Tuesday, August 23, 2011

A Classic Case of Pay-To-Play

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into Town Hall, the council has launched a classic case of pay-to-play just in time for election season.

RESOLUTION NO. 2011-97
RESOLUTION EXTENDING DESIGNATION OF SILVER OAK PROPERTIES, INC. AS REDEVELOPER FOR
THE PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE
ABERDEEN COMMERCE & TRANSPORTATION
CENTER REDEVELOPMENT AREA FOR
THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MIXED USE PROJECT

To capture the full breadth of outrageousness, let’s walk through all the steps.

First, a town council with a well-deserved reputation for pay-to-play designates a felon, who spent prison-time for flagrantly attempting to bribe an IRS auditor, as the lead developer for the town’s most prominent project, the proposed transit village.

Next, the town council gives a brief history and seeks to justify the shameful appointment.



The resolution states,


WHEREAS, said designation was based, in part, upon the recommendation of a joint management committee comprised of members from the Township and from the Borough of Matawan (collectively, the “Committee”)

Not exactly. Matawan didn’t want him and withdrew from the committee rather than appoint Silver Oaks. (According to court papers, Matawan argued it was forced to withdraw from the committee since Aberdeen had acted unilaterally in appoint Silver Oak and thereby violating their agreement.)


WHEREAS, the Borough of Matawan refused to follow the recommendation of the Committee and designated another redeveloper for those portions of the Project within the Borough of Matawan’s borders and litigation ensued which was recently resolved

So many half-truths in a single whereas – that’s quite a talent.

The term, “refused”, suggests Matawan had a duty to accept the committee’s recommendation. Not true. The agreement between Matawan and Aberdeen explicitly stated, “[T]he parties agree that each party shall have ultimate control over the selection of development uses and developers to implement the overall Aberdeen/Matawan Plan, the Aberdeen Plan and the Matawan Plan as it relates to its respective municipality.”

Rather than “refuse”, Matawan simply exercised its right to not hire a felon with a history of bribing public officials.

Nor did litigation simply “ensue”. Aberdeen’s developer promptly sued Matawan costing the town $400,000 in legal expenses according to unofficial reports.

The case was thrown out of court (summary judgment for the defense) and then thrown out of court a second time by the appellate court for being completely without merit. (The developer’s son is a Columbia Law graduate so his legal costs were minimal.)

“Was recently resolved.” Damn straight. The courts found your designated developer had no grounds to sue your neighbors in Matawan, not that you care.


WHEREAS, Silver Oak and the Township made significant progress towards the approval of a Redevelopment Agreement

So, no progress towards actually building something but what really matters is the Redevelopment Agreement that nobody’s actually agreed to.

If you’re curious as to what this new train station is supposed to look like, click here. If it seems a little big for Aberdeen, well, that’s because it is.


BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the designation granted herein may be extended upon satisfactory demonstration that substantive progress has occurred in the meeting of one or more of the conditions enumerated below . . .


Silver Oak has deposited the sum of ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND ($100,000) DOLLARS into an escrow account with the Township for the payment of all reasonable costs and consultant fees for the implementation of the Project, including the negotiation of all agreements. Silver Oak will replenish the escrow account as required by the Township until completion of the Project. Should Silver Oak not replenish the escrow account within ten (10) calendar days of written notice and demand for same, the Township shall have the option to declare Silver Oak in default and shall have the option to rescind the designation of Silver Oak as redeveloper.

And there you have it, the town’s very own on-demand slush fund. The resolution specifically allows for the money to be spent on “consultant fees” for both the implementation of the project and the negotiations. In other words, moolah for the township’s engineers and attorneys, which, perchance, are also the principal donors and bundlers for the Aberdeen Democrats’ election campaigns.

By the way, the appellate court noted that one of the reasons Aberdeen rejected Matawan’s first choice was because the developer lacked plans for a Payment In Lieu Of Taxes (PILOT) program. (I.e. a plan for the township to suck up all the tax dollars without having to share with the school district.) That finding was made by our friends at Coppola & Coppola, the same town planners who opposed the County Road development before they were for it.

