Participate In Your Own Salvation: Vote

The beginning is near. The issues and events in this town mirror the larger ones taking place nationally. The events concerning jobs in the medical and educational fields are a local example. Unemployment numbers have gone up locally. We are feeling the pressure of the poor economy and class warfare. There are almost no Obama signs out. This is in sharp contrast to the hundreds of Rothman signs that were displayed in the area before the primary. What is that? What does it mean? Oh, I have seen maybe 3 signs. One has been up for months. Is someone sending us a message? Englewood IS the petry dish. Romney followers are not likely to reveal themselves publicly here in good old Democratic Englewood. Is Englewood still Democratic? The recent events of the school board have fueled the already festering attitude of apathy. We must be ever mindful of this. We cannot allow the energy that went into fighting that evil to dissipate and keep us away from the polls on November 6.

It is important that Every American exercises his/her right to vote. The time to allow ourselves to be overcome by apathy is long gone. Our very lives are at stake. Our hard earned tax dollars are misspent right here in this community and it is high time we awaken to that fact. We don't have to look at Romney sending his money to Swiss banks or the Cayman Islands. We can look at our Municipal government sending $5.8 million dollars to Melville, New York instead of depositing it in a bank in Englewood. That $5.8 million dollars represents tax dollars collected from us by the city and used by the city to purchase a building owned by us/the Board of Ed.  Now isn't that an interesting web? EPSD adds insult to injury by depositing our hard earned tax dollars in a bank in New York. This crazy action includes both the municipal and education sectors. We must send a clear message to elected officials that we are firmly aware of the fact that our tax dollars should benefit the residents of Englewood.

I did not always agree with Jack Drakeford. As a matter of fact, the first and last time we broke bread together, I invited myself to lunch with he and one of the Englewood Clergy. I let him know that I did not like the idea that egress into MacKay Park had been cut off on 3rd St. and Elmore Ave. It was interesting, he had always thought of it as escaping into the neighborhoods out of MacKay Park. Think about that. Even the most knowledgeable of us get so bogged down that we don't even know when we have taken on and mirror the ideas of the oppressors. We the People need elected officials who are willing to fight with us on the issues that are important to the
well-being of our children and our community.

Donald MacKay not only planned exits out of the park, he planned entrances into MacKay Park as Egress for the residents on those streets in times of emergency. Fire and flood and other natural disasters were frequent occurrences. Check out old photos of Englewood's 4th Ward nearly totally underwater.  In the event of a fire or real emergency, the residents of Elmore and 3rd Street will be trapped.  In order to escape the danger, they will be forced to run towards it. We are talking about safety and possible loss of life especially among children and the elderly.

Fund raising with their coach and families on Palisade Avenue

On several occasions, I have watched dedicated coaches practically beg the City Council and the Englewood Board of Education for permission to use the soccer, basketball and little league fields. The entire Recreation Department needs an overhaul. How is it that tax paying residents involved in making sure their children get a good background participating in team sports must beg for a field on which to play and practice? I find that to be unacceptable. If those young people, their parents and their coaches must fund raise on the streets for matching funds so be it, but the City surely owes them something. That whole arrangement should go back to the drawing board and terms should be renegotiated. The existing situation does not encourage residents to nurture the "Little Raiders" long enough for them to become part of "The Raider Nation" at the high school. Don't get me wrong, they should all raise funds, but they should always know that in the least they should have a field on which to play. They should not be forced to beg for something for which their parents have already paid. Other towns have "open gym" nights several days in the week. Why is it that Englewood does not? The facilities paid for by the taxpayers should be open to taxpayers. This is just another reason we must all exercise our right to vote. Aren't these organized teams part of the Recreation Department?

Remember the dates below. Don't just register to vote because a group of people in the barber shop, McDonald's or even in an uplifting program at your church suggested that it is a good idea. Look yourself in the mirror when you shave or apply your makeup. Ask the person looking back at you if he/she has done anything to bring about positive change for the community at large. Is the person in your mirror willing to change his/her ways? All politics is local. Start by voting for local politicians, people you know. Then vote for the president.  Every person has the power to affect change. Start now. Sleep better tomorrow.

