All these people who are shocked should have been reading this blog.
Dem candidates speak but don’t identify themselves as candidates.
Cheri Russo @ 1:08:30
Maggie McBride @ 1:16:25
Make sure to catch attorney Dasti’s remarks at the 11 minute mark.
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31 Comments
Dasti: Doherty/Connolly approved Lake Como project change orders w/o Council approval. That is an ethics violation if not an outright criminal act. Someone who lives in Belmar needs to file a complaint.
At the 22:00 mark Brennen begins to ask questions about some numbers he doesn’t understand. ALL OF A SUDDEN HE HAS QUESTIONS? Wasn’t he involved in this mess from the beginning? Give me a break Brennen. You should be sitting up there hanging your head in shame!
Boy we could have used Debbie Mandelker, Inlet Terrace (1:09 mark) and her detailed questions about the budget over these last 8 years. I don’t recall her questioning Colleen Connelly’s added position back then? The amount of money she was irate about was around the same as Connelly’s salary, and also is a drop in our olympic sized pool of debt. I guess people don’t actually like Belmar that much. They don’t care if the town is running properly, or if it’s designed to sustain future issues. They care about their pocketbook, not Belmar. An Inlet Terrace house is a great investment and will always have the ocean to keep it valued high, but natural devastations like non working outfall pipes, sewage running into the river and the next hurricane destroying us as we are sitting ducks with no protective dunes will lower that value fast. Why are people not concerned about this? Why were they happy with the expensive boardwalk that’s too low for FEMAs standards, why did they think the expensive/cheap boardwalk buildings and their price tags were ok? You’d think a smart woman like her would know about climate change, rising tides and FEMAs rules about reimbursement. No, she’s mad about $175,000. Debbie – we need to talk. The Belmar Dems are destroying Democrats for years to come in this town. Don’t be part of it. Where’s Mark Levis? Hope he comes back.
I don’t remember Walsifer ever asking questions at previous budget hearings. He was part of the problem just like Brennan.
So all the people who voted “yes” for the pavilions should pay for the pavilions. We knew that Doherty and Connelly were blowing smoke up our butt when they said don’t worry about it…FEMA will be reimbursing the town for the cost of the pavilions”, but, unfortunately, more than half of the borough voters drank the kool aid and believed their outright lies. Now it’s time to pay the bill.
#4 Agreed.
Pretty comical to see the two hand picked dimwits that Matt wants to run for council, make fools of themselves. Also I forgot to ask why is there a trailer in the lot for over 2 years taking up valuable parking spots?
The meeting was very well attended and very well run. We are in a pickle and there is no easy answer. People asked good questions, had good comments and were rightfully angry and concerned. But we have to pay the bills (even if they were created by the last administration). With forensic investigations going on, I suppose this is not the last we will be dealing with the last admin…but let’s be patient. In the meanwhile, the tax increases are necessary. I really feel that despite the bad news, the meeting was refreshing. Let’s give this administration a chance to bring us back on track.
All the surprise expenses appear to be the blame for the tax increase. Lets take a moment to question though, wasn’t Walsifer and Brennan on the council while the 30+ million in debt was being accumulated and the zero tax increases were being voted on? Mr. Walsifer and Mr. Brennan, how many of those budgets did to vote NO against?
Can’t blame Brennan, he had a laser like focus on saving the town from the scourge of plastic bags.
Ok Again my son, CPA, said if the previous administration had a “job cost accounting system ” this would not have happened. Invoices coming in two years late. Hope the new people get one soon or create an excel spreadsheet for each project. Also my son, CPA, said with the stock market at record highs why would we need more money into the pension plan. Seems we should need less. The “defined benefit pension plan” has to go. It’s unsustainable. Those are my son’s, CPA, comments. Me I’m taking more aspirins.
Dave, I live in Belmar and I’ll file a complaint against Matt and Colleen over the outflow pipe debacle. I’ll keep you posted.
Thank you for the heads up.
John Mellencamp’s Jack and Dianne
Little ditty ’bout Matt and Colleen
two crooked criminals tryin to pick the town clean
Matty says he wants to be a political star
Colleen she gonna ignore the law to help him get far
Bending the law outside of Connolly’s
Colleen sittin on Matty’s jeep, got his hands between the seats
Matty say ‘hey there colleen lets run back to Staples please’. We gotta shred these papers ‘fore Dave Schneck calls the police
Sayin’ oh yea life goes on, long after the mess and damage is done
oh yea they say that life goes on. Long after the thrill of stealing is gone- he walked on
(Drum Solo)
So let it rock, let it ro-o-ol Let the FBI come and raid my ho-o-ome. I got away with you loyal do-opes. I only hope that Tom Brennan can cope.
Little ditty ’bout Matt and Colleen two amoral crackpots who got away clean
Thank you to the Borough’s video crew for adjusting the microphone so that citizens of different heights could be heard.
Can anyone out there show me where the budget cuts are????
By the way, if, according to Matt, the town budget woes are caused by the new guys and we could still have no increase in municipal taxes, then why wasn’t he at the meeting to enlighten us? Where were Brian and Jen? They bragged all the time about the honor to serve the community and being interested only in what’s best for Belmar. Well then where the hell were they? Do they have answers? Would they like to defend themselves? Come on down Matt. Let’s hear how we can avoid this mess. Bear in mind though that perhaps these new folks aren’t as willing to throw their morals into the nearest sewer drain. I can tell you that if I had done nothing wrong and the new elected officials were blaming me for the horrific financial situation, I’d be at every single council meeting.
