Sunday, September 21, 2008

Passing the Buck in Aberdeen

By Ken Aitken

I had to laugh when I read Mayor Sobel's remarks in the Independent ("Councilwoman Probes, Meets with Resistance"). He must really think the average citizen is a mindless ignorant dupe. How else could he expect us to believe his verbal poppycock? Let's analyze each statement as reported.

Under Mayor Sobel's direction, Karen Ventura, the township clerk, says she only recently found the vendor contracts on Stuart Brown's desk, thereby blaming him for the seven-month delay.

Nice try, Mr. Mayor! Mr. Brown was gone in February of this year. What was your interim manager, Mr. Lauro, actually doing? In the months he had the job, he never bothered to look at what was on his predecessor's desk? Do you actually expect us to believe that the town's professionals were on the payroll for months with no contracts? Found them on his desk? Almost as original as "my dog ate it!"

Regarding no-bid contracts, Mayor Sobel stated "I don't know of any municipalities that bid out for jobs like that. . . When you go out to bid for something as large as that job, you run into cost overruns and delays. I don't think it works."

Mr. Mayor, exactly which towns do not issue RFPs for professional services? How many municipalities award $652,000 no-bid contracts to their largest campaign contributors? Is "convenience" a benchmark for picking vendors?

Mayor Sobel claims we have a groundbreaking Pay-To-Play ordinance.

As the Aberdeener correctly reported, this ordinance was put in place
specifically for the train station project to block Matawan's developer. It is a "paper tiger" that does nothing to reform our government.

Mr. Mayor, how long are you, and the rest of your cronies going to blame Stuart Brown for all of the incompetence and alleged malfeasance that is taking place? In my opinion, Mr. Brown was one of the most honest and forthright people in government that I have ever met. He cares about Aberdeen and was initiating many progressive activities to involve more people and make government more accessible. Did you and the rest of the council (except for Councilwoman Gallo) just "forget" about these contracts? If so, you are incompetent and should do us the courtesy of resigning. Surely, you don't expect any thinking person to believe these talking points.

So, my fellow citizens, ask yourselves this - During his three terms as mayor, when has Mayor Sobel ever accepted blame for anything?

Ken Aitken served on the Matawan-Aberdeen School Board from 2005-2008.
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19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ken, you took the words right out of my mouth, right down to "my dog ate it!"
Let's talk about contracts. I find it highly unlikely that any such document would languish on Mr. Brown's desk all these months. Highly unlikely. If they were supposed to have been voted on in January or even February and the paperwork couldn't be found, does anyone really believe that the Council would then just sit back and say, "Oh, well, maybe the contracts will turn up someday." BOO-DINKY! The age of typewriters is long gone. These contracts were most likely prepared in Word. So, if the contracts are lost, you just print out another one. And if the dog eats that, you print out yet another; he can only stomach so much paper. (See what I did there?) And where was Township Attorney Daboulas, of the Rotgut McCarthy Law firm, in all this? This whole mess smells like a rat, and not the inflatable kind either, the regular kind.
Let's look at some of the officials involved:
James Lauro, acting Township Manager. A hard working, honest and upstanding official who could run the township blindfolded with on hand tied behind his back. Certainly one of the first things he would do would be to go through any documents on the former manager's desk to make sure no pending business falls between the cracks. Mr. Lauro would not ignore important Township business. So, no contracts left on the desk.
Likewise Township Clerk Ventura. A hardworking official with a good reputation. It is highly unlikely that she would concoct such a weak excuse on her own. As Ken writes, this was "Under Mayor Sobel's direction..." Meaning Norman Kauff's direction.
Township Attorney Daboulas. Whether she's a political hack or hardworking professional I'm not sure, but one cannot deny the political connections of her firm, Rotgut McCarthy, and their connection with Norm Kauff.
No, this was a political decision, pure and simple. For some reason, it was decided that the vote on the contracts would be held off several months, possibly because of something deemed too controversial to approve at reorganization. So it was put off to September in the hopes of a quiet, unanimous approval. They didn't count on Janice Gallo, hence the recent controversy.
A word to the wise for all Aberdeen officials and employees: Don't fall on your swords for these guys. Don't take the rap. The mayors of three out of six neighboring municipalities left office via perp walk: Merla in Keyport, Coughlin in Hazlet and Scannapieco in Marlboro. Whether Sobel goes out that way, or Kauff or someone else is uncertain, but nobody should take the fall for these guys if it all hits the fan.

Anonymous said...

Bravo! Bravo !