October 16, Voter Registration deadline for November 6 general elections
October 30   Vote-by-Mail Ballot Applications due by mail to county clerk
November  5   Deadline for in person Vote by mail Ballot App. by 3pm
November 6   Election Day....Exercise your right

New Jersey Voter Registration Information
You can register to vote if:
You are a United States citizen
You will be 18 years of age by the next election
You will be a resident of the State and county 30 days before the election
You are not currently serving a prison sentence
You are not on probation or parole because of a felony conviction

Registration Deadline: 21 days before an election (October 16, 2012)
Questions? visit www.NJElections.Org or call toll free 1-877-NJVOTER (1-877-658-6837)

Do You Approve Of How Your Tax Dollars Are Spent?: Follow the money

Put your tax dollar to work for you. 

Find out more about how the money is being spent. The City of Englewood recently purchased Liberty School from the Board of Education. When did the money change hands? Why is it not recorded anyplace? Why is it taking so long for my opra of the transfer to be fulfilled? There are too many questions regarding money in Englewood, New Jersey.

How are our tax dollars being spent? Keep in mind that even if you live in an apartment building, you still pay property taxes. It is included in your monthly rent. The landlord responds to property tax increases by increasing your rent. Visit the website of the City of Englewood.  Review the services provided by the City of Englewood. Are you satisfied? Take your concerns to the City Council.

Tax Bill Percentages
Schools 46.19%  Pay more attention to this one. They are spending an awful lot of money and the children are not achieving. Expectations must be set higher for students and staff all the way up to the Superintendent. There is evidence of waste and segregation among students. They claim that every student has a college application and acceptance in hand upon graduation. Great. How many of them end up in remedial classes for literacy or math? How many of them complete college? Where is the data driven evidence from the last 10 years that supports the assumption that those college acceptances were even utilized? How many of those applications are in manila envelopes on the bottom shelves in guidance offices collecting dust?

Municipal  42.69% Your tax dollar is funding each of the services listed. I recently read an article about Gullah Island off the coast of South Carolina. Direct descendents of slaves live on a small island and survive by fishing and farming. Their taxes have recently been raised from $300 per year to over $3,000. They have only one paved road, no city water line, no gas line, no garbage pickup. Absolutely no services. What in the heck are they paying for? In the end, these direct descendents of former slaves will be forced off this valuable shore property. The land left them by their ancestors will probably end up as Timeshare resorts or beachfront hotels. America is defaulting once again on a promisory note. Check out the video-documentary that demonstrates how unfair taxation may be used to destroy entire cultures. Again, are you satisfied with the services that you are promised? Example: How long does it take to plow your street after a snow storm? How do you rate police and ambulance response time in your neighborhood? Actually and unfortunately I know about ambulance response time. As of 2011, it was rather satisfactory. Ask more questions. It is your right.
     Office Locator - Visit these offices. Ask questions and get your money's worth. A tree fell on a friend's car outside my house. It was a city tree, it flattened the car like a pancake and tore up the sidewalk. The sidewalk stayed that way for over a year. I am retired so I had time to watch people trip over this ragged place on a daily basis. I was not treated very nicely when I visited a city office and asked why the sidewalk was not being repaired. Lately, I have thrown nice away and I use a different tone when complaining about problems in my neighborhood.

Library 1.58%  - Are you and your family taking advantage of the services provided by the public library. It was also attacked earlier this year by budget cuts. Did you get excited? Neither did I. We must do better and demand more from our library. It must be something that we fight harder to keep. We must never allow an entity to enter our town or school system and abolish the library. We must also take advantage of available programs and demand more. Make sure everyone has a library card and knows how to access the resources on the home computer. My 15 year old granddaughter was slapped with nearly a $5 fine, because she did not know that she could renew the books online. The fines are getting rather steep. Avoid paying late fees by renewing the checkout of books and other materials online.
Friends of Englewood Public Library.
Children's programs.

County 9.42% Bergen County resources and services

County Open Space 0.12%
Open Space Partnership of Bergen County
Preliminiary 2015 Open Space Sub-Regional Funding Allocations
Municipal Park Improvement Program
Bergen County Open Space, Recreation, Farmland & Historic Preservation Trust Fund
Summary of Project Awards for the City of Englewood 1999 - 2009 (page 8) updated 2012

A sinkhole in Depot Square Park
July 9, 2012, 7:40pm

2001 Englewood Depot Square $25,000 Municipal Recreation
2002 Englewood Depot Square $37,500 Municipal Recreation
2003 Englewood Depot Square $125,000 Municipal Recreation
2005 Englewood Depot Square Amphitheatre $165,625 Municipal Recreation

