Lembrich running for TC supported by Profeta and Huemer.

Brilliant guy backed by two of the best TC members this town has ever known. I think Adams being a breath of fresh air wins easily but this looks like trouble for Jerry Ryan.

http://villagegreennj.com/towns/government/lembrich-declares-candidacy-maplewood-township-committee-without-mdc-support/

With Mr. Profetta and Mr. Huemer acting as his strong advocates and adding their considerable reputations as contributions, this might actually be a race for a change.

I just added some comments from Lembrich to the story.

Strange bedfellows politics makes.
Profetta and Huemer used to be enemies. Profetta's original running mate and close ally, Ian Grodman, is now Chair of the MDC and most certainly will back the candidates endorsed by the MDC.

I know Ryan and I've met Nancy Adams a few times and know she has been active in various community things. Can anyone tell me about Mr. Lembrich and his involvement in the community?

I know Mr. Profetta and Author are very much opposed to the TC plans for the PO site but even if Lembrich has a different idea if he wins the Primary and General by the time he takes office next January won't it be too late to change those plans?

Yes and even should he win there are five votes on the TC. I would guess three of the five would need to change their current mind set to launch things in a different direction.

Is the purpose of his candidacy to win or simply to be a rallying point for those oppose to the plans for a new building? I guess it may be both, but there are risks for the "movement" in tying itself to a candidate and risks for a candidate in relying on one issue.

techman said:

Brilliant guy backed by two of the best TC candidates this town has ever known. I think Adams being a breath of fresh air wins easily but this looks like trouble for Jerry Ryan.

I could see it the other way around. Ryan as an incumbent may have built up lost of political capital and may have done many things for constituents who will be loyal to him. There are probably also a good number of people who feel the current TC has done a good job.

Adams and Lembrich as the "new kids on the block" may be competing for the same votes.

Who knows, but it will be fun to watch.

LOST said:

Is the purpose of his candidacy to win or simply to be a rallying point for those oppose to the plans for a new building? I guess it may be both, but there are risks for the "movement" in tying itself to a candidate and risks for a candidate in relying on one issue.

techman said:

Brilliant guy backed by two of the best TC candidates this town has ever known. I think Adams being a breath of fresh air wins easily but this looks like trouble for Jerry Ryan.

I could see it the other way around. Ryan as an incumbent may have built up lost of political capital and may have done many things for constituents who will be loyal to him. There are probably also a good number of people who feel the current TC has done a good job.

Adams and Lembrich as the "new kids on the block" may be competing for the same votes.

Who knows, but it will be fun to watch.

Yes.. But remember one thing.. huemer and Profeta know how to win elections and if the goal is getting rid of the current incumbents, they have an idea as to how to do that.

LOST said:

Is the purpose of his candidacy to win or simply to be a rallying point for those oppose to the plans for a new building? I guess it may be both, but there are risks for the "movement" in tying itself to a candidate and risks for a candidate in relying on one issue.

By the time the new TC members take office next January, these decisions will have been made and construction will be well underway. So it wouldn't make sense for any candidate to tie him/herself to the Post Office issue. For better or worse, the decision about the Post Office will be made by the current TC.

Other issues on the table include plans to combine the rec departments and some other services of Maplewood and SO. I'd love to hear the candidates' opinions on that.

According to his flier, Lembrich is running on more than what to do with the post office site. I don't agree with his position that the existing site remain dormant while a solution is worked out, especially since he has no time frame in mind. I also don't think that his suggestion that the building could be used as a recreation center, which echoes mentor David Huemer's long time push for a recreation center to be built somewhere in town, is the best use for a building at that location. However, others might disagree.

One problem with combining the recreation department and the fire department which he also mentioned when we spoke yesterday, is that SO is a civil service town while Maplewood employees serve at will of the township. (Mr. Lembrich was not aware of this difference) This makes it very difficult to combine existing staff of the two agencies he would combine. The present system of sharing recreation services by having each town take the lead in some programming areas while the other town takes the lead in others works well and avoids the civil service/at will stumbling block.`

Is Maplewood really "at will" or just not "competitive" in that it doesn't utilize civil service tests for hiring and promotion?

Maplewood is not civil service. I'm not sure what you mean by not competitive.
Openings are posted and advertised and candidates are interviewed and hired by the Township Administrator or the TC.

Most Maplewood employees are also unionized.

As an example, in NY, all city employees are "civil service." Some are competitive hires in that you have to take a test and get hired off of a list and others are non-competitive in that you simply apply.

techman said:

Yes.. But remember one thing.. huemer and Profeta know how to win elections and if the goal is getting rid of the current incumbents, they have an idea as to how to do that.