What a rat filled weekend Aberdeen has had. It starts off with a Mayor and the truest symbolism any of us have ever seen a GIANT inflateable RAT. Then the weekend ends with a pointed and true synopsis with questions, and more against Mayor Sobel and his co-defendants by Ken Aitken.

Ken Aitken's article on the subject of our corrupt leadership and their lame excuses for everything is sure to stir things up and upset those who know how crooked they are. You can bet the phones have been ringing off the hook since the Bayshore Independent came out last week.

You can bet all of the Norman faithful were given their marching orders and told what not to say. The article by Ms. Stattle was perfectly timed with Aberdeen Day to occur just days after the "Councilwoman probes, meets with resistance" article was published.

How long can they blame Councilwoman Gallo and the recently removed Stuart Brown for the incompetence our leadership and their puppeteer have brought to bare on the taxpayers of Aberdeen? Not long as the truth is coming. Keep doubting the truth all of you on the council and the others who will be well known to Aberdeen very soon. Those of us to expose all you do against the citizens are taking our time and making sure we have everything ready.

You can be sure when we get asked the questions by news reporters after we reveal the truth about what is going on in Aberdeen, we will have a better mouthpiece than your Mayor Sobel and his lame, ignorant and unbelievable excuses that he gives out week after week, at council meetings.

Now we just have to hope that residents, business owners, Taxpayers and more start to question our corrupt leadership, which laughingly represents itself as doing the "peoples business".

Norman Kauff does not count as "people". That is of course unless you think people low enough and who can hide very easily under a cockroach, are in fact people. He is the lowest form of a human being as Norman Kauff is one who purports to be honorable yet steals from those who can least afford it. In these economic times that would be all of us.

How do you sleep at night Norm?

The saga continues. Right Norm?

Anonymous said...

Way to go Mr. Aitken and KennyCB.

I agree completely. The weekend was a new opportunity for the people of Aberdeen to learn about their supposed leadership, and a new low for Kauff and the others from the same news article. What will next week bring?

I do have to agree that Mayor Sobel, who I should add even lives in my neighborhood, is a great disappointment. I often see him and his family as I walk our dog.
With his lame and laughable excuses, Mayor Sobel is certainly a man that is deserved of scorn and contempt from the people he is supposed to serve as he has distinguished himself through his excuses rather than the truth.
I can assure all of you he will never get a neighborly greeting from me and mine, nor our votes. As a staunch Democrat most of my life I will also never vote Democratic, if Norman Kauff is involved, as well.

Anonymous said...

What have I missed on the Aberdeener I asked my wife the last two weeks we were away visiting the kids? Holy cow! I missed an awful I can tell lot just from the first posting.I see. I will review the time away and get back to all of you.

First thing I need to look at is my Independent?

Be back soon.

Middlesex Jim

Anonymous said...

Welcome to Aberdeen and the ruling class that is Norman Kauff's Aberdeen. What you Aberdeen residents need to understand is this is the way Norman Kauff wants it, and that is the way it will be. You would think that Norman Kauff could make more money being the Township Manager rather than supposedly putting people in the position, whom are only removed months later under suspicious circumstances.

I cannot believe this weekends events and entries on the Aberdeener. A giant Rat and more I missed. Damn.

Anything on Bud Mullaney yet?

Middlesex Jim

Anonymous said...

I want to state for the record should there be any misconception with my opinion article.

I am not accusing township employees, Ms. Ventura and Mr. Lauro of doing their jobs incorrectly or anything wrong. They have fine reputations as public servants of Aberdeen Township. This is exactly why I find it so hard to believe that these contracts were just misplaced or sitting on Mr. Brown's desk for 6 to 7 months.

It is of great concern to me how contracts for town professionals, that probably took a great deal of time to develop just went missing until September. Why?

Anonymous said...

It is worth noting; that while Mr. Lauro is a long-time ethical employee that has worked for several Managers and Mayors and is beyond reproach -- that Ms. Ventura was appointed by this Mayor and Council while Mr. Kauff was the Township Attorney.Why are the last Council minutes available (at least on the Township Website) at least three months old. Either Ms. Ventura is not doing her job or someone is taking a long time to "cleanse" the minutes before they go to Council and become public. Equating Ventura with Lauro is a huge insult to Mr. Lauro.

Anonymous said...

This all comes back to who?
That is right ladies and gentlemen none other that the old rat bastard himself Norman Kauff.
You can't make this stuff up. Right Norm?

