Quote What I say, Not What You Wanted to Hear From a Supposed Community Activist...

I have been accused of being reckless, fierce and a provocateur.

I own up to and stand behind whatever I say. People who know me are well aware of this fact. Those who do not know me are sometimes careless in words they attribute to me. I was quoted in the Suburbanite issue of December 5, 2013 as saying something that I did not say,  in response to the Surveillance cameras to be installed on Palisade Avenue. I was thinking it, but I did not say it or anything like it.

Quote from the Suburbanite Article: attributed to: Jonathan King and Stephanie Noda

Walker chimed in. "How can we be sure that this won't lead to targeting people?"

I never said that and I do not believe I heard anyone else use those exact words. Please do not quote me on things I did not say. Besides, I say enough stuff so that is entirely not necessary.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You may quote this: The people of this town deserve the truth about how circumstances unfold in situations such as these. We expect the truth even from an outgoing Police Chief. It would have been a simple thing to accept the responsibility of applying for the cameras exclusively.

What would the truth have changed?

Smile...You are on Candid Camera!

The City Council voted tonight 4 to 1 to accept $400,000.00 for the purposes of installing surveillance cameras on Palisade Avenue.

Page 1 of 2 City Council Agenda. Click here.

Definition of Forfeited Properties

We were told that we are allowed to use Forfeited DEA Account money to install Surveillance Cameras. In my research, it has become clear that the use is specified in an application for procurement of Forfeited DEA Funds. You are only allowed to use the money in the way it was requested in the application. The money must be used for surveillance cameras, because that  is the way our police applied to use it.

The Adoptive Forfeiture Process

The process begins with a request for adoption,† which is then reviewed by the appropriate federal agency. If a forfeiture is adopted, the process continues to unfold as follows:

An agreement is signed, in which the local law enforcement agency promises the proceeds "shall be used for law enforcement purposes in accordance with the statutes and guidelines that govern equitable sharing" and also that 23

they will be used as the local agency specified in the application it submitted requesting
equitable sharing in that case. The agreement also states that "the misuse or misapplication of shared resources is prohibited" and will subject the local agency to sanctions.

When the proceeds from an adoptive forfeiture are shared with the participating local agency (or agencies), this is known as equitable sharing. Equitable sharing proceeds are considerable. During FY2007, for example, more than $400 million was paid out by the U.S. Justice Department's Assets Forfeiture Fund to state and local police agencies.

Despite the possible windfall that can result from an equitable sharing payout, there are a few restrictions on how the proceeds can be spent. First, payments are intended to enhance and supplement police resources and activities. Second, property and funds awarded must be used in accordance with specific federal guidelines: 

"Permissible uses of shared property include activities designed to enhance future investigations, such as payment of overtime, provision of police training, purchase of equipment, improvement of police facilities, upgrading of detention facilities, and conducting drug education awareness programs."

24 Third, there is an express requirement that the funds not be used to supplant agency resources.

http://www.popcenter.org/Responses/asset_forfeiture/print/

Opportunity Is Knocking!!!

Two Small Women Against The Odds!!

I call that about even...

We give you 2 small powerful women. 

Now give them your votes and watch them 

be transformed 

into millions of smooth stones.

Get Out and Rock the Vote!

YOU KNOW YOU CAN!

PROVE THEM WRONG! DOWN WITH APATHY!

"They are predicting low voter turnout 

in the minority community." 

 Who are "they" and what 

"minority community" 

are they talking about? 

 They are definitely NOT talking about me. 

 Are they talking about YOU? 

Everyone Owns The Information...

Dr. Dierdre Paul's update from northjersey.com was not allowed to populate on Facebook. This is a problem. She raises some very important questions about issues that need to be addressed. These issues are non-partisan in concept and should not be shoveled under the rug by the publishers of the Record or the politicians in question. Is there an obvious attempt to control information? It has not gone unnoticed. People all over this state are being manipulated in this upcoming election. How many people from both parties are not going to the polls because of this? Republicans & Democrats need to call it quits with the subversive control of Voters. The South is not the only place where voters are being manipulated and suppressed. Information must be allowed to flow regardless of the outcome. That is the American Way. Those who are actively participating in destroying this institution need to just STOP. Money cannot be allowed to rule. This is not a Feudal Society. 

