Election season has arrived in Upper Saddle River. Up for grabs are the position of mayor and a couple of council seats. There are old names and new ones. And it is getting dirty.
The upcoming June 4 primary is interesting as there are 2 candidates vying for the Republican position of candidate for mayor – the existing mayor and resident Erik Friis. In true party fashion the Republican party is only recognizing the present mayor as their candidate, to ensure continuity and, of course, the status quo.
Joanne Minichetti has been mayor of Upper Saddle River for years and continues the dynasty that has been ruling the town (in what feels like forever) and, like her predecessors, runs the town in quite a bit of secrecy and mystery. It seems that no one on the council wanted to run for the position so the present mayor drew the short straw. Thus ensuring that the status quo is maintained and among other things Upper Saddle River’s financial and legal affairs can continue to baffle residents who cannot fathom what really is going on. The cabal must be maintained.
So what is at stake for voters as they head to the primaries to select their Republican candidate?
How about some reminders?
This is the administration who dropped the ball on the issue to do with the arrival of an Eruv in town. Their lack of awareness and pro-activeness allowed a religious accommodation to be installed and an ensuing mess that needed dealing with. It was ugly and the resulting lawsuit cost the town much more money than other towns in legal fees. Not to mention its reputation. Yes, they did get the Eruv moved but had they not been asleep it would have never resulted in such a shameful situation. Tempers and emotions ran high over this and it could have been avoided with a little foresight.
Guess who paid for this?
It is worth remembering that this is the administration that brokered a deal with Mac-Cali that many saw as questionable and basically sold the town down the river. Despite a 90% vote by residents on a non-binding referendum to not re-zone 1 Lake Street the mayor and council ignored the wishes of the residents and buckled to Mac-Cali. Prime Bergen county real estate – yet a behemoth called the shots. A certain cloud of mystery shrouded the dealings, and when the smoke cleared the question was….what did Upper Saddle River get in return? The spin from Borough Hall says a reduced number of affordable units. And new playing fields that, without huge soil moving permits, make the land appear to be better suited to something else. Slalom track, dirt bikes, golf? There is also talk of a potential new library, new town hall. All located on the furthest reaches of town on the Ramsey border – when the heart of the town is near the schools, Lions Park and Elmers. Each a safe walking distance from the other for children. But no, in their skewed vision for Upper Saddle River 1 Lake Street is deemed a much better location for these facilities. Endangering intrepid middle schoolers who want to flex their independence and cycle there, forcing them to play chicken on roads carrying heavy traffic. One wonders exactly who had the foresight to come up with this idea.
Not content with this the residents also got the Toll Brothers nightmare and an environmental disaster that has brought the town (once again) into local press, and not for good reasons. The ongoing situation with the toxic pollution in Pleasant Brook has not been handled in a manner that indicates the mayor and council actually care about the town, the residents, or the environment. The Toll Brothers mess has had the council continually playing catch up and not giving any impression of them being in charge. Or even aware. The ongoing vigilance of watchdog residents have demanded some accountability from the mayor and council, and often pitted them in a “them against us” situation. Why is it that the town continually dismisses and denegrates residents concerns? They live here too.
Smart meters. A year ago Rockland Electric Co. was in the process of introducing these into town. Residents had many questions, there was much confusion and residents were concerned and wanted answers. A very useful meeting was arranged where Rockland representatives came to give a presentation on the meters and could answer questions. Despite the fact that the mayor and council attended meetings and information sessions with Rockland, and were advised the representatives were coming, no one thought to inform the residents. Well they sort of did, but with a wrong date…..but realizing at 3pm on the right date there was a meeting there was no Swift 911, no alert on Facebook or Borough website. Nothing. So what could have been a hugely informative and useful event was attended by a handful of people. And it was clear from the continued questions from the council members that they hadn’t learnt anything from any of their meetings with Rockland and were learning right along with the residents who accidentally turned up. These are the town leaders.
Transparency and accountability. Residents have asked for council meetings to be live streamed for many, many long months. Resident volunteers live stream meetings – but they are only accessible through Facebook – which many older residents don’t have. At a recent council meeting the mayor was asked again about this and replied it was being looked into, but cost, and equipment ( Best Buy?) and implied delay was needed by raising the question of the need to resolve how to prevent video tampering or some other spurious reason. What, really? Presently it takes the council, on average, 2 (sometimes 3) months to post the minutes of the meetings. Transcripts from a sound recording that is interpreted by the Borough Clerk. Interpreted. Sometimes very loosely. Discrepancies have been noted. This is a new century, how about getting with it.