I would not blame Ms. Ventura. People must pay their bills and Norman's circle of payouts may not yet include municipal employees. We can be sure that most municipal employees do their jobs and serve the public well. Some we should also consider will have to do it under circumstances that would make most of us throw up. We
should understand that and sympathize with all of them. You never know one day soon they may go after people who will not be offered an ironclad non-disclosure agreement. Then we will most certainly get a look inside C.M.E. and the Kauff kingdom. Right Norm?

Anonymous said...

My husband and I just got back from the movies and checked out this posting. We have to agree that Ms. Gallo deserves to ask as many questions as she wants. The excuses given by the Mayor of Aberdeen and supposed to be "the truth" as told to us by the Aberdeen's fool of a Mayor, deserves to be laughed at and questioned. What an idiot our Mayor is when he suggests that Ms. Gallo may be voting on things she may not really understand. This is just another ignorant example from Mayor Soble with more of his useless answers, answers just like the ones he has given jsectionKen at council meetings recently.

You see Ken has asked about going out to bid for the services our town needs rather than just paying Norman, I mean CME.

Somehow Mayor Soble's answers are getting stupider with every lie he tries to peddle as the truth. What lame answer will he give when someone asks him the next time about his "close personal friend' and the CME bills?

I have one someone can ask Mayor Soble. Ask him ow does CME funnel the money to Norman kauff and the democratic party in Aberdeen.

Anyone know the real answer, so we can compare it to Mayor Sobles?

On another subject you would think for as much as they charge for popcorn and a soda at the movies they could let you in the movie for much less money. It cost my husband and I $35.00 tonight.

Anonymous said...

It is good to see Mr. Aitken trying to set up a campaign for town council. Maybe the limited number of blog readers will vote for him, the same number that allowed him to lose the school board election (in which he was the incumbent). Yes, I read the blog, but no I will not vote for Mr. Aitken. If he loses two elections in one year does he move out of town?

Anonymous said...

So let me get this straight another voice (anonymous of course as they cannot show themselves with even an web identifier) says he will not vote for Ken Aitken.

So that means this brave and small minded anonymous voice will continue to vote for those who lie, cheat, steal, violate all ethics rules, fail to enact REAL pay to play (which would save the taxpayers millions annually) legislation, and much more.

So anonymous would rather stand by and let Aberdeen taxpayers be ruined financially and driven away from this town and allow its decade long crooked leadership to continue in spite of Mayor Sobel's continual lies "that they have not raised municipal taxes in a decade" there is a stark reality coming. It is called THE TRUTH and as U C says it shall set us free.

If nothing else it will bring more people to this website so they can find out what the supposed leadership (scum) is really doing.

Keep hiding in the dark and taking orders from Norman Kauff. He will not be able to help you as they will not put all of you in the same prison cell.

Think about this one thing as you sit there being so anonymous. What have you tried to do for Aberdeen and its taxpayers today?

The answer is NOTHING!

I guess you can live with that and your ability to be a tool for a crooked man and his crooked "close personal friends".

Anonymous said...

Did anyone read this article? It was taken from the politickernj.com

Politically connected engineer admits bribing disgraced Ocean Township officials. Howard Schoor, who founded one of New Jersey’s most politically powerful engineering firms, pleaded guilty today in federal court to bribing two former Ocean Township officials in exchange for contracts.

Schoor admitted paying $15,000 to former Mayor Terrence Weldon and former Township of Ocean Sewerage Authority (TOSA)chairman Stephen Kessler, who in exchange delivered contracts to Schoor’s company, Schoor DePalma.

Kessler pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from a then-unnamed representative of an engineering firm back in 2005, for which he and Weldon – who at the time of the payments both sat on the TOSA’s board – rewarded the firm with contracts relating to a sewer-line project and the renovation of the authority’s sewerage treatment plant.

Weldon pleaded guilty in 2002 to accepting bribes, and was sentenced to 58 months in federal prison last year.

Schoor will be sentenced on January 12 and faces a maximum of five years in federal prison, according to a press release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s office.

When will it be our turn?

Brian in Aberdeen

Anonymous said...

NEWS FLASH NEWSFLASH NEWSFLASH

Howard Schoor plead guilty to bribing one towns leadership.

They are kidding no one. Howard Schoor has been a fixture in his field and in municipal and state government for over twenty five years. His presence pails in comparison of course the GIANT (briber of politicians) that is of course our own CME Engineering. CME by the way is the second largest political contributor in the entire state in any field or business.