Dr. Dierdre Paul's comments are important to all Englewood Residents.
For Example: At Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood right now...

There will be 2 pep rallies

         There will be 2 homecoming kings and Queens

WILL THEY PLAY THE HOMECOMING GAME TWICE ALSO?

It is time for these apartheid practices to be eliminated. Enough already...
I am not pleased with the fact that we were never privy to debates between candidates for the 37th District. I would like to hear the answer to questions posed by Dr. Paul.

Dr. Dierdre Paul's concerns as stated on northjersey.com should be heard:
Dierdre Paul · Professor at Montclair State University College of Education and Human Services

Dierdre Paul · Professor at Montclair State University College of Education and Human Services

It is truly interesting to see that which The Record values with its endorsements. With Sen. Weinberg's endorsement, I can see that The Record appreciates the apartheid schooling she brought to Englewood with the introduction of the Englewood Academies. Please note that the Academies have actually hurt Dwight Morrow High School by starving it of necessary school funding and resources. It has created a two-tiered educational system like those that even the New York Times have decried.

 With Gordon Johnson, I see that The Record values his letter in support of outsourcing nearly 100 jobs of teacher aides and school secretaries who predominantly reside in Englewood. While Gordon should be bringing jobs to Englewood, he seems intent on taking jobs from African American and Latino women who are heads of households (in many instances).... With Gordon's endorsement as well, I see that The Record values his push to locate one of the light rail's stations in between The Grieco and McCloud Schools...and in the process, exposing our children to stranger danger. Whose interests does Gordon actually serve? Those of the African American and Latino people who most need for him to "man up" or those who permit him to keep his good-paying job while selling his own people out? 

And last but not least, I applaud the endorsement of Valerie Huttle by The Record for authoring the worst piece of legislation in the contemporary history of the New Jersey State Legislature. That which Valerie has done with her anti-bullying legislation has been to reinforce zero tolerance educational policies that most severely impact males of all races, but African American and Latino males in particular. For communities of color, legislation such as that of which Valerie feels proudest does little more than feed the school to prison pipeline for African American and Latino males. It makes it all but certain that their earning potential and professional viability are compromised. In the end, all they can do is "check the box" and pray that minimum wage ballot initiatives are approved, so they can get possibly a quarter more in paychecks at dead end jobs. One can't even buy an item from the $1 menu at McDonalds with this so-called Democratic gift of increasing the minimum wage. It is smoke and mirrors. While I mistakenly thought that The Record was progressive, these endorsements actually tell a different story. Although lacking in quality, Weinberg, Johnson and Huttle are "good enough" for the people of District 37. And to that, I'll say: "Let's see if that sentiment is reflective of the will of the people on Election Day."  Dr. Dierdre Paul

Reply · 2 · Unlike

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Dr. Dierdre Paul is a 4th Ward Resident

Relevant Links:
On the Subject of Apartheid Educational Practices
http://plumwalk2-justsaywhen.blogspot.com/2011/06/mr-garrison-and-other-board-members-who.html

 http://plumwalk2-justsaywhen.blogspot.com/2011/10/are-our-schools-in-crisis-what-is-pep.html

Congratulations To Englewood's New Police Chief!

Englewood has a new police chief. Lawrence Suffern was born and raised in Englewood, New Jersey. He served as Deputy Chief for 4 years and was unanimously voted in as Police Chief at last night's Englewood City Council Meeting. He is a graduate of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey-New Brunswick. Chief Suffern has served on the Englewood Police Force for 25 years.

Congratulations Lawrence Suffern

That Little Blue Slip In Your TAX BILL!

New Jersey Tax Payers - Especially Homeowners:

Perk up and listen when you hear the phrase TAX ABATEMENT. 

It forces the County to rely on that little blue slip that appeared in our recent tax bill, because they still need to to get theirs. There is only one pot of money. 
On careful examination of the big picture one finds that these ABATEMENTS cause all of the services used by us (lower income taxpayers, especially those with children) to go through the roof. Regressive Taxation. A tax that takes a larger percentage of income from low-income groups than from high-income groups.

