BY Debbie Galant | Monday, Jan 30, 2012 12:47pm | COMMENTS (28)
There have been lots of rumors about political slates shifting over the weekend — none of it confirmed — but a big piece of news just came in by email in the past few minutes: 2nd Ward councilor Cary Africk, who had picked up a packet to run for council, just announced that he will not run after all.
It had been rumored that he was about to join the Swenson-Susswein-Turner ticket.
Continue Reading
BY Christina Gillham | Friday, Jan 27, 2012 2:10pm | COMMENTS (22)
Montclair Township has entered into a new agreement with the MPA, days after threatening to dissolve the troubled authority.
In an ordinance dated Jan. 24, the township declared that the Montclair Parking Authority had been “default in its lease payment” and that the “services provided by the MPA can be undertaken more efficiently and at less cost to the taxpayer by a selfliquidating utility operating as part of the municipal government.”
So what happened between then and now—was the town bluffing?
No, says Councilor Cary Africk, telling Baristanet, “We were able to take a strong stance because we had the analysis of Glenn Rogers, who showed us how things could work a lot better—both from a financial and operational viewpoint. How the MPA could implement and work for the Town in achieving the Town’s goals, rather than the other way around.”
BY Cary Africk | Wednesday, Jan 25, 2012 2:00pm | COMMENTS (5)
The Capital Finance Committee has served Montclair for decades. Over the years the Committee’s annual reports have helped foster a responsible and thoroughly reasoned approach to capital spending.
While in the former Council the Committee’s activities were scaled down, it has only been in this Council that active hostility has broken out between the Council and the Manager, and the Committee.
But it’s not only the Capital Finance Committee that has been shut out. The Operating Budget Advisory Committee has been ignored, and the Environmental Commission has seen its influence dwindle.
When I was appointed as an ALTERNATE to the Environmental Commission I was invited to a dinner by the Mayor, Ed Remsen, to honor my appointment.
Prior to this Council it was an honor to be on any of the Council Committees.
But now, with the constant attack from the Council “majority,” and the Town Manager, it is no longer an honor, but an obligation that fewer and fewer want. Continue Reading
Friday, Jan 06, 2012 11:12am | COMMENTS (0)
We know that Montclair council members Cary Africk and Renee Baskerville have thrown their hats in the ring for the May elections. Africk has picked up election petition packets from the Municipal Clerk for his current position, 2nd Ward Councilor, as well as Council at Large. Baskerville will be running for 4th Ward Council again.
Now Harvey Susswein appears poised to enter the race—and he is the first who has picked up an election package for the mayoral seat (he also requested a petition for Councilor at Large).
Susswein, a longtime civic activist, posted a website in October declaring his candidacy for Mayor, but soon after took down the website.
Wednesday, Jan 04, 2012 2:25pm | COMMENTS (4)
UPDATE Thursday Jan. 5 11:25 a.m.: Councilor Nick Lewis says he hasn’t picked up a packet yet but is “sort of leaning toward running again.” He adds, “I’ve got to find a slate of people who I like.”
Cary Africk has announced today he will run again for Montclair office. Here’s his announcement.
During the last month I’ve run into many residents throughout the township whose first question to me has been: “you are running again for office, aren’t you?”
Well after a good bit of thought about what has transpired over the past 3 years, I’ve decided to run again. There’s much work to be done. And I want to help create a positive group that has the skill set to execute the both fiscal and operating changes we need here to turn Montclair around.
My decision will be to do that as a 2nd ward Councilor, or to run for a town-wide position. That’s why I’ve taken both packets today as a potential candidate. Continue Reading
BY Cary Africk | Wednesday, Dec 28, 2011 8:08pm | COMMENTS (124)
As I understand things, people should be getting their reassessment letters this week.
I have already heard from several people who have had dramatic reductions in assessment since 2006. Their new numbers were 40% lower!
While most would initially think this “terrific,” at some point I believe too low an assessment will put negative pressure on home prices. After all, if you had a 2006 assessment at $800,000, but you realistically thought you could get no more than $650,000 for your home, hearing that your assessment went down 40%, to under $500,000, is sure going to make it more difficult to sell your house for $650K.
