Well, it started off nice.
Tuesday’s meeting began with five young ladies from Belmar Elementary School performing a mock Borough Council meeting. I thoroughly enjoyed it and by the end of it I was wishing that they were our real Council. My favorite part was when one girl expressed her opposition to using solar power for new street lights, saying that solar wasn’t as cost effective as traditional lighting systems. Although she was out-voted, the other girls respected her opinion and none of them said she was being negative or acting politically or was part of an element that was against light.
Then came our Council.
What I really can’t understand is that this administration repeatedly violates state law and even its own laws, but to its supporters that’s wonderful. There is absolutely nothing negative about it. It’s all so good! But when either Councilman Bean or some private citizen brings any of these violations to light, to them that is just sooooooo negative! “They are an element and they want to destroy Belmar!”
On Tuesday, the “negativity” began 18 minutes and 39 seconds into the meeting.
Apparently Jim Bean is trying to ascertain how many ballots were hand delivered by employees or principals of D’Jais. According to the resolution approving D’Jais’ liquor license for the 2014 season they were supposed to at the beginning of the season supply the borough with a list of all their employees.
Last week Bean OPRAed the list and was told there was no such thing.
During his report to Council Bean asked Chief Palmisano if there was or wasn’t a list. Eventually the Chief said there was a list and that he would get back to him on it. I don’t know if Bean got his list yet but my guess is that they made the list yesterday.
More negativity came at the 30 minute mark when the Council attempted to pass Ordinance 2014-18, which they “passed” at the November 5 meeting over my objection that they didn’t have a quorum. I was told at that meeting that it was completely legal to pass an ordinance with only two people voting, but they decided to have another vote Tuesday with an actual quorum “out of an abundance of caution” (i.e. the first vote wasn’t legal.) Obviously their caution still isn’t abundant enough because they failed to give proper legal notice of the re-vote. When resident Gene Creamer pointed this out during the public hearing, the Council was forced to postpone the re-vote. Remember this is not some unimportant, routine ordinance. This is the repeal of the “responsible bidder” ordinance that the Monmouth County Superior Court is requiring them to do. So passing an illegal ordinance, getting sued over it and being forced to repeal it, repealing it without a quorum, and then re-repealing it without proper public notice is all great stuff. Nothing negative there. It’s only the objections to all this that are negative.
After that things got really negative.
At the 41 minute mark resident Joy DeSanctis had the absolute negativity to ask why without any authorization, and based completely on apparently fabricated information, she was, at the behest of Borough Administrator Colleen Connelly, forcibly removed by the Belmar Police Department from her challenger position at the polls on election day. She was also ridiculed over the incident on the mayor’s campaign Facebook page. Even after Ms. DeSanctis read aloud a letter from the County Clerk of Elections apologizing over the incident, saying they never authorized it and asking her to please report if she is ever harassed again in such a way, the Mayor insisted it was all wonderful and that he would do it again if she ever acted as a challenger in a Belmar election. This is must-see TV. 41 minute mark.
If I were her I would sue.
Later in the meeting I expressed some preliminary negativity over what I suspect is abuse of the vote by mail system here in Belmar but I’m waiting for some more information to become available so I can impart to my readers a more fully developed negativity.
Stay tuned.
11 Comments
I find Joy’s revelations at the meeting to be especially disturbing because, apparently, the regime used force of coercion at the polling place without written request as prescribed by New Jersey election laws:
NJSA 19:6-15.1. Uniforms and exposed weapons forbidden; penalty
The district boards of every election district shall preserve the peace and maintain good order in their respective polling places, during the progress of all elections and the counting of the votes cast thereat. To that end each member of every such board, during the progress of an election and the counting and canvassing of the votes, shall be and hereby is invested and charged with all the powers and duties of constables of this state in criminal matters.
