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Cautionary Note for Residents: It’s a Sign of the Times

10/11/16 Caucus

PERTH AMBOY – Council President Lisa Nanton said, “There were complaints from residents about Elizabethtown Gas placing gas meters in front of their homes. Nanton made it clear that residents do not have to have these meters in front of their homes. They can request that Elizabethtown Gas place them elsewhere.

Councilman Fernando Gonzalez was upset that a sign ordinance was being violated by the Mayor. Acting Law Director Louis Rainone stated a case where the American Civil Liberties states you can’t regulate signs. “I haven’t read the sign ordinance, yet.”

Gonzalez said, “There are delay tactics by the current administration and I don’t know what’s going on in Code Enforcement. I don’t know why they are not doing their job. Everybody else is obeying the rules. In the past, Code Enforcement removed signs that did not fit the regulations  when we had them. I’m an honest man, and I expect everyone else to be so, too.”

Councilman Bill Petrick agreed with Councilman Fernando Gonzalez. “Code Enforcement had us remove signs that violated the codes. We should all be playing under the same rules.”

Rainone responded and said, “I will give him memo regarding the American Civil Liberties suit and tell those violating the sign ordinance to remove them. That case was called Reed vs. Gilbert.”

Resident Alan Silber came  up to speak. “People do whatever they want to do when it comes to ordinances. Now, Joel Pabon was not to vote on a resolution (that was presented at a PARA Meeting, because they said he was in conflict. He was not. What about when he was in conflict on Hobart Street and there was a political conflict there? There should be a third revote (PARA Meeting). The Mayor should be off the Redevelopment Board. Mr. Trujillio was targeted. It was a business arrangement (between Pabon renting the space owned by Trujillio on Madison Avenue for his ticket’s campaign headquarters for the 2016 election).”

Resident Jeremy Baratta said, “How was the seat for the Board of Adjustment advertised?” He also wanted to know why the Reed vs. Gilbert lawsuit taken up by the American Civil Liberties notification was not given to everyone?

Resident Stanley Sierakowski came up to speak next. He stated, “At the 10/4/16 PARA Meeting, all they wanted to do was embarrass Pabon.At the Meeting, even the PARA Attorney said, “It was inconclusive (a violation of Pay-to-Play). Sierakowski then read a piece of paper that was handed out to the Council Members. It questioned if Mayor Diaz didn’t pay her taxes until she was forced to.” He also wanted to know if Annie Hindenlang was in conflict and if she was negotiating with this company (Topology, a consulting firm).

Resident Susan Batista came up next, questioning the CDBG grants. “How are these grants advertised?”

Business Administrator Adam Cruz said, “The City advertising them and they submit proposals and people apply.”

Batista responded, “I never saw these things advertised. I also told you that it is improper to remove me from the Zoning Board. My term was never extended. The City Clerk doesn’t have the authority to remove me from the Board.”
Batista also advised the City to purchase a building that’s for sale on the corner of Gornik Drive and Florida Grove Road. “It would make a good library satellite location because we have nothing like that there.”

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