Of course, maybe I just don’t “understand” the real estate market. But then again I did check this logic out with one of my Realtor sources.
At the other end of the spectrum, I have heard of a half dozen assessments that stayed exactly the same!
Upon further investigation, I have learned that the ONLY statistic on the new reassessment is the average decline, leading to an INITIAL calculation of the new tax rate.
It turns out that the average decline is 19%, which means the tax rate needs to come up by that amount to keep everything even. Until, of course, the new budget comes out, which will have who knows what an increase. Continue Reading
BY Debbie Galant | Tuesday, Dec 06, 2011 8:46pm | COMMENTS (23)
UPDATE 9:49 P.M. Council defeats $3.359 million spending measure 4-3, with Africk, Murnick, Baskerville and Terry voting against it.
If you’re a television devotee of the Montclair Town Council, you’ve been staring at this screen for about 40 minutes. Just now, 8:42 p.m., people are starting to amble in. Continue Reading
BY Christina Gillham | Friday, Dec 02, 2011 10:54am | COMMENTS (47)
You remember Pinnacle. They’re the company that developed the Siena condominiums, against which some residents have had ongoing complaints—and legal issues—due to leaks and molding.
Now it appears, after months of speculation, that the company is vying to redevelop the Montclair Center Gateway area, the 2.5 acre area that currently houses the empty DCH automobile dealership at the corner of Valley Road and Bloomfield Avenue. And the Township is considering it.
Councilman Cary Africk says that the designation of Pinnacle as the redeveloper for the DCH project is listed on the agenda for Tuesday’s council meeting, both for the 7 p.m. discussion upstairs (where the public is not allowed where the meeting is not televised) and for the meeting downstairs (which is open to the public everyone), where it appears as a Resolution.
BY Liz George | Wednesday, Sep 14, 2011 3:04pm | COMMENTS (15)
UPDATE: Public notice of the ordinance did not appear in the Star Ledger today although notice was sent and space reserved (we’re hearing reports that it was a result of an error at the paper and that a call of apology was made to the town). The publication of the notice was necessary for the ordinance to make the agenda – so at this time, it is off the agenda.
Baristanet spoke with Montclair town attorney Ira Karasick to ask about recent charges of conflict of interest made by Renee Baskerville. Specifically, Karasick says that a statement suggesting he could not advise certain council members on the matter of the petition as he’s already been counseling Fried as well as Township Clerk Linda Wanat is completely incorrect. He also had no recollection of making any such statement to press.
“When it says I advised the mayor and so I can’t advise other counsel, that’s incorrect. When the mayor decided to be part of the petition drive, he asked me whether there was any problem with him doing that as a member of the council. I told him my legal point of view which is he wasn’t violating any laws or rules and that any council members can sign or circulate petition,” says Karasick, adding that was the only specific advice he gave to Fried, and that advisement occurred before the petition process started. Continue Reading
BY Erika Bleiberg | Tuesday, Sep 06, 2011 10:30am | COMMENTS (22)
Edgemont Park is slated for some upcoming improvements. Last week, on August 31, bids were opened and read for a project which includes the dredging of Edgemont Pond, upgrades to the parking area and the construction of a new retaining wall for the pond.
There is general agreement on the fact that the existing wall is crumbling and needs to be repaired, but which of the two proposed plans should be adopted is the question up for decision at tonight’s town council meeting. According to Second Ward Councilor Cary Africk, the recommendation is for the less expensive plan, which would use interlocking Redi-Rock. The other proposal is for the building of a stone wall, with a foundation, which Africk believes is more “in keeping with the historic nature of the pond.”
“The Redi Rock is more appropriate to a retaining wall on Route 287,” he told Baristanet, adding that members of the community — including Friends of Edgemont Park, the Planning Board, nor the Historic Preservation Commission — have not been part of the decision process, and haven’t been made aware of the choices. Continue Reading
