South Orange BOT election
basically, we need. President who can lead without smearing anybody who doesn’t agree with her.
Lovesagoodsale said:
I think higher education is good but when a person with a lot of degrees and a political position of power don’t understand redress of grievances, that education didn’t work as planned. We need more info about people than their degrees. We need to see how they deal with adversity or people who ask lots of questions.
Sheena offered to meet with you and go over every single question you asked of her. She even gave you her cellphone number. Why haven't you taken her up on her offer?
I like doing things in public. I have been an advocate for transparency and accountability all my life. No need to take it to email. Then only I can see the responses.
Lovesagoodsale said:
I like doing things in public. I have been an advocate for transparency and accountability all my life. No need to take it to email. Then only I can see the responses.
In other words, you want to just complain. Sheena answered all of your questions on Nextoor - her response was 9 pages printed-out. That's about as public as you can get. You said that because of your condition it was difficult for you to concentrate on things that were long, so Sheena offered to meet with you.
we waste a lot of time arguing in this town because we don’t have info before the meetings...only after them. Then we react. This town makeover thing is a nice plan but it had 3 larger community meetings planned and the first meeting was on the day the promos came in the mail. Luckily that one was canceled for weather. We need input into what goes on here. Meaningful input. I asked questions and got smeared. Not ok.
Watch what people do AND what they say and then you have a clearer picture. If we have to go to meetings to react to proposals like condos at Orange lawn or Marriott in downtown, we’re spinning our wheels. And we’re doing it without kindness or consideration.
I remember when Sheena tried to shame the guy who was suing because he had his properties grandfathered in to use parking at the old Village Hall. I guess everybody just expected him not to mind losing parking that was promised to him? A crying shame. Learn civics and much of this will go away. Also, put all PILOTS out beforehand so people can vote before too much time and funds are spent preparing plans that have to then be modified.
And use kindness, not fake kindness. That would be my best advice.
If you have all the answers, run for office. The deadline to file is March 11.
For far too long, South Orange had many elected officials that were more concerned with their own personal agenda or advancement, rather than serving the residents (not naming names).
It's really easy to throw darts here, but a lot harder to actually run and serve and try to accommodate 17,000 diverse opinions.
This thread is about the election, not about you.
Demonzing people who ask questions doesn’t always work out so well. Good luck to all the candidates!
Editing to add: Yes! Diverse opinions matter!
Lovesagoodsale said:
Demonzing people who ask questions doesn’t always work out so well. Good luck to all the candidates!
Editing to add: Yes! Diverse opinions matter!
You really can’t monopolize someone’s time like you have. SC has gone above and beyond to respond to you. Imagine if every constitiuent (or even just 25) demanded the amount of time you have. It just can’t work like that.
I would like to thank Sheena for taking my suggestion and calling the public part of the BOT meetings at 8 so the executive session happens before people arrive. It will be a good thing if more people participate in all these processes for best results.
Lovesagoodsale said:
I like doing things in public. I have been an advocate for transparency and accountability all my life. No need to take it to email. Then only I can see the responses.
Do you think DDF would be better than Sheena when it comes to transparency and accountability? If so, how do you see that happening?
Let’s see what happens. Change can be good. This thread isn’t about me.
Edited a typo
Lovesagoodsale said:
Let’s see what happens. Change can be good.
Yeah, that's what Trump voters said.
Lovesagoodsale said:
Let’s see what happens. Change can be good. This thread isn’t about me.
Edited a typo
Why do we have to wait and see? She has been a trustee for what? 12 years? How often has she answered questions online? On any forum? She has voted with VP Collum on everything, I think.
I like candidates who have lived here for as long as possible. I understand Ms Davis Ford has lived here for more than 2 decades and I also understand her family is from this immediate area. I also see Ms Davis Ford has substantial experience with politics at the county level and that bodes well for all the stuff planned for Scotland Road upgrade and everything else that involves county roads, etc.
I do think there’s something to be said for institutional memory in such an historic area. I’m not a fan of Ms Collum for the reasons I have outlined above so it’s less about actual platform and more about making this a more civil place. That’s why I am looking forward to this election. If you guys disagree with me, that’s ok!
Lovesagoodsale said:
Let’s see what happens. Change can be good. This thread isn’t about me.
Edited a typo
Then please stop rehashing this conversation with Sheena every chance you get. I've read your thoughts on it many times in many forums. Time to move on.
mbaldwin said:
Lovesagoodsale said:Then please stop rehashing this conversation with Sheena every chance you get. I've read your thoughts on it many times in many forums. Time to move on.
Let’s see what happens. Change can be good. This thread isn’t about me.
Edited a typo
Mbaldwin, just FYI, as far as I can tell, it was always the people willing to hold fast to unpopular opinions that were the agents of change. Politics is a messy business and certainly people with opinions that ruffle your feathers shouldn’t just shut-up and disappear because you say so, should we?