It is a silent danger that is raising a ruckus against PUBLIC EDUCATION.

Especially in places like Jersey City, Paterson, Newark, Camden, Asbury Park, Elizabeth, you get the gist.
Google it...You need to know how...Even if ya don't like to read, you should read this...The next time you find yourself being asked to vote for City Council members, this report should come to mind and help you form some questions. How does it benefit residents to have DEVELOPERS get TAX ABATEMENTS for 25 years?...It doesn't...Question is, who benefits? The recepient of your disdain...or your vote?
http://www.nj.gov/comptroller/news/docs/tax_abatement_report.pdf

DO OUR TAX DOLLARS RATE A FULL SHEET OF PAPER ON CITY LETTERHEAD?

At the risk of sounding like a Smart Ass, they may have at least put this very serious threat on a full sheet of paper with the letter head of the Municipality. I guess this is what you get when the person sending out the tax bill is a perfect stranger who lives in another town.

Is this Municipal bullying? What would happen if every Englewood Resident paid the Property taxes for this November quarter after November 15th. 

Oh no, then they will be forced to use our tax dollars to pay for more ad space in the newspaper!

WE DESERVE BETTER....

The City Hires Local Landscaping Business to Repair Garden

I got a call this morning early informing me 

that a local Landscaper had been hired by the 

City and was tilling the 

Lafayette/Genesee Historic Garden Site.

It was very welcome news.

Back-To-School Supply Block Party

Do You Type with 2 Fingers or Ten?

ATTENTION...ATTENTION:

SCHOOL YEAR 2014 - 2015 - MOST LIKELY IN THE SPRING

YOUR 3RD GRADER WILL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE A STANDARDIZED TEST ONLINE. 

Are they Ready? Are you Ready?

Speed and Accuracy: In order to ensure success, the Computer Keyboard and all its functionality must become as easily utilized as the pencil, pen, crayon, or paint brush.

Buy a program and have your children practice or go to a free online site and have them practice. Some purchased programs combine the learning of the keys with fun games. The time is now, you have no choice. Begin now or face failure. The 1st set of 3rd graders required to take the test is already behind. 

How many of your 8th graders are ready? All parents must be concerned with students learning to type with ten fingers. Typing or keying in DATA must become 2nd nature to our children. They must learn now in order to compete in the school building and in the job market.

Try this online TUTORIAL... http://www.sense-lang.org/typing/tutor/keyboarding.php?lang=EN

Where Are the Trolleys?

In the parking garage.

It is August 7, 2013. The Trolley's were discontinued on June 30, 2013. They were supposed to be returned to the Department of Transportation. As you can see, they are still parked in the Englewood City Parking Garage. There has been a great deal up push back from the Community, but we were ignored. Like many services that were not used by a  larger cross section of the community it was discontinued when the City was called upon to fund it. No bond ordinance was floated in an effort to save it.

Dwight Morrow High School Alumni Say Goodbye to the Trolley

June 30, 2013 the Englewood Trolley will be decommissioned and returned to the

the Department of Transportation

A Century Old Garden Spot on the Mend

A percolation test (from percolation, colloquially called a perc test) is a test to determine the absorption rate of soil for a septic drain field or "leach field". The results of a percolation test are required to properly design a septic system. In its broadest terms, percolation testing is simply observing how quickly a known volume of water dissipates into the subsoil of a drilled hole of known surface area. While every jurisdiction will have its own laws regarding the exact calculations for the length of line, depth of pit, etc., the testing procedures are the same. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percolation_test

In general, sandy soil will absorb more water than soil with a high concentration of clay or where the water table is close to the surface.

