This report might have been a little more informative if Karla Bardinas had read some of the campaign literature from each side. It’s true that many people opposed what was being built when the plans included roof top golf, a bath house and a second story banquet hall (with the possibility of a liquor license). But the opposition to the current plan really had little to do with what was being built. After the roof top golf and bath house ideas were dropped, and then later the banquet hall idea was dropped, most of the opposition to what was actually being built melted away.
The issue in Tuesday’s election was the cost. Not a single piece of literature from opponents of the bond suggested we not build. And not a single one suggested that we significantly scale back the plans. The concerns expressed were totally about the cost, our already large existing debt, and any additional debt’s effect on future tax rates. And while the earlier flyers from the yes folks tried to make people think it was about whether to build pavilions, some of the later stuff acknowledged that cost was an issue and tried to justify it.
There was also a strong suspicion that the whole process was rigged to benefit Maser Engineering, Epic Construction and LIUNA. Much of those suspicions were borne out when voters received a letter from Maser endorsing the project, and a barrage of glossy, full color “vote yes” flyers sent, at great expense I’m sure, by LIUNA. I think It was a big mistake by the mayor to allow Maser and LIUNA to try to influence the election. People didn’t like that. I think that it cost him a lot of votes.
One more thing. I hope when the bare-chested Phil Janosko said about the $7 million “There’s so many other things you could go for, there’s so many people who actually need money” he was referring to the people who earned it. I really hope he didn’t mean we should sell a $7 million bond and give away the money to people who need money. (Maybe he needs money for a shirt.)
Oh, and actually one more thing. When Doherty says it’s now his job to try to bring the town together, does that mean that he’s going to stop saying that anyone who questions anything he does is “against recovery”?
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Here’s the issue. The mayor and his flunkys on the council passed the ordinance which requires building contractors to have apprentice programs – be Union to do town projects. Therefore, many/most local contractors who could’ve put reasonable bids in weren’t allowed because they’re non-Union. Certainly, Avon has no such ordinance and look at the numbers they built their pavilion for. Case closed.
RESPONSE TO THE MAYOR:
First and foremost take out the labor apprenticeship program requirement in the bidding ordinance.
If you want to heal differences, then a town hall meeting where every voice can be heard and not only the mayor but the council is present. The emailing the mayor idea doesn’t heal it only reinforces the ” distancing” and continued “disconnect with the voters”. Therefore I suggest that an appropriate email to the mayors is
“Let’s have a town hall and discuss this.” I say this because for almost two years now, the mayor and council have decided not to respond to my emails. Nor, do they respond to me at Council meetings. Emails don’t cut it now.
The mayor needs to reach out to the voters. What better way than to use his reverse 911 to invite the voters to a town hall. The people want to be listened to and not just at the mic at a council meeting. Maybe he could call Christie and ask how it’s done. If he wants emails every person who voted either yes or no should email him the request for a town hall. “When the people fear the government you have tyranny, when the government LISTENS to the people you have Liberty”
I hope we are going to post how many of the 700 ballots camed from DJ’s and their employees . I think it important for the town to know the scope of this
Funny how this clown Doherty, with empathy, states that it is now his job to bring our divided community back together. Here’s news to anybody who never experienced the Doherty double-talk – it was Doherty who divided the community in the first place! I hope that there are no more bites at the apple for him and in November he is sent packing.
Votes by mail 206 Votes yes 123 Votes no 83 Whats that tell you? 30% more in favor by mail, thats odd
On our planet the older apes find it difficult to get to the polls. So they mail. Also from time to time we get apes votes that we pick up and hand deliver to the ape’s county headquarters. Maybe same here?
On our planet older apes can’t ride horseback anymore….so they mail in. Here maybe older people, vacation people, mail in. Sometimes we pick up ballots and hand deliver. Maybe same here.
Except that in this case I think the apes were helped via DJs—thats the giant bar at the beach that always tries to have alot of say in our elections. Time will tell if the mail in votes and the hand carried votes were helped along by bartenders etc. I think this happens and I resent out-of-towners trying to determine our fate.
We did have apes from the forbidden zone sending in ballots. Try and find how many were mailed in vs. how many were hand carried. I would bet that at least half were hand delivered by somebody(s). See this is one of the reasons why humans are not permitted on our planet.
Just make sure all you phonies show up for the free food and drinks spread deejays throws in September.
I didn’t go last year and I’m certainly not going this year. And I don’t think Bean has ever gone.
I think I know who Buster is . Is his first name Ball? He seems to know alot about the “Free stuff”
I’ll pass also. I am already sick of sour grapes. I also DON’T WANT ANYTHING THE GOVERNOR IS SERVING EITHER.
Maybe they will cancel? The five families may show…
Invite the residents from the senior building and provide rides for them to DJais for the spread. They like free stuff and will vote for Matt.
No reflection, no change, The Mayor’s letter.
Clearly, Tues. vote was a blow to this mayor. But rather than reflect on his miscalculation of feelings and opinions by the MAJORITY of voters, Matt went right into damage control. His letter sent to Belmar households the next morning do little to convey that the vote had any effect. Starting with his first sentence stating the old lie : As you know, we had a special election this week about rebuilding the pavilions on the boardwalk.” Anyone who voted knew that the vote was about a bond for $7 MILLION and not whether to rebuild or not to rebuild. He further states” Your voice was certainly hear.” Impossible since we voted down the amount of the bond. The mayor goes on,” I invite you to share your ideas on what types of pavilions should be rebuilt on the boardwalk.” After 14 months, I have NO IDEA what that sentence means. Do you? Well Matt since you have been deaf for 14 months, the “type of pavilion” we want to build was never the conversation after August of 2013, or maybe I missed something!
Didn’t they have meetings after meetings about building pavillions??? Why is Avon’s up and we are still fighting over the size,scope and Union workers. On our planet we just do what is best for all apes.
I still don’t understand why I’m not on this “mailing list”. I pay taxes. I’m a resident. Is there a No Resident Left Behind policy we can enforce? Sad when the majority of the news I get about the town comes in the form of letters to the editor in the weekly Coast Star.
Writing as one from the element,disenter, minority, and the group that opposes any recovery from Sandy,
my suggestion, a square box that fits in the footprint of the old 5th Ave. pavilion with an ADA compliant bathroom. What else do we need? You can even paint it the same colors.
This should cover all that we lost and serve the same “groups” that used the pavilion before the storm. Shouldnt cost too much.
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