It could be the case that many people agree with me but they wouldn’t bother to state it here because they don’t have the stomach for haters. It’s understandable. Perhaps we’ve just forgotten how to disagree and still have a civil conversation. I think it’s a skill we might want to work on. I bet A LOT MORE people read these boards than opine on them.
(Edited to add last paragraph lest I be accused of monopolizing the thread. Btw, if you want someone to stop talking, not addressing them is a more effective tactic.)
Lovesagoodsale said:
Mbaldwin, just FYI, as far as I can tell, it was always the people willing to hold fast to unpopular opinions that were the agents of change.
The change that you seem to most often be the agent of is your being banned from a forum. We all know your thoughts about Sheena. Repeating them ad nauseam is not winning you any converts. You may think you are being courageous but you are really just being a bully.
Move on, for your own sake, move on.
Lovesagoodsale said:It could be the case that many people agree with me but they wouldn’t bother to state it here because they don’t have the stomach for haters.
If there is anyone, anyone at all, here who agrees with Lovie, please come forward and be counted. I promise you that I will report anyone "hating on you" to the moderators post haste. Please come forward if you exist. If, on the other hand, you do not exist, can we please put this tired canard to rest?
Prediction. One poster, their account created after 10:54 am on 3/3/19, will come forward to voice their agreement. Their writing style will be very similar to Lovies.
One week to go before the filing deadline for the May 14 election and so far, the only declared candidates are:
For Village President: Sheena Collum, Deborah Davis Ford (can pick one)
For Village Trustee: Matt Wonski, Ed Grossi, Stacey Borden (can pick three)
Deadline for filing petitions is March 11 at 4pm ET
mayhewdrive said:
If you have all the answers, run for office. The deadline to file is March 11.
For far too long, South Orange had many elected officials that were more concerned with their own personal agenda or advancement, rather than serving the residents (not naming names).
It's really easy to throw darts here, but a lot harder to actually run and serve and try to accommodate 17,000 diverse opinions.
This thread is about the election, not about you.
Just FYI, running for election in a town where the Village President feels free to smear residents on a public forum is probably a bad idea. Good thing I don’t care for politics. Thaf being said, my reputation is important to me. If you civilians want to trash me, that’s your right but things change when one is an elected rep. I’ve asked Sheena privately for an apology but since none was forthcoming, I brought it up here. It IS an election year. I think the biggest difference I can see between the candidates is the Fire Dept: Ms Davis Ford supports keeping the SO dept and Ms Collum supports merging with Maplewood. I support any candidate who knows how to be civil and isn’t portraying herself as compassionate as she smears residents who question her policies.
Just because my neighbors want to behave less than nicely on public forums doesn’t give official representatives the same rights. Learn civics for best results. Learn to communicate better!
For anyone interested in actual FACTS, here is the report and recommendations from an outside consultant regarding the consolidation of the two Fire Departments:
From the Executive Summary:
During our analysis, we found robust evidence that increased efficiency, better service, and cost savings are possible through a consolidation of the two separate fire departments into a single entity.
Our findings are clear – the communities of Maplewood and South Orange would be better served by combining their fire departments into a single entity.
Operationally, we present several options that will enable savings in personnel, and increase the numbers of personnel and equipment responding to alarms in both communities. The current fire stations serving the communities will remain in service, and both forces would fall under a common set of operational procedures and leadership, which will improve effectiveness and coordination.
"The study was commissioned by a joint committee from both towns in 2016.
"During our analysis, we found robust evidence that increased efficiency, better service, and cost savings are possible through a consolidation of the two separate fire departments into a single entity," researchers from Manitou Inc. stated.
"Our findings are clear," researchers emphasized. "The communities of Maplewood and South Orange would be better served by combining their fire departments into a single entity."
According to researchers, South Orange Acting Fire Chief Daniel Sullivan and Maplewood Fire Chief Michael Dingelstedt were "very supportive" of the study."
https://patch.com/new-jersey/maplewood/maplewood-south-orange-fd-merger-getting-closer-mayor
Taxes are the most important issue for me in this election. South Orange has the 17th highest property taxes in the state. I want to know how each candidate proposes to keep the tax burden down in our community. The proposed merger of the fire departments is proposed to save $582,000 - $1.6 million annually, while increasing safety.
eta - A correction: South Orange has the 15th highest property taxes in the state, not the 17th.
https://www.nj.com/politics/2017/02/njs_2016_top-taxed_towns.html
That’s Ms Collum’s argument. Check with Ms Davis Ford to see how she differs. Taxes don’t go down ever. Figure out how to keep the value of your property while the town expands. Having more residents and fewer dedicated firefighters might work for a fully upgraded town but many of our homes have old wiring. Have you been watching the news lately? So many fires everywhere.
I think higher education is good but when a person with a lot of degrees and a political position of power doesn’t understand redress of grievances, that education didn’t work as planned. We need more info about people than their degrees. We need to see how they deal with adversity or people who ask lots of questions.
(Edited typo: don’t to doesn’t)