Millville Insider

The Wheaton property has been in disrepair for years, an eyesore sitting at the entrance to the City. The City owns the property as a result of Team Santiago’s ill advised settlement with GGI. In that settlement, Team Santiago forgave hundred of thousands of dollars of unpaid taxes. For reasons never explained the City looked the other way when taxes were not paid during Parent’s previous stint as Director of Revenue and Finance. So the obvious questions are: What has Team Santiago done to clean up the property, and what is the “Team’s” plan for the future of this eyesore at Second and G streets? Same answer for both questions: Nothing. Ms. Udalovas has stated over and over again that all redevelopment must go through the city’s redevelopment attorney. So who is that? None other than Doug Long’s law firm. The firm that has had and presently has ethics charges brought against them. Out of town attorneys and the Cumberland County Improvement Authority along with Don Ayr

The December 2nd city commission meeting once again showed how out of touch with the people of Millville Team Santiago is. Mr. Pepitone presented a slide show of the Wheaton property on G Street. The slide show emphasized why something has to be done about this property. Mr. Pepitone confirmed that there are squatters living there and an individual had set up a work site to process stolen copper. Mr. Pepitone and Mr. Cooper both stated that something had to be done about the property. Everyone already knew that something needs to be done, so what are they going to do? Once again no solutions were offered. Mr. Santiago as usual said nothing looking at his phone through most of the presentation.   Mr Parent sat there and laughed. What is so funny? He later stated what is going on at the Wheaton property is mind boggling. Where has he been? Mr. Parent had numerous opportunities to do something, anything, about this property when he was in office before and now. Both

At a recent commission meeting, a resident stood up and asked Team Santiago what was going on with the Wheaton Property. None of the commissioners answered. When the citizen asked again, Mayor Santiago stated that they do not have to answer questions and that an answer would be given during closing comments. During the closing comments, the question was not answered. So much for the promised transparency. Yes it is Team Santiago’s choice not to answer questions from the citizens of Millville but is it right? Citizens and taxpayers have the right to be informed as to what is going on in their city. The citizens are the ones who pay the bills and elected Team Santiago. Does the “team” understand who they work for? Another citizen spoke at the podium and stated their name and that they lived in Millville. Mayor Santiago stated you must give your full address. Why? Is this another way for Team Santiago to intimidate those that speak up at a meeting? There is no need for any

The best new TV show in town is the Millville City commission meeting. If you haven’t watched it yet, tune in on the 1 st and 3 rd Tuesdays of the month at 7pm. You can access the meeting on Comcast Channel 9 or through the city website at the You Tube link. The meeting on October 15 th centered around the redevelopment of the Wheaton property by an out of town redeveloper. The redeveloper gave a presentation that promised over 300 jobs and the revitalization of Millville. This is the same redeveloper that all 5 commissioners voted against a few weeks ago. Pepitone and Cooper stated they are suddenly for the project because they finally spoke to the redeveloper and understood the project. Mr. Pepitone confessed that for him to understand anything, it must be explained at an elementary level. How reassuring that these two commissioners are voting without knowing what they are voting on! Ms. Udalovas was upset that other commissioners spoke to the redeveloper w

Go to the commission meeting on October 1 st at 7pm. There is a resolution on the agenda to award a trash contract to the Atlantic County Improvement Authority. If you read the contract there are some significant changes: 1.      The city will provide the trashcans and only one can be put out on trash day. The Director of Public Works namely Mr. Santiago determines the size of the trashcan. 2.      The recyclables will only be picked up every other week. 3.      There is no mention of bulky waste pickup at the end of the month. That means no furniture or mattresses; no washers or dryers; etc will be picked up at the end of the month. Here are the questions that immediately come to mind: 1.      The savings on the contract is estimated to be $50,000 on a contract of over $1 Million.   What are the city supplied trashcans going to cost the city? Is this really a savings? And what happens if your trash does not all fit into the one trashcan? Will