to have read at the Union County commissioner meeting. I anticipate submission on the day of the meeting next week so still plenty of time to comment.

UCIA Story: Take Two

Below is what I now plan to submit next week to have read at the Union County commissioner meeting. This is basic data gleaned from resolutions, payroll data, and political donations. I welcome anyone to come up a conclusion (or a question) based on this information which I am still thinking through.

UCIA Story: Looking For Tweaks

Below is what I plan to submit next week to have read at the Union County commissioner meeting. Please review and if you have anything that you would add, delete, or tweak then comment below.

Finger the UCIA Bully

Union County Improvement Authority (UCIA) resolution 92-2021 dated 9/8/21 reads in part:

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Commissioners of the Union County Improvement Authority that the positions of Administrative Analyst and Fiscal Analyst be laid off due to lack of work and for reasons of economy and efficiency effective the close of business on Friday, September 24, 2021.

The next day a county messenger hand-delivered a termination letter to Mark Brink. Video clips from the 9/23/21 commissioner meeting tell the story:

UCCF 9/23/21: UCIA Brouhaha

Mr. Sensitivity:

Full comments (details on this situation at the Union County Improvement Authority being researched):

UCIA Bidding Adieu to $145 Million Project?

Union County’s plan to build a $145 million county government complex in Elizabeth through the Union County Improvement Authority (UCIA) took a hit according to nj.com on account of an appellate court ruling that was released this afternoon regarding a similar project in Bergen County. Though the UCIA people do not see it that way:

In Union County, attorney David L. Minchello, who represents the county improvement authority, said they have reviewed the Bergen County decision and “see no indication that our ruling will be the same.” Minchello said the Bergen County selection process for a redeveloper was different in many respects from the one utilized by the Union County Improvement Authority. “We look forward to highlighting those differences in court and we are confident that our process was fair and transparent to all applicants,” he said. “Dobco has attempted on two prior occasions to halt this project in Union County Superior Court and has been unsuccessful each time. We will continue to defend our selection process and are committed to moving forward in the construction of a new government complex for Union County.”

Excerpts from the ruling:

Cleaning Up Stupidity

If you recall:

Tangled Transactions In Union County

It was reported that Bergen and Union Counties are being sued over how contracts for projects were being awarded and, having some knowledge of how Union County works, perhaps I can untangle that transaction.