You can be sure as well that the League of Municipalities convention in Atlantic City this October will be well attended by our local crooks and every other politician who feels entitled to take their money. Our crooks probably already have their seats reserved at the head table right next to Dave " sit on my lap Norman and I will give you the ride of your life" Samuels. A little light in the loafers I hear is David.

There is no doubt that CME will probably have to beat the politicians of this state away with a broom from their buffet table and bar. U C tells me that CME holds one of the biggest and best "get you feed bag and drink on" type events down there. U C's brother used to go before he passed away.

Maybe the Aberdeener should start asking how many of our idiots are going to attend this year and what if any reports or meetings they attend. You can be sure they will stay far away from any seminars on ETHICS or CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.

Is it just a vacation for a few of our idiots and a few of their favored tools inside town hall. You see I hear that the League's convention slogan is to be titled "CME Engineering and crooked politicians, perfect together".

So our state law enforcement gets Howard Schoor once in twenty five years for bribing a public official or two, and he "might" do a year in jail. Lets do the math, twenty five years in business, tens of millions of dollars or more in politically awarded contracts, no other information is divulged as to what other politicians and town managers he "greased" all of those years, and that is called swift justice. Sounds like our tens of millions of dollars in law enforcement and prosecutor office spending every year is just a waste of time and a lot of money.

Sounds like there would be a line of people waiting to serve one year in a cushy jail cell for that amount of money. Worst of all people like Norman Kauff would be waiting for him with open arms the minute he went back to work. This goes double for our Norman Kauff since he has no problem whatsoever, working hand in hand with convicted felons. Right Norm?

Now you know why our Norman and his idiots think they can get away with it. Wait a minute they can get away with it. They are getting away with it every single day. Right Norm?

Here is the best one Schoor's company is still in business doing municipal and state business. Just under another name.

Now you know why New Jersey and its political leadership is the laughing stock of the world.

The Soprano State is an understatement. Sadly!

Anonymous said...

The comment below was taken from the following article titled "Pay-to-Play Ban Won't End No-Bid Contracts"

By P, Shankar
Publication: NJBIZ
Date: Monday, February 27 2006


Schoor DePalma of Manalapan, the state's largest privately held engineering firm, last August said it would stop making political contributions altogether. The firm is said to have contributed about $2 million over five years to political candidates and parties, and has been accused of bribing local officials to win contracts. Anthony Cimino, Schoor DePalma's chief marketing officer, says his firm has so far "not been charged with a crime," and is cooperating with an investigation by the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey.

Under examination is Schools receipt in 1999 of a contract worth roughly $1 million from the Township of Ocean Sewerage Authority in Monmouth County. The authority's then-chairman, Stephen Kessler, pled guilty last July to charges of accepting bribes from Schoor DePalma in exchange for awarding engineering contracts.

"We have no records or knowledge of any such event," says Cimino, whose firm has been the engineer of record for the Ocean Sewerage Authority for more than 20 years. Schoor fills that role for some 60 municipalities and has consulting contracts from another 110 across the state.

Sound fimiliar? deny, deny, deny. In the end hopefully everyone will get their just due.

Anonymous said...

Schoor Depalma, CME, T&M, Maser and more all suck the blood from taxpayers wherever they get their hooks into a communities leadership, and its political den of thieves, thieves who portray themselves to be "servants of the people".

Leadership is two words in one. here is how it relates to our Aberdeen and its politics when you break the word up.

1. Leader: which is of course the one the only Norman Kauff.

2. Ship: which encompasses many possibilities as to Norman's ship of fools. A ship captained until very recently by Capt. Corren, which is sinking, whether they will admit it or not. The ship will soon get a very big hole in their public side, from THE TRUTH. It will possibly sink the SS Kauff once and for all. If nothing else more people will join the Aberdeener and be better informed.

Ahoy to the ship of fools. You will soon all walk the plank of TRUTH, right into the dark abyss of previously convicted politicians, now and forever to be known as "convicted felons who violated the public trust".

So CME and the master of deception in Aberdeen, Norman "mine all mine" Kauff may soon be the next Howard Schoor to get some press ink. Right Norm?

Back to work.

Anonymous said...

U C Brother, from your computer and the Aberdeener blog to GODS ears. Kauff and crew should be struck by lightning sent from the Lord almighty for what they do to our people.

Anonymous said...

Amen, Sister!

Anonymous said...

The council did not show or have a table for Aberdeen Day?

http://matawan-aberdeen.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

an employee of aberdeen twp. told me about the lies corruption and the funny business going on.I couldnt believe it till i read the comments myself.Thank you all for posting the truth.I will pass this on to other fellow citizens of aberdeen.