Borough Clerk. Recently a deputy was hired. The town has managed for many years without one, but of course with an aging workforce in borough hall work speed apparently runs the risk of being glacially slow. And so a deputy position was created, and an appointment was made. No surprises, it went to a friend of the mayor. The job – newly created – was never advertised……at least not that anyone saw. And requests to Borough Hall for information were stonewalled, no one would answer questions about it. Legal?
The budget and finances. Several issues raise concerns here. One long time complaint is the presentation of the financial records which are notoriously hard to decipher and understand. Residents have asked for explanations, simplification, transparency. It is worth considering that many town residents are in the financial industry, study dollars and cents for a living. But can’t make out what is going on in the borough accounts. Why is this? And the budget. Nothing for residents to see, will be put forward, with no discussion time by residents and then voted on. According to the mayor this is how it is done. Their hands are tied. But by who? Where is transparency? Accountability. Once again, all shrouded in mystery. Which makes it all the more worrying.
Mental health initiative. Upper Saddle River Cares, USRA coalition, Octoberfest. All very notable and worthwhile community focused initiatives addressing needs and issues within the community, run by community members, with involvement of the mayor. But you need to walk the talk. Observers of council meetings have been repeatedly shocked and angered at the attitude and behavior of some of the council members in their treatment and attitude to the public, town residents. The council regularly attempts to adjourn and exit the meeting while residents are attempting to talk, hurrying them to finish. Or they belittle them. Or patronize them. A recent meeting had a couple of council members mocking a senior citizen who came to the meeting for information. All recorded and shared on Facebook. Shameful. Hypocrisy. This is the mayor who referred to residents who incurred her wrath as “drunks, drug addicts, and the mentally ill.” While attaching herself to the USRA Coalition. Ironic. It is not enough to turn up at the events, have photo ops, smile. You have to actually do it. Care for the people who voted you in, and those who didn’t. Answer their questions, listen to their concerns. Work with them, hear them out, not view them as enemies and engage in combative behaviour. Why do residents make them act so defensive? The mayor and some of the council need to remember that actions speak louder than words. They need to walk the walk.
Joanne Minichetti 2017
A recent breakfast roundtable with the mayor aimed to sell realtors on what is great about Upper Saddle River. A positive marketing initiative, showing they are working for the town and building relations. Except that until a few years ago this wasn’t needed – it was patently obvious. Upper Saddle River was a town that people dreamed of moving to, where properties were snapped up. People came from the city to raise their families and moved here to get the address that brought the better schools and lifestyles. Bucolic, peaceful, spacious. So why do realtors need to be reminded? Apparently, the allure of the address has been tarnished. But why? and who is responsible? Could it be the hundreds and hundreds of trees, some heritage, that were clear cut at Apple Ridge to make way for the multimillion dollar development and environmental disaster? The brown water coursing through the Pleasant Brook? The wholesale approval of land grabbing allowing developers to squeeze as many properties on parcels of land as possible and raking in vast profits? The high taxes? Who is responsible for this? the residents? During heated discussions following the arrival of the Eruv in town residents were accused – by the mayor – of poisoning the reputation of the town. Of lowering property values. Of being the ones who bore the responsibility. She placed the blame on the talk of dissatisfied residents, people concerned by what they saw happening, that ultimately was caused by borough incompetance. Really? Most of the discussions occurred on a private Facebook page. And they were opinions, talk nothing more. But the hard facts are the town has suffered under the present administration on so many levels and its character has changed. The present administration has shown weak leadership in changeable times, have acted too often after the fact and not led the town in a cohesive, decisive manner. They have continually been asleep at the wheel. With an influx of many more residents and the arrival of affordable housing units based on their track record they are not up to the job. The stakes are too high. Their mercurial mathematics on the last development and the number of anticipated children did not work out too well. How can residents begin to assume they are not going to be saddled with an enormous tax bill for the influx of more children requiring education. Does the town even know how many to expect?
As residents hopefully ponder which Republican candidate to support consider all these issues. And the seriously pathetic schoolyard behavior that is going on in town with the damage and removal of the signs of the opposition. Theft. A very well worn practice in Upper Saddle River this has plagued opponents to the ruling party for years. Years. Right now Erik Friis is on the receiving end. But you can substitute a long list of other names. Is this mature behavior in an open democracy? Is this ethical? and is it sanctioned or directed by the leadership? Leaves you with the question, what are they afraid of if they lose? The secrets and mysteries of borough hall being unleashed giving a glimpse into what exactly has been going on over the years?
This is Upper Saddle River, not hillbilly country. Shame on them.
