The much debated proposed senior/community center is losing support. The council is now divided (maybe it is this council’s Marlboro Inn). Councilor Rich Murnick told the Montclair Times he no longer supports the idea. Councilor Nick Lewis sent a lengthy note that was posted to members of the Montclair Unmoderated (see jump for a snippet) basically saying that although the center wasn’t a “bad idea,” the Town’s budget in 2010 makes it creation impossible. Cary Africk and Renee Baskerville have already voiced their opposition. That leaves Mayor Fried and councilors Roger Terry and Kathryn Weller as the only members in favor.
Tthe Township is facing an incredibly difficult budget in 2010 and it does not appear that we can fund the operations of the Community Center, if we chose to purchase it. As a result of the change in Township Manager, the budget process has been somewhat delayed. We knew for some time that 2010 would be a difficult year, since we were starting with significant increases in health benefit and pension costs, modest wage increases and the usual increases in insurance and utilities. We are now learning from a preliminary review by Marc Dashield that our 2010 budget problem will be extremely severe. Our revenue is uncertain, due in part to the impact of tax appeals, the loss of parking revenue due to the business slowdown and huge question marks created by the change in administration in Trenton. We were just told by the Town Manager that we are facing a revenue shortfall in the $2 million range. It appears likely that expenditures will need to be cut by as much as $2 million in the coming budget. This appears to make it impossible to fulfill the dream of opening a Community Center by taking advantage of the opportunity to buy the Senior Care building in 2010. Even if we found a way to purchase it, the strain on our operating budget would make it impossible to run. The only way that the purchase could be considered at this point is if a donor or donors came forward and provided funds to operate the facility. This seems unlikely to me, but that possibility is being pursued by Deputy Mayor Terry and others. I did not realize the extent of our budget problem earlier or I would not have been party to giving the false hope that it was possible to purchase the Senior Care building. This does not mean that it was a bad idea or that the need doesn’t exist. It means that the specific circumstances surrounding the Town’s budget in 2010 create a situation that prevents the creation of a Community Center.
Good.
How about eliminating other unneeded expenditures?
Like the $750,000 Africk advocates spending on the Park Street renovation.
And the 1.1 million dollars slated for the “quiet zone”. I don’t believe Africk has announced a position on that one.
“This does not mean that it was a bad idea or that the need doesn’t exist. It means that the specific circumstances surrounding the Town’s budget in 2010 create a situation that prevents the creation of a Community Center.”
Really, what a wuss. Is this the best leadership we can muster?
It’s like “decisions were made” … “circumstances create…”
The Council better wake up or the town’s gonna go down like Iceland or Greece and Gov. Christie isn’t throwing any life preservers.
“Gov. Christie isn’t throwing any life preservers.”
It’s about time we had some restraint at the state level. Much still remains to be seen though.
Nick did not send it himself, nor would he reply to comments about the post here:
https://groups.yahoo.com/group/MontclairUnmoderated/message/27833
The snippet above does not reflect the full content of the post. It also misses his comparison of those who oppose the purchase to “tea baggers”. Worth reading the replies on UnMod, especially the one from Thom Kennon, which nails it.
JB
I hope everyone realizes the sheer amount of the existing debt.
If the council would like to wipe out the debt at once it would mean a roughly doubling of property taxes.
Don’t know if its possible, but if the township would put a lien on every property to wipe out the exiting debt, then I am sure we would not spend any time talking about projects like the Senior Center.
Jon is correct, Nick Lewis did not post his email on UnMod, he is not even a member of the group!
I posted his email there after receiving it, as well i posted it on baristanetnew.wpengine.com in the Thread from February 9th, 2009
“Montclair Council Meets Tonight: Big Issues on Agenda”
He also made reference to the Capital Finance Committee’s report, calling it bias and a scare tactic. Blatantly False on all accounts.
He also is quoted in the Montclair Times saying: “Third Ward Councilman Nick Lewis told The Times it makes sense to forgive the rest of the MPA’s debt to the municipality. The debt is “anticipated revenue that we didn’t get,” and doesn’t represent a loss for Montclair”
They owe the Town close 1MM.
I owe the town 15K for 2010, this is anticipated revenue as well, can it be forgiven too?
butterfly,
“If the council would like to wipe out the debt at once it would mean a roughly doubling of property taxes.”
Our annual budget is 180MM, we could also shut the entire Municipality down for one year. No schools, No Police, No Fire, No Trash or Recycling, No Water, No Public Works. Just stop all services including the Gov’t which is inept in its self!
I commend Africk and Baskerville for being against the senior care center from the start. There is something very wrong with this picture though. Are these council members now changing their mind because its not possible given the budget constraints or are they changing their mind because the citizens are enraged at even the thought of the purchase. So if people didn’t yell and scream and plead to stop the process, would this purchase have happened?
It’s as if these councilors just now realize that the town is broke and we can’t afford all the toys in the window. Lewis and Murnick give us this “well now that you explain it that way, I guess we can’t afford it” attitude. I like Terry, but he is way off on this one. But Weller and Fried are just so inept that they still don’t realize that this is not a good purchase, its unbelieveable. Is this guy really Mayor of this town? How do you realize you are broke AFTER you borrower $181 million? How does a Town Manager sit at his desk and project a modest budget shortfall and the new Manager comes in and in just 2 weeks more than doubles the estimate? Was nobody watching the cash register until he showed up? Why is everybody realizing just now that this town is financially strapped? I don’t get it.
I applaud the council members who have reconsidered their positions in this matter. It takes an amount of courage to take a harder look and step back from the abyss.