However, if I did play fast and lose with the people’s trust, I’d probably stay home. Good call Matt.
Coward.
Amazing that there are still some Residents that hear no evil, see no evil and still they speak for the evil.
Try this on for a minute or two.
8 years LISTEN TO THE NO TAXES baloney.
Now its time to pay the piper and those complaining tax payers and the realistic will feel the pain for drinking Doherty’s magic potion. Figure this one out for yourself, $500 divided by 8 FREE tax years equals?
Why is Jakes Crab Food truck allowed to be parked in the BORO parking lot at 13th & RR. I have a mason company, can I park my trucks in there too? Get him out of there!
#19..
do you really care? is that truck really bothering you?
Plenty of trucks in the marina lot too.
M&C passed an ordinance giving police power to the Belmar Stormwater Management Plan … forced retrofitting of storm drains for environment & drainage system reasons … GOOD
#20 Bobo. As a matter of fact it does bother me because I pay a rental fee to park my trucks. But if it doesn’t bother you I’d be glad to start parking them for free in the boro lot.
The bothersome thing is that Chris Brandl, the Jakes Crabshack Guy, is/was a buddy of Doherty, a reminder of the corruption that had overtaken Belmar. Those days of special favors for certain pals do not appear to be gone.
Let me point some things out. These are the budgeted numbers. This doesn’t mean it will be the exact expense but they are a ball park.
This budget is the exact same thing Doherty would have given us except Walsifer raised taxes 21% to pay for it.
For instance, Police salary and wages went up from $3,011,700 to $3,198,000. Even at the beach front Police salaries went from $598,100 to $641,000. This is a $229,200 increase. Walsifer blamed it on contracts but the look at everyone’s salary at the end of 2018.
http://blog.commonsenseforbelmar.org/2018-payroll-8-75-million/
everyone was angry about overtime, remember this?
Cox – $206K
Desserich – $164K
Huisman – $198K
Lynch – $190K
Scott – $167K
Yee – $160K
Campbell – $213K
total: $1,298,000
This budget not only continues the overtime abuses, it increases them. There was zero effort to better manage borough hall to reduce waste and abuse. Just a continuation of past practices.
The Administration & Executive-Salary & Wage (BA salary included) went down from $88,100 to $85,000 on the municipal side, but went up from $37,800 to $77,000 on the beach side. Meaning the beach utility is almost paying half of these salary. It will not be long before our town gets hand slapped from stealing from the beach utility. How can the mayor justify the BA spending almost 50% of their time working on the beach front that’s only open 6 hours a day 3 months a year? Stealing from the beach tag purchaser is not a sound financial plan to run the town.
This budget is in insult to anyone who believes in fiscal restraint and proper budgeting. I am embarrassed that so called fiscal conservatives in my political party voted for this budget. Please remember to thank the mayor and council for the 21% tax increase when you see them. The borough employee’s sure did.
I didn’t expect the police to have to take a pay cut or even a freeze. It’s a shame. No offense to our police – I like them all – but my uncle who worked in precints in and around the Bed Sty area in the 80s and 90s was paid far less. Also, I believe Patterson NJ cops are paid less. We’re not going to go backward on this. Best thing we can do is make D’Jais three houses and when a couple guys retire we won’t have to hire new;)
24: allegedly Brandy hates McDirty just like all his other followers when he was giving out free candy.
#26 Aileen. Loved your very common sense comments about the person who spoke at the meeting. Mark Levis got a view of the BS and mess that the town was in during his time on Council which is why he started campaigning away from the other Dems. He saw the mess that the previous administration got Belmar in and probably did not want his good name associated with it.
Previously you mentioned that the for the kids that attend Belmar Grammar school that Lake Como pays us tuition for each. Do you know what Lake Como pays Belmar per student? Don’t we have the ability to raise the amount Lake Como pays us per student since our costs are going up?
Jim #25 wise and enlightening comments for us as usual. Thank you. Very helpful to have your view given your experience up there.
Jim – can you let us know how Belmar Police working at the bars are handled? A previous commenter said they are off duty but I don’t believe that is the case. It is my understanding that they are on duty and this is their assigned post for the night and that they are accountable to the PD reporting structure and not bar owners. The Bars then pay the town for the hours. Is this correct?
If correct, can the hours they work at the bars count as overtime hours? Does the town have to pay that time toward pensions when they are working at the bars? If so this is a terrible deal for Belmar.
Thanks #28. Yes we do, and they’re not getting a deal. Here are the budgets (a more user friendly budget is available but I can’t find it at the moment. I’ll send on Tuesday when I can obtain from the school if you’re interested):
Lake Como BOE budget
https://www.belmar.k12.nj.us/cms/lib/NJ01001926/Centricity/Domain/113/Lake%20Como%2019%2020%20Ufb%20Report.pdf
Belmar BOE budget
https://www.belmar.k12.nj.us/cms/lib/NJ01001926/Centricity/Domain/23/User%20Friendly%20Budget%20Belmar%20BOE%202019%2020.pdf
Mr. Pringle – legally speaking, if there is a fight in DJ’s while our Police are assigned to the bar as a post for the night, and they go in and allegedly injure a combatant while making an arrest, who can the combatant sue? Belmar? DJ’s?
What if a a PD gun is accidentally discharged wounding an innocent bystander?
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