Such election board, or any two members thereof, may, by writing under their hands whenever in their opinion it shall be necessary to do so, request the municipal authorities of any municipality within which their district is situate or the body or officer having charge and direction of the police force in such municipality, to detail one or more policemen to assist in preserving the peace and good order in and about such polling place, which request shall forthwith be complied with as far as possible by the body or officer to whom the same is made.
Doesn’t say anything about the Borough Administrator or Borough Attorney.
Remember the lesson we learned after AshBritt. The Borough Administrator only has the authority given to them by the Mayor. So when the Administrator acted, it was with the Mayor’s authority. Just saying…..
What a Difference One Year Makes!
In the spirit of our present president on his total reversal of immigration executive orders, Tom Burke’s Thanksgiving Post on Facebook follows suit.
His post lamenting “conspiracy theories and continued Election Day misconduct” stands in direct contradiction of his Message From Tom Burke: dealing with voter irregularities in Belmar which he asked to be posted to this very blog Wednesday October 9,2013. So which is true?
Be Thankful we don’t have Mayor DeBlasio!! I don’t have an answer.
This is border criminal activity they think they own the town.
Comment regarding Meeting Video @ 18:39 Jim Beam Report
It is a shame that a town committeeperson, first, must file an Open Public Records Request to review information he should be privileged to. Second, being told that no such records exist by a town administrator. Third, having to request, from the police chief, in an open public meeting, in front of the general public and a video camera that these records do exist. This has got to be truly embarrassing for the township, police chief and its administration.
The Mayor should first question the police chief and ascertain why incorrect information was given to the town administrator. It appeared that the chief was uninformed and probably caught off guard. Pretty sure the police captain has some explaining to do. The mayor should also request from the chief, a report on how the situation was handled and the corrective actions taken to ensure this doesn’t happen again. According to the local general ordinance 17 – 8.3, it is required by code that every employee involved with the handling of liquor, possess an ABC registration card issued by Belmar Police Department. In addition, a $50.00 annual processing fee is charged for each employee to obtain or renew their registration. I would be pretty sure that a money trail exists.
Secondly, the mayor should ensure that the administrator provides full disclosure to any town council members without having to fill out an OPERA request.
Thirdly, I would educate my staff that “knowingly and willfully” denying public records is a direct violation to The New Jersey Open Public Records Act (N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.) and if a complaint were filed, it would have a direct impact on the town.
Lastly, I would begin the new term with an executive session to review the current legal counsel that is representing Belmar. It‘s unfortunate, he seems like a pretty good guy, but it appears that there has been a fair share of bad advice that continues to cost the residents.
Below is the code regarding Liquor License Regulations taken directly from the Belmar Code Book
17-8.3 Registration of Employees.
In addition to the requirements of N.J.A.C. 13:2-23.13(a)(3), regarding the maintaining of an employee list, every licensee shall register all employees with the Police Department within twenty-four (24) hours after the commencement of any such employee’s employment, and shall notify employees who are required to possess an Employee Identification Card of their obligation to obtain the same as required herein. To register an employee, the licensee shall provide the following information and/or documentation to the Police Department, and in addition to the requirements of N.J.A.C. 13:2-23.13(a)(3) the same shall be maintained with the licensee’s employee list:
a. Full name.
b. Home address.
c. Home telephone number.
d. Social security number.
e. Date of birth.
f. The employee’s job title.
(1966 Code § 4-8.3; Ord. No. 2004-03)
17-8.4 Employee Identification Cards.
a. It shall be the duty and responsibility of all licensees to ensure that all employees of a licensee who are involved with the handling, service and/or sale of alcoholic beverages obtain and possess an Employee Identification Card issued by the Police Department while on duty. Employees involved with the handling, sale and/or service of alcoholic beverages shall include, but are not limited to, managers, and/or supervisors, waiters, waitresses, cashiers, bartenders, barmaids, bar backs and bouncers, security guards or persons performing similar activities regardless of the title employed.