A percolation test, or perk test, is a way to evaluate the absorption of a particular area of soil. Perk tests are important because septic systems cannot be designed appropriately without understanding the absorption rate of the soil. Regulator agencies require that all land undergoes a perk test before a septic tank is installed. Even if a septic system is not being installed, a perk test can be beneficial in that it determines the quality of the soil in a given tract of land. 

 http://www.ehow.com/about_5035988_land-perk-test.html#ixzz2X3kokMr0

Unfortunately our garden has been transformed into a new garden. We must begin at the beginning. The soil that replaced the long tilled and maintained garden soil that was here previously does not have the same absorption quality. The loam is not of the same high quality. It is going to require some really hard work to get that great loam back. We are going to have to start from the beginning. We already see that the present conditions involve very slow absorption rates. We are forced to change the current drainage problem created by the topsoil removal and the packing down of the subsoil in the planting site to decrease runoff and to make it a garden space all over again. We need lots of compost and organic matter to accomplish this.

The remaining soil has a high content of clay and it is draining slowly. We must move forward and rebuild the great loam created in over a 100 years of gardening in which compost of various kinds were added to the soil. A good loam  has just the right combination of sand, clay, and silt. Soils with high contents of sand will drain too quickly and high contents of clay will cause standing water.  A good loam will minimize the amount of standing water in low areas of the garden plot. Mr. Gainey's across the garden plot way of laying the rows will also work to decrease run off and increase absorption rate. Those previous conditions that made this a good space for gardening will take quite a few years to replace.  http://www.veggiegardener.com/how-to-measure-soil-drainage/

Using Mother Nature to Protect her Bounty

Rainfall flows downhill. The good traditional Farmer plows across the path of the rain. This will slow the water down forcing much of it to be absorbed into the soil and less of the vital nutrients to be washed away by the downpoor. Seasoned farmers know that the rows should be spaced far enough apart so that the middle of the 2 rows has sufficient soil to heel up around the plants as they grow. This may be done with the tiller or with the old fashioned mule in front pulling or man behind pushing. I actually prefer the antique hand push model here because it disturbs the plants the least.

My New Friend.

I met this young lady on Labor Day in MacKay Park  She was not afraid of me and I was not afraid of her. At times she seemed to pose for the camera. I don't know how she got there, and I still wonder what happened to her. I have returned several times looking for her. I hope she made it back to her family.

We may not like the fact that this doe is here, but there she is, with gates to Elmore Avenue in the midst of MacKay Park. There are a lot of different elements in the Park that need to be nurtured and yes, controlled. Planning is the key. What is the plan and who designed it? Who controls the plan now? Who answers for the mistakes? How do we hold that person or persons accountable?

Do We Have Trained Elected Officials?

City Council members, like School Board Members are required to get training. 

One does not automatically know how to run a city simply because ONE got the most votes. Why are we not demanding that our City Council members be required to participate in this mandated training? 

When one attends City Council meetings, one notices the lack of knowledge of the real workings of a City. The "Quality of Life" for all residents will improve when elected officials begin to understand their roles. They must begin to set better examples for our children. 

They have been chosen by popular vote and must begin to show more desirable character traits. Children need better role models. Children need to see City Officials engaged in the Scholarly Pursuit of information to improve the "Quality of Life" for all residents. Study up City Council. We are giving you a failing grade.

WE ARE THE CITY!!!

The New Jersey League of Municipalities

http://www.njslom.org/


The official Publication of the New Jersey League of Municipalities

http://www.njslom.org/maghome.html

Ethics: Essential in Government

http://www.njslom.org/magart0505_page26.html

Trust!

4th Ward Residents: Candidates Night

Englewood City Council

Shirley Smith

 
Thursday, May 30, 2013 7:30 pm

Public Safety Complex

73 South Van Brunt 

Meet and question the Candidates. 

Find out who cares

about the best interest of 4th Ward 

residents. We need 

someone who speaks for us. 

Candidates are Wayne Hamer 

and Shirley Smith.

League of Women Voters...Vote 

Election Day...

Wayne Hamer

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Polling Places:

Ward 4, District 1 Public Safety Complex, Court house
73 South Van Brunt Street

Ward 4, District 2 First Baptist Church
351 W. Englewood Avenue

Ward 4, District 3 Community Baptist Church
224 First Street

Ward 4, District 4 Public Safety Complex, Court house
73 South Van Brunt Street

Bring your questions. This is a tight race. We must decide whom to trust with the lives and safety of our children, our elderly, our property and our concerns about education and the municipality...We need a council person who thinks of all 4th Warders and not just property owners. It takes a lot of different people to make up a City. It is not rocket science. Who cares about us. Who speaks up for us.