2008 Englewood Basketball and Tennis Court Reconstruction $155,000 Municipal Recreation
2009 Englewood Denning Park Soccer Field $94,500 Municipal Recreation
2011 Englewood Mackay Park Play Equipment $50,000 Municipal Recreation
2011 Englewood Phelps-Mackay Park Gatehouse Historic
Preservation Plan $22,000 County Historic Preservation

August 25, 2015 - Update of Project Awards -  Page 12 for Englewood allocations
2011 Englewood Phelps-Mackay Park Gatehouse Historic Preservation Plan $22,000 County Historic Pres 
2013 Englewood Mackay Park Gatehouse Historic Rehabilitation Documents $16,000 County Historic Preservation 
2014 Englewood Glenbrook Park Play Area Improvement Project $11,000 Municipal Recreation 
2014 Englewood Mackay Park Gatehouse Exterior Restoration $166,150 County Historic Preservation 

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE COUNTY OF BERGEN OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND PUBLIC HEARING PROPOSED 2014 FUNDING ALLOCATIONS 
City of Englewood - $166,150.00 for Mackay Park Gatehouse Exterior Restoration

This hole is capable of
swallowing a small
child or a pet whole.
Imagine getting your adult
foot stuck in that.

Do you buy that $587,625.00 was spent on Englewood Parks since 2001? That amount makes me think of that tree bridge that lay across the brook connecting MacKay Park to 3rd street for years. It was dangerous and inviting to a group of children who no longer had a 3rd street walkway over a concrete bridge into the park.

I was trained in the theatre and would love the idea of an Amphitheatre in Depot Square. I would probably love it even more if it was in MacKay Park. The question is of course, where is the Amphitheatre? That is the park that I frequent with my grandkids. We go there after the library before going to McDonald's and home on Saturdays. Where is the Amphitheatre?

Dangerous!

When was the last time anyone ever admitted that we pay for the upkeep of parks and the "Open Space" of Bergen County? Does a fenced in MacKay Park still qualify to be called "Open Space" in the formula provided? Loopholes. Use the links and learn about Bergen County and Englewood's Open Space that is disappearing rather fast. I must really take another look at Depot Square Park and all of that renovation listed above. Amphitheatre?  Gee! Was $353,125.00 enough money to fix the very dangerous sink hole pictured to the right. rabbatomarco@co.bergen.nj.us





Tax Bill Dollar Components
Schools $49.1 million
Municipal $45.4 million
Library $1.7 million
County $10.0 Million
County Open Space $0.1 million
Open Space PartnershipofBergen CountyCounty Program Policy and Procedures Manual

Check out the dollar amount that is collected from tax payers for the operation and maintenance of schools. How much of that is used to directly impact student achievement? You would think that Englewood parents and residents would get more respect from the people who share the fruits of taxpayer dollars. The money is collected from all of us, not just the few that are high profile and well liked by the special folk. At school board meetings Dr. Carlisle promises that there is significant access to computers, because of the available units in the Library. Has Dr. Carlisle ever visited the Englewood Public Library?

Are we satisfied with the way our tax dollars are being spent?

Did you notice that tax abatements do not help homeowners? On the contrary, we end up funding the tax abatement of a developer that we never even wanted in the first place? Meanwhile, the big developer is reclining in his study looking out over the "open space" in communities like Upper Saddle River, Montvale, Bernardsville, or Alpine. Many of us are looking at a boarded up school building where our grandparents, parents and siblings attended school while watching our children play in the streets. These are questions that should be put to Lynne Algrant and the City Council. Perhaps Mr. Wayne Hamer might be able to answer a few of these once he is given the answers.

                                      Pride of Place.

Candidates Wanted!

The 4 Wards Coalition 4 Empowerment endorses the candidacy of Curtis E. Caviness. He is our choice for 4th Ward Council person. We reject the skulduggery. We do not condone practices that have given us a candidate that we had no part in selecting.

We are also endorsing the efforts of Code Red North.

Join us. We are encouraging the young people out there to get involved in your community government. It is a start towards taking responsibility for government. It is a way to create political persons who have compassion for the communities they serve. 

We need at least 4 people over 18 years old who have been voting residents of Englewood for at least 3 years to run for the Englewood Board of Education. We are changing the paradigm of education in our City. 

Email us your biography.

Members of The City Council

What is a City Council?