Jerry Ryan certainly knows how to win elections as does his supporter Vic DeLuca.
Let's keep watching.

deborahg said:

LOST said:

Is the purpose of his candidacy to win or simply to be a rallying point for those oppose to the plans for a new building? I guess it may be both, but there are risks for the "movement" in tying itself to a candidate and risks for a candidate in relying on one issue.

By the time the new TC members take office next January, these decisions will have been made and construction will be well underway. So it wouldn't make sense for any candidate to tie him/herself to the Post Office issue. For better or worse, the decision about the Post Office will be made by the current TC.

Other issues on the table include plans to combine the rec departments and some other services of Maplewood and SO. I'd love to hear the candidates' opinions on that.

But if the contracts aren't signed by the Primary and Lembrich wins one of the spots in the general, might the TC reconsider?

Steve said:

As an example, in NY, all city employees are "civil service." Some are competitive hires in that you have to take a test and get hired off of a list and others are non-competitive in that you simply apply.

OK. No one in Maplewood is Civil Service. Hiring is like in a private company although I believe that open positions must be advertised.

Steve said:

But if the contracts aren't signed by the Primary and Lembrich wins one of the spots in the general, might the TC reconsider?

Possibly, which is what Profeta and other supporters are hoping, but not necessarily.
What if both he and Ryan win the Primary?

Two people have to win. Suppose one of the winners supports the present TC plan and the other opposes it. And if Lembrich loses will the opponents of tearing down the PO give up their fight? I doubt it.

How does Lembrich appeal to all of those voters who couldn't care less what happens to the PO?

Steve said:

As an example, in NY, all city employees are "civil service." Some are competitive hires in that you have to take a test and get hired off of a list and others are non-competitive in that you simply apply.

Not exactly. Under the Classification of the City of New York, non-competitive appointees have to meet the minimum qualification requirements for the class of positions to which they are being appointed and have to pass a non-competitive examination conducted by the agency's non-competitive examining board. They are still civil service employees and may in some circumstances be afforded tenure and the right to sit for the promotion examination to the next higher title.

However, some NYC employees are hired as provisionals. These employees are appointed to competitive class positions for which no legal promotion list exists and may serve in said position until the next civil service list is certified for the title to which they have been provisionally appointed. In this case, the position is covered by civil service but the appointee does not have civil service status.

I just looked at Lembrich's FB page. He's really pushing potential re-use of the P.O. which I think is a dangerous game to promote as a top agenda. Most people don't like the P.O. All Jerry has to say is "this guy wants to keep this building?? Is he nuts???" and most will agree.

tech,

I think you make a good point, but others will disagree.

I said all city employees in NY are civil service. Not all take tests (people are evaluated and rated during interviews, etc.).

@Lost - yes, one of the organization candidates will win, but if the other loses, that might make people think.

LOST said:

tech,

I think you make a good point, but others will disagree.

no doubt about it! Still, I think Jerry can shake off that issue by simply saying the obvious to the voters who haven't been paying a great deal of attention to the P.O. drama.

"The P.O. is butt ugly. We envision something spectacular."

Steve said:

@Lost - yes, one of the organization candidates will win, but if the other loses, that might make people think.

But think what?
It depends on the vote count and it depends on which "organization" candidate wins. Of course by organization you mean the MDC but Profeta-Huemer can surely put together an organization.

Suppose the winners are Ryan and Lembrich. What would that mean?
Both sides will spin it however they wish and by November the two will be team mates.

Now if Adams and Lembrich win it will appears as a vote for the "new" as opposed to the "old".
And if Ryan and Adams win Lembrich supporters will spin it as a victory for "the machine". There are various other scenarios.

And we have yet to hear the Republican position.

The issue should be viewed as broader than the fate of the old PO building. There are a number of economic and capital development projects before the TC at the moment and each will have a significant impact on the town.

techman said:

LOST said:

tech,

I think you make a good point, but others will disagree.

no doubt about it! Still, I think Jerry can shake off that issue by simply saying the obvious to the voters who haven't been paying a great deal of attention to the P.O. drama.

"The P.O. is butt ugly. We envision something spectacular."

Or "The PO building is no great work of art. We want to put that property back on the tax rolls to offer some relief to taxpayers, no matter how small. There will be a few more upscale stores and apartments for seniors and young couples. My opponent appears to want a fencing club".

joan_crystal said:

The issue should be viewed as broader than the fate of the old PO building. There are a number of economic and capital development projects before the TC at the moment and each will have a significant impact on the town.

Jerry Ryan is part of the TC team that is bringing Wawa to Maplewood, so he's got my vote!

Where will Wawa be located?

Springfield Avenue and Jacoby Street.

Near the Bank of America?
What is on the site now?