Part 6: Mother Nature is Pissed!

Don't Mess with Mother Nature...I am sure that we have all heard that expression at one time or another. The natural order of things has been disturbed on this small lot and Mother Nature is not taking it well.

She has her left hand on her ample hips and her middle finger is pointed at the folks who have little or no concern for her hard work or the survival of the planet. The earth is the very best water maintenance system ever created. When the soil is left to do its job, much of the water is absorbed and we never see it. It goes where it fmay do some good for all of us. Once this system is disturbed by heavy bulldozers and the removal of the protective layers of earthworm worked topsoil, Mother Earth gets quite testy. 

The complainers have created a real problem here in making this water slide made of dirt The high end of the garden  still mostly subsoil since no topsoil has been replaced in this area. The soil remaining there is composed of a fair amount of clay. This clay has been packed tightly eliminating air spaces. Water slide anyone? Simple physics. Turn the soil on the high end. There is no danger of sinking into soft earth in that area. Soften up the earth so it will absorb the rain, duh. That is if we are really working together to get our garden back to normal and to protect area residents from flood and mosquitoes.

One wonders why the persons who complained about vegetation at the end of the season did not also complain about the absolute lack of drainage in the entire area. Perhaps that is a problem that has grown more unpleasant over time. Check out this corner where the water is accumulating. Take a walk in your neighborhoods and make a note of where the drainage gates are located. I took that walk in this neighborhood in the company of one of the residents. If I am not mistaken, I think drainage falls under the heading of City Engineer. Perhaps he has been left out of the equation for long enough.

Part 5: Hell and High Water Hath Arrived...

Saturday, May 11, 2013, I got a call telling me that we had topsoil coming to the garden in 1 hour.

I called my friends and fellow activists, made my coffee and got myself together. I picked up Crystal Brown and headed to the Garden. As we passed Wides Corner we saw the big red Better Image truck turning around at the garage. We had missed the drop of topsoil. We continued pass the Better Image Landscaping business on Lafayette Place. Words do little justice to what we found at the garden. The photo to the right must do that.

An employee from the Mitchell's Auto Body Shop was busy covering what appeared a very tiny pile of topsoil. Tiny, yes compared to the giant pond created where the garden used to be. Have you even been so angry that you screamed inside your elbow? I wanted to do that, but I held my composure. How many more loads of soil and organic matter would be required to cover the entire garden? I would say 8 or 9. Remember now. The City, under orders from someone pretty high up removed over a foot of topsoil from the garden. This is topsoil that had been treated with fertilizer and organic matter by the gardeners for years.

There is a reason that the garden looks like a pond. In October of 2012, the City scraped off vegetation taking topsoil with them. On April 25, 2013, they returned and scraped off over a foot more of topsoil and packed down the remaining soil. On May 3, they sent in the heavy machinery used to pack down the soil and level out the sports fields for the planting of grass and turf. What we have here is some seriously packed dirt that will not absorb this water. 

I spoke with the caretaker and he says that it will take quite a while before this land may be tilled. I just hope that it is finally absorbed. I do not relish the thought of the city poisoning this water to kill mosquito larvae. It is most important to remedy the situation of standing water as soon as possible.  

We have 2 more volunteers who have joined the "save the Genesee garden project". They love sweet basil, tomatoes and zucchini  and do not like the thought that the garden may be turned into a field of grass. They are making sure that more top soil will be brought to the area and that the farmer will have enough plants, seeds and fertilizer. I have promised to make them some pesto. It is marvelous what we have in common with different people once the conversation commences. Let us hope that the rain ceases and we will have enough machine power to turn the tightly packed soil. Let us also hope that  the evil genius from the city has had his fill of "nasty acts" and stops the attack on this small plot of land.

Our Friends...Join Us....!