“or are they changing their mind because the citizens are enraged at even the thought of the purchase. So if people didn’t yell and scream and plead to stop the process, would this purchase have happened?”
Yes. Have you heard of politics before? That’s exactly how it always works.
“How does a Town Manager sit at his desk and project a modest budget shortfall and the new Manager comes in and in just 2 weeks more than doubles the estimate? ”
I am reminded of when Cary praised Hartnet by saying he could turn around a financial study in a day…
” It takes an amount of courage to take a harder look and step back from the abyss.”
It takes courage to back away from a mob with pitchforks?
Oh please.
Courage would have been to resist the popular temptation to spend wildly in the first place.
Pardon me, my mistake, it was half a day.
Its pretty much clear that responsible persons are needed to steer this town out of its debt and to reformulate its budget.
One way of addressing this would be to trash the current budgeting approach and start with a zero-based budget. This BTW should also hold true for our BOE which apparently can incur town debt like new schools without having a plan to fill the resulting space.
Establishing a plan to kill the debt within a reasonable time window (e.g. 10 years) should be a priority.
FWIW: I do not think that Government is inept; I think that the electorate is inept and gets the Gov. they deserve.
“I do not think that Government is inept; I think that the electorate is inept and gets the Gov. they deserve.”
I’m guessing you work for some form of government.
I can’t wait for Christie to wreak havoc on NJ!
All your property taxes will increase. BWAHAHAHA!
Good old lasermikey, as pathetic as ever. being ever so kindly disposed above to his neighbors and this wishing them nothing but, well, “well.”
RoC wrote:
“I’m guessing you work for some form of government.”
Nope, not at all. I just believe in responsible oversight and governance.
I can’t believe ROC gets so many downvotes- I don’t see how a senior center, quiet streets or a different looking park street is going to be worth increased taxes….
I will add this– It seems like liberals need to have conservatives around- otherwise who do you tax to pay for your programs? Conservatives- do they need liberals around – I can’t think of a particular reason we depend on them.
It seems like liberals need to have conservatives around- otherwise who do you tax to pay for your programs?
I didn’t realize there weren’t any wealthy liberals.
Nick, there are some limo liberals around- but from what I’ve heard, they take tax deductions too. I also think we could create a nice addition to the 1040 form- voluntary tax donations/payments. If you feel there should be higher taxes- start paying them now! A great way for a politician(who proposes more spending/government) to show he does as he wants others to.
The concept of closing off South Park between Bloomfield Ave and the Bar I think is a very good one, I agree with Cary. It would create a town square type atmosphere, you could host festivals, small concerts, and people would generally congregate in that area. Theoretically, they will spend money, which will attract business’ to these vacant storefronts. What I would object to is the taxpayers getting stuck with the bill. These property owners should be the ones getting together with the BID to raise the funds to get this done, not the taxpayers. The block from South Park Bar to corner of Bloomfield Avenue is one owner. There are several vacant units. These people should be making an investment in their building by investing in the space outside of their building to attract consumers which will attract retailers. The tax payer should not foot the bill and also keep the retailers in business by frequenting their stores.
Of course that’s not the issue. The issue is $750,000 Cary has urged the council to spend on the project.
Let’s not.
(same with the quiet zone).
This is a victory for common sense, but I think the thing that really killed it, aside from the hue and cry, was the $2m unanticipated deficit for next year. Those kinds of numbers coming up so quickly made a decision to buy too blatantly profligate even for the likes of this council of spendthrifts.
The next step should be to put a hold on all capital spending except that which is urgent and necessary for repairs and maintenance, until the council can get in place a plan to reduce the mountain of short-term debt.
To town council members: Can you spell C.R.I.S.I.S.?
Et tu, Cary?
The idea of closing off South Park Street is a terrible idea. “Pedestrian Malls” were all the rage 20 years ago, until urban planners realized that by cutting off traffic they were creating dead zones. The Church Street merchants don’t want it, the Park Street merchants don’t want it, we don’t have the money for it and it’s just bad policy for businesses.
Just repave the street, put in some sidewalks that don’t have mountains of cracks and call it a day.
Not quite, relax,
You need to lcook at the proposal, which was done by planners. It does NOT close off the street, just makes the walks wider, introduces tables and places to sit, trees in planters, etc. It carries over the “look” of Church Street.
The BID, the BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, which is run by business in town, came up with the plan.
In any event, do come to the meetings and express your voice.
I suggested spending the money on this, INSTEAD of buying the tiny “police parking lot” for $500,000 when an EMPTY parking deck with space for 700 plus cars was sitting half a block away. I didn’t prevail.
Cary,
While I appreciate your use of CAPITAL LETTERS, why not actually take a walk down Church Street and South Park and ask the merchants what they want? The BID has, up to this point, been utterly useless in attracting tenants for the gaping empty storefronts throughout the Central Business District. The Township has been utterly useless in fostering economic growth. And frankly, spending almost a $1 million on an ill conceived “Pedestrian Mall” is another indication of just how out of touch you and your fellow council members really are.
Hire a paving company, lay down some asphalt and stop spending money we don’t have.
Realistically, who would want to run for & serve on a Council that freezes discretionary spending? Slashes budgets? Fires people? Freezes the school budget. All the organized special interests talk about spending, not cutting. Even if the Council puts the Township on the right fiscal course, the next, all-new Council will get the benefit.
So, what is the next new expenditure this Council can agree on? I’m not counting the parking lot and the Quiet Zone as they are sure things.