You’ll forgive Belmar residents who live in the Lake Como flood basin if they’re feeling a little confused right now. Borough Administrator Colleen Connolly opened an October 23 meeting held for these folks by holding her cell phone up in the air. She said words to the effect of that the funding for the proposed new outflow system was in place. She was just waiting for the call that it had gotten final approval. Many of us expected Christie to announce it in person when he was to visit Belmar and tour the lake the following Wednesday, Sandy Day.
Oh but that damn Jim Keady. He ruined everything. He held up a sign critical of the governor, causing Christie to get really mad at Keady and at Belmar too! In the comments section of a MSNBC story about the outburst, Council President Brian Magovern explained:
So according to Magovern, Christie is so petty that because a protester showed up at an event in Belmar, Christie would refuse to support any aid to fix the Lake Como flooding problem. I believe Christie is petty and spiteful, we saw that with the GWB scandal, but he’s not that petty and spiteful. At least I don’t think so. But anyway, according Magovern Christie didn’t tour the area around Lake Como and have his private talk with Doherty because of the Keady incident. Let me repeat that. He didn’t tour the lake.
So Thursday, October 23, Connolly tells us the funding is “in place”. Christie comes the following Wednesday and gets in a fight with a protester. Thursday Magovern comments that because of Keady the funding was now in question and that Christie didn’t visit the lake.
Friday, the same residents that were invited to the October 23 meeting received this letter dated October 30. (the day after Christie visited):
First of all, the folks were told the week before that the funding was “in place”. Now they are being asked to call their elected officials to push for funding! Is it because of Christie’s fight with Keady?
But here’s the more interesting thing:
“After his press conference I asked if he could take a ride with me down to the south end of town to see the lake and discuss the drainage project. Together we toured the lake and I explained the project, how it is a regional issue……”
He didn’t tour the lake. This letter was written before Christie’s Wednesday visit but dated Thursday so it could talk about the big success of Christie’s visit but still be ready to be in the mail in time for election day. It’s a fraud. The letter refers to the visit in the past tense but it couldn’t have been written Thursday because it says Christie went to the lake. Besides, if this was written after Christie’s visit it would have had to be written Wednesday night and then have been printed with the envelopes stuffed, stamped, and put it the mail by Thursday for it to be in mailboxes Friday.
Here is more evidence that this letter was a campaign piece and that it was rushed, at additional expense to the taxpayers who should not have had to pay for this at all, in order to be in mailboxes before election day.
Notice the sender is Mayor Matt Doherty and not the Borough. Also note it has a regular postage stamp on it. First class mail. The Borough never uses first class mail and there is nothing special about this piece that if it was regular official business would require it to be mailed first class.
Unless it had to be delivered before election day.
This piece is not only a campaign lie but it is a campaign lie paid for by the taxpayers, first class.
One more thing worth noting: What I’m hearing as the real reason Christie didn’t tour the lake and didn’t commit to “hazard mitigation” funding is that Lake Como is technically not a “coastal lake” and therefore not eligible for the Community Development Block Grant. It is actually classified as a dammed river with Ocean Ave. being the dam.
Damn.
14 Comments
tsk tsk (shaking head) I feel sorry for Magovern and Doherty. I must nod to the “higher power” … and I do not mean Governor Christie. Nothing to do with religion here, just “Common Sense” For Belmar. Thank you, Dave, for your diligence.
I appreciate all the input from other areas but no one cares or watches msnbc look at their Arbitron ratings sinking faster than the Titanic.
It’s what Brian said in his comment that was important.
Thanks again Dave! I noticed that right away! The thing is that Magovern spoke out thinking he was helping I assume. Now either Mayor Doherty forgot to clue him in or left him out in the cold.
The minion Colleen Connolly should be the first to be fired when Bean wins.
At the meeting and also in the literature passed out, Colleen and Doherty said that a “new” category for “Coastal Lakes” criterion for eligibility had just opened within the Community Block Grant. I realize now it was all made up. If anyone in my neighborhood believes anything that Doherty says and votes for him they are fools. Doherty being reelected will be the biggest block in moving forward to stop flooding at Lake Como.
This isn’t the first time Brian Mcgovern spoke first – and thought(?) later … and it (sigh) won’t be the last. And Matt likely didn’t clue him in Katrina probably because no one bothered cluing him in. He’s no leader – but s very loyal soldier. The whole thing looks to me like our mayor is running scared (as he should be) And fear generally spawns sloppiness. Carry on gentlemen – true colors and all that…
So the taxpayers paid for a letter that was factually incorrect by stating that the Governor visited the lake with Matt Doherty, when in fact that never occurred?
My favorite Magovernism is what he said at a Mayor and Council meeting a while ago, in paraphrase, is something to the effect of “I/we will do what is best for Belmar, whether it is legal or not.” Not a direct quote, but close enough. Yes, he really said that. And the “no questions allowed” principle was instituted shortly thereafter, apparently to muzzle Mr. Magovern?
What more can I say? Man/Women can’t be trusted. How sad. Means us Apes take over sooner.
Thank you for your ongoing, detailed examination of the information/misinformation circulated to (or hidden from) the Belmar community. Shortly after reading this I received a telephone call from someone who identified himself as being “personally helped” by Mayor Doherty after Sandy, urging me to vote for him. I’m saying a prayer for a large voter turnout on Tuesday. I believe the majority of our community .. our friends and neighbors .. want change. Please say it with your vote.
Fairy tale letters don’t comfort flood misery ….
Still awaiting a call back from the Governors office regarding this “visit”. No one in Lake Como recalls seeing the Gov. or being invited to join them. I was asked to email Governor Press Secretary when I asked to confirm his tour of Lake Como. Why do I need his Press Secretary? Wouldn’t it be his assistants, his scheduler, his security personnel that could confirm his visit/tour of Lake Como on 10/29 folling his visit to Belmar. I counted at least 3 black SUV’s – somebody would have a record of leaving Belmar and going to Lake Como. Don’t you think? Still no reply from the Press Secretary 2 days…
He didn’t go to the town of Lake Como. He went to the Belmar side of the lake. Someone I know and trust saw him there.
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