b. Every employee required to obtain an Employee Identification Card shall provide the Police Department with the information and/or documentation required herein within five (5) calendar days after their employment commences. Every employee required to obtain an Employee Identification Card shall be fingerprinted, and shall provide the following information:
1. Full name.
2. Home address.
3. Home telephone number.
4. Social security number.
5. Date of birth.
6. The employee’s signature.
c. Every employee required to obtain an Employee Identification Card shall wear the card while working in a manner and place where it may be easily seen by customers and law enforcement officers.
d. Employee Identification Cards shall be valid for one (1) year from the date of issuance. Employee Identification Cards which have not been expired for a period of thirty (30) days or more may be renewed by submitting the information required in subsection 17-8.4(b) and the appropriate Police Department form and fee(s).
e. It shall be the responsibility of the licensee to obtain an employee’s Employee Identification Card upon the termination of the employee and return the Employee Identification Card to the Belmar Police Department within seven (7) days of the employee’s termination. If the employee’s Employee Identification Card is issued for more than one (1) licensed establishment then the licensee terminating said employee shall notify the Belmar Police Department, in writing, of the employee’s termination within seven (7) days of the employee’s termination. If a licensee is unable to obtain a terminated employee’s Employee Identification Card within seven (7) days of the employee’s termination, the licensee shall notify the Belmar Police Department of the same, in writing, and provide an explanation of the steps the licensee has taken to obtain the Employee Identification Card, including last known contact information of said employee and any other information reasonably required by the Belmar Police Department in this regard.
f. Falsification or alteration of an Employee Identification Card is prohibited. Reproduction of an Employee Identification Card, without prior written permission of the Belmar Police Department, is prohibited. Violation of this regulation shall be punishable upon conviction of a fine of one thousand ($1,000.00) dollars for a first offense, a fine of one thousand two hundred fifty ($1,250.00) dollars and/or thirty (30) days incarceration for second and subsequent offenses; and may also subject the licensee to charges against the liquor license by the local Alcoholic Beverage Control Board and other agencies.
(1966 Code § 4-8.4; Ord. No. 2004-03)
17-8.5 Fees for Employee Registration Identification Cards.
Every employee registering with the Police Department as required by subsection 17-8.4 shall submit the following fees to the Police Department with the appropriate form(s):
a. That amount charged by any State or Federal agency for a criminal history record check and/or a fingerprint inquiry where such an inquiry is permitted by law, which shall be paid by certified check or money order payable to the agency; and
b. A fifty ($50.00) dollar processing fee for an initial Employee Identification Card; or a thirty-five ($35.00) dollar processing fee for the renewal of an Employee Identification Card, or for the addition or removal of additional employers. The renewal of an Employee Identification Card that has been expired for a period of thirty (30) days or more shall be deemed an initial application and shall pay a fifty ($50.00) dollar processing fee in addition to any other requirements for an initial Employee Identification Card. All fees required pursuant to the section shall be paid by certified check or money order payable to the Borough of Belmar.
(1966 Code § 4-8.5; Ord. No. 2004-03; Ord. No. 2009-09 § I)
It’s Eye opening the amount of mishandling of borough affairs that the readers of this blog uncover. What is concerning is the amount if things going on (or not going on) that are not discovered.
Smoke and mirrors, nothing much done by this administration is upfront and clear and honest. (OK, a few street fairs and community events, but that is fluffy, in my opinion.)
I am still waiting to see that “beer garden” or other alcohol drinking establishment take over the space on Ocean Avenue in the former Belmar Fitness site. Has anyone noticed the “for sale” sign there? Sounds like a potential flip to me. BTW, the Wall Street Journal never printed anything about misquoting the mayor when he bragged about that beer garden. Some loyal supporters of the mayor may end up feeling very betrayed by their leader one of these days.
The Mayor posting that kind of stuff about a resident (DeSanctis) on his Facebook page is just another example of how much of an amateur he is.
Steve I think you mean immature.
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