So, in case you didn’t know why Aberdeen would appoint a felon who cost Matawan hundreds of thousands of dollars in a baseless lawsuit . . . now you do.
>>> Read more!

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks Joey. Someone finally got it right. The taxpayers of Matawan have been screwed over by the Council in Aberdeen.

Anonymous said...

Yawn...zzz

WAIT FOR THE OTHER KAUFF SHOE TO DROP said...

WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THE REAL SCREWING THAT THE TAXPAYERS AND SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL GET WHEN THE KAUFF CREW GREASE THEIR CORRUPT SLIMY PALMS WITH THE ANCHOR GLASS PROPERTY MONEY. PERHAPS THE NEW KAUFF CONTROLLED TOWN MANAGER IN ABERDEEN BETTER START LOOKING FOR A NEW JOB NOW THAT SHE HAS SOME EXPERIENCE OF BEING UNDER THE CONTROL OF KAUFF. I WOULD START LOOKING RIGHT AWAY IF I WERE HER. MAYBE SHE SHOULD ALSO LOOK FOR A GOOD ATTORNEY AT THE SAME TIME SINCE SHE IS COMPLICIT WITH THE SILVER OAKS TYPICAL KAUFF ENGINEERED CORRUPTION SCHEME. EVERYTHING KAUFF TOUCHES COSTS US TAXPAYERS A BUNCH OF MONEY FOR HIS CRONIES. JUST LIKE THE HWY 516 PROJECT AND THE NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN SENIOR CITIZEN HOUSING ON BROAD STREET. RIGHT MAYOR FREDDY BOY?

Passing of Mr. Joseph Leo said...

We oppressed taxpayers in Matawan are sad to hear the former Town Manager Joseph Leo. For those of you who don't remember he was a mainstay in Republican politics in Monmouth County and New Jersey going back decades. His management experience for several communities with a short turbulent stay in our Matawan. His time ended quickly when he was honest and forthright about the very bleak financial conditions in Matawan coupled with the infighting leadership that did not recognize that honesty for what it was, completely honest and true. So Mr. Leo got what many other honest town employees have gotten before, the boot. Many believe that Matawan should have been taken over or watched closely by state monitoring. Just as long as we never merge with Aberdeen and their obvious beholding and thoroughly corrupt leadership. No matter how bad Matawan gets I am thankful we don't have to deal with the political corruption that is the puppet master named Norman Kauff who illegally controls our neighboring community.

God Bless you Mr. Leo you tried to help us in Matawan with our problem leadership and finances.

ALL KAUFF 24-7-365 said...

ALL KAUFF 24/7/365 DAMN RIGHT. NEVER A DAY WITHOUT CHASTISING AND EMBARRASSING THAT LOW LIFE NORMAN KAUFF. YAWN ON THAT YOU LOW LIFE.


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Pay and Pay in Aberdeen said...

Pat to Play? There is no Pay to Play in Aberdeen. In Aberdeen under the scumbag of Aberdeen Norman Kauff and his assorted low lifes it is Pay and Pay that is ruining this town through their corruption fueled greed and underhanded dealings that screw us taxpayers every single day. Want to know why? Because that is politics New Jersey style whether we like it or not. Right Norman Kauff you scumbag. Right Freddy Boy? Right Vinny V? You people are the lowest of the low. You could scratch the belly of a cockroach with ease. Damn all of you to hell. All Kauff all of the time.


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THREE STRIKES AND KAUFF IS OUT said...

FRENEAU DEVELOPMENT PROPOSED

NEVER HAPPENED

ANCHOR GLASS DEVELOPMENT PROPOSED

NEVER HAPPENED

SENIOR HOUSING NEAR BROAD ST.

NEVER HAPPENED

CAMBRIDGE DR. HOUSES BUILT BY FAVORED BLDR.