Better Image Landscaping Services

76 Lafayette Pl  Englewood, NJ 07631
(201) 569-6559

Steven
Mitchell's Auto Body Shop
Foreign & Domestic Collision & Paint
Certified Paint & Collision Technicians
Email: mitchellsautobody@verizon.net
198 Lafayette Place
Est. 1976
201-568-0066    Fax: 201-568-8701

Rick Whilby
Red Hills Towing - By Any means necessary
75 Lafayette Place
Englewood, NJ 07631
201-522-1871    Fax: 201-408-5352
Email: redhillstowing@hotmail.com

Part 4: Is the City at War With a 4th Ward Patch of Ground?

Friday, May 3, 2013, I was called to the Genesee/Lafayette Garden by a friend who works closely on Englewood's Garden Project with Lynne Algrant, Englewood's Council at Large. She had been told that someone was coming to repair the garden that day.

These 2 men have known each other since 1975. One has
provided the other with seeds, plants and fertilizer.
The other has freely raised vegetables for salads and
sandwiches.

I put on my work clothes, gathered up my tools and called interested people to come to the garden. Once there, we were told that the DPW workers would return with the necessary equipment after lunch.

Mr. Taylor came out again. Mr. Sweatt, the head of the DPW made a cursory appearance. He seemed very dispassionate and appeared to really dislike being shoved into the middle of the controversy. Mr. Taylor and I both expressed that we garden preservers and our Committee person were now on the same page. We requested a tiller to turn the soil over and fluff it up. We requested the topsoil be returned. He said very little. He has only a few months left on the job, because Englewood has a mandatory retirement age. Mr. Sweatt, like the Police Chief were caught in this Englewood regulation. I wonder how old Mr. Albert and Mr. Dacey are. Just saying.

It was late afternoon and finally a machine arrived. It was large and heavy and covered with thick metal spikes about 3" long attached to a steel drum that poked little 3" holes in the dirt as it basically packed the dirt down even more.

I stopped the operator and asked him who had suggested that he use that particular machine.
Why is it that men never want to listen to women on these things? He said it was what he always used when working in the parks and sports fields preparing to plant grass.  Again, the burning question becomes this: Who told him that he was planting grass?

He insisted that he always cleans  up and picks up trash. I had not mentioned trash. We picked up some trash together. The question is still the same: Who told him to prepare the soil to plant grass? Would that even solve the problem? The lot across the street is planted with grass and is generally in much worse shape than this garden plot. Who is pulling the strings here? He was very adamant that what he was doing was going to make the garden better. I tried to explain that this was not a lawn and that we were growing vegetables.  I was flabbergasted that he actually thought that what he was doing would be good to grow vegetables. It was futile to argue, because he was following orders. He told me that he was making the land softer.

He even got down from the machine to demonstrate by stomping on the hard ground with the approximately 2 inches of ruffled ssoil, how much better the surface of the garden was. It was almost funny. Almost. He assured me that he was going to make many passes. I wanted to scream. The many passes simply packed the soil down more eliminating all air spaces and  any earthworm activity that was not already carried away with the topsoil that was removed in the 2 previous assaults. It was near impossible to watch this well meaning gentleman who was just following orders do

further damage to the lot.

Again, I called concerned citizens. We gathered and discussed the unfriendly proceedings, again. Again, it was obvious that the City Leaders and employees were not helping. We all watched as the soil was packed down more. Deacon Gainey, Curtis Caviness, Crystal Brown, Rick Whilby, the owner and employees of Mitchell Auto Body gathered to watch the crazy machine pack down a garden that they have all watched flourish for years. 

Men started stepping up to volunteer whatever services they possessed to help. A man who works in the garden industry promised topsoil. Another promised the use of his good strong son and tiller. Others promised fertilizer, seeds and plants. This is yet another day that we thought ended well.

I watched as this group talked over the old times and great lunches with tomatoes and cucumbers. I was not so sure that we will ever be in that happy place again. Unlike them, I do not trust the people who sent out City workers on 3 occasions with orders that were not good for us.  I do not trust anyone who would send out workers with orders to destroy something in their own community. I see a very negative pattern here that is much larger than a 100 year old garden. This garden is but a symbol representing an attack on the very heart of a Community. We The People are standing strong and planted. We shall not be moved.