A City council is a form of government that is used in many towns and cities around the world.  The members are elected by the registered voters in the city. City council members are public officials elected or appointed to represent a ward or district of a city as the municipal governing body. It is very important to note that in the best scenarios members of each Ward elect their representative to the City Council. The responsibilities of a city council member generally involve determining city government and administration policies, as well as adopting budgets and legislation. 

City council members spend a lot of time in committee and subcommittee meetings where city business is discussed. City council members should also spend time meeting with citizens and representatives of groups affected by city government. They have council meetings and workshop meetings from which minutes are available if one cannot attend. Residents may search for all manner of information concerning the activity of the City Council by reviewing minutes of the meetings. Each of the 4 wards in the City of Englewood elects a councilperson. A Council person at large is also elected and must serve all wards of the City.

Who may serve on the city council? A candidate for city council must live and vote in the city for at least 2 years and be at least 18 years of age. (old enough to vote) A lot more people than one would think may be elected to the City Council. Aspiring politicians ripe out of high school and some still attending are encouraged in some parts of the country. Check out this study of America's Young Elected Leaders. It is an interesting study that surveys over 800 elected officials aged 35 and younger.

The chained Elmore Avenue entrance to MacKay Park

The number of city council members varies from city to city. For example, the New York City Council has 51 council members, while Phoenix has eight (not including the mayor). Because of the amount of power associated with these positions, competition for the job of city council member is high. Compensation for members of a city council varies by size of city and scope of responsibility. http://www.ehow.com/facts_5903401_city-council-job-description.html

We all know that the mere fact that someone holds public office places them in situations where something more than money is gained. In the lives of some people this attention is worth much more than money. One man is able to build his own little Empire before moving on to larger conquests. It is important for regular folks not to get caught up in the aspirations of those with this type of ambition. It is important for the everyday resident and tax payer to begin to ask some real questions about how things are going in "Our Town" now and in future. It is time to change the paradigm of how we react and fall into line when commanded to do so by folks with strong ambition and lots of money.

Englewood's Local government

Beginning in 1980, Englewood switched from a Mayor-Council form of government to a modified Council-Manager plan of government in accordance with a Special Charter granted by the New Jersey Legislature. Under this charter, the mayor retains appointive and veto powers, while the council acts as a legislative and policy making body, with some power to appoint and confirm appointments. The City Council consists of five members: four are elected from wards of roughly equal population and one additional member is elected at-large. Administrative functions are responsibilities of the City Manager.

Past and Present residents celebrate the 4th Ward

The mayor is elected city-wide to a three-year term of office and has significant powers in appointing members to the Planning Board, the Library Board of Trustees, and, with council confirmation, the Board of Adjustment. The mayor serves on the Planning Board. The mayor attends and may speak at council meetings, but voting is confined only to breaking a deadlock with an affirmative vote for passage of an ordinance or resolution. The mayor has veto power over any city ordinance, but can be overridden with votes from four council members.

The City Council consists of five members, each elected for a three-year term. Four are elected from the individual wards in which they live and the other is elected by a city-wide vote as an at-large member. The city is divided into four wards which are approximately equal in population. The City Council is the legislative branch of government, deciding public policy, creating city ordinances and resolutions, passing the city budget, appropriating funds for city services, and hiring the City Manager. The City Council meets generally four times per month (except during summer months) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Englewood,_New_Jersey

United States Department of Commerce: United States Census Bureau

Demographics and Quickfacts for the City of Englewood New Jersey

Optional Municipal Charter Law - What are the available city charter choices?

New Jersey State League of Municipalities - The types of Municipal governments in the state of New Jersey.

4th Ward Residents: The position of 4th Ward Councilman will be listed on the ballot this year. Find the name of the candidate you support. It will be worth the extra few seconds spent in the voting booth to select the right man for the job.

Englewood's current City Council
Lynne Algrant - Councilwoman at large
Mark Foreman - 1st Ward
Michael Cohen - 2nd Ward
Eugene Skurnick - 3rd Ward
Wayne Hamer - selected by city council to fill Jack Drakeford's seat until the November 6, 2012 election. Word on the street is that Mr. Hamer did not follow procedure and get a petition signed by 4th ward residents in order to run to serve until Mr. Drakeford's term is over.
Is he a candidate or not? He did not petition to become one. If incumbent school board members must file a petition in order to run again, what pray tell, makes the City Council seat any different? Are folks making up rules as they go along again?