SOLD 1 THREE SIT IDLE FOR 4 YEARS NOW

63 CONDOS ON HWY. 34 MANY QUESTIONS REMAIN

128 LOW INCOME APARTMENTS NEAR HWY. 35
???? APPROVED FOR THE SAME HWY. 34 DEVELOPER



IF THIS LEADERSHIP WAS AT THE BAT THEY STRIKE OUT 80% OF THE TIME KAUFF PICKS UP THE BAT


TIME THE UMPIRE VOTERS OF ABERDEEN THROW KAUFF AND ALL OF HIS CRONIES OUT AT THE PLATE


THINK ABOUT IT ABERDEEN

I NEED MORE KAUFF said...

Like the famous skit on Saturday Night Live I NEED MORE COWBELL I myself NEED MORE KAUFF. PLEASE

Anonymous said...

You know, chances are that the developers of the county road property are finally going to see the error of situating homes in that location, especially if the bay pays a visit to the site this weekend.

Anchor development will happen said...

The project at Anchor Glass will happen. Know why?
Illegal, corrupt and unethical deal Normie made for a big $$$$ cut for him, his lawyers and other assorted scum from each and every sale. That may be why Gumbs, Vinci and Drapkin are cashing it in and Normie has new scum in training waiting in the wings.

Tru Dat said...

New scum in training. Tru Dat homeboy from the brother that hates Kauff.

Anonymous said...

The Aberdeener should look into the possibility of a special deal on each unit sold. F that let the overpriced PD in Aberdeen investigate the Kauff criminals.

ABERDEEN IS 100& SAFE $$$$$ said...

ABERDEEN IS 100% SAFE AND SECURE

UNFORTUNATELY THAT REQUIRES UNCHECKED OVERTIME FOR OUR OVERPRICED POLICE OFFICERS AND SEVERAL OVERPRICED UNCHECKED AND UNNECESSARY STUDIES BY KAUFF'S CME.

RIGHT NORMAN KAUFF KING OF ABERDEEN?

Anonymous said...

All the taxpayers can be sure that Code Man will be working to keep the town safe. On O.T. of course. He just unloaded on my neighbor who put his shed out to the street. Taxpayers don't count if you put your shed in the street. Code Man is out there harassing people and getting paid O.T. to do it. Must be nice.

Wrong again you idiot said...

No overtime for Joe MC you idiot. Try abusing someone else. Here is a suggestion try the man who illegally and unethical controls Aberdeen and its puppet leadership.
Abuse him and his corrupt scummy horde.

Right Coach Fred.

cme is on the job for big money said...

Trees down in town? Any roads damaged? Any power lines down and across the roads? Call cme they will do nothing about it but charge big fees cause they need the money. Actually cme gets paid by the town offices and then the Aberdeen Dems get their corrupt illegal campaign donations to fund campaign Kauff.

OT for everybody said...

I saw a few of the townsvehicles out and about and yes code man drove passed me as I was coming back from a ride around the A section. OT for everybody on the taxpayers dime it seems. So typical.

We work hard for you said...

No Overtime pay for most every employee who may have been out working today. Nice try to embarrass hard working town employees who work in bad weather, snow and worse though. You would rather my co-workers waited until 8:00 Monday morning to clean up. The problem is one loudmouth does not represent most every other taxpayer who knows we are out there working hard for them.

Thank you Mr. Warren said...

Thank you Mr. Warren and your Aberdeener for keeping this blog going. If for no other reason than to highlight the Kauff corruption. F You Norman Kauff. Damn you and all your zombie like followers!

$haft said...

You pay my BAD Muthafuckin Ass. I'll let you play. When I am vindicated I will be back to the baddest muthfucka in town

THERE IS NO CORRUPTON??? said...

THERE IS NO CORRUPTION IN ABERDEEN?

THERE IS NO PAY TO PLAY IN ABERDEEN?

WANT TO KNOW WHY?

BECAUSE NORMAN KAUFF IS THE CORRUPTION IN ABERDEEN AND IT IS BECAUSE HE WON'T ALLOW PAY TO PLAY THAT CORRUPTION FLOURISHES.

RIGHT NORMAN KAUFF ESQ.

WHAT DOES THE ESQ MEAN BY THE WAY NORMAN?

DOES IT MEAN HONEST, ETHICAL AND MORAL?

NO F'N WAY CAN IT BE THAT.

MAYBE ITS LATIN FOR SCUMBAG?

RIGHT NORMAN?