Wasteful Spending and No Wheaton Property Development

Team Santiago put on quite a show at the September 17^th commission meeting. It had all the makings of a TV show and if it was not so disheartening that this is our city, it would have been quite entertaining.

There were two main points of interest during the meeting.  The first point was the purchase of the old bank at the corner of High and Main from the CCIA for a new municipal court. The price tag is $1 million with an additional $500,000 for renovations and $100,000 for bonding fees. Yes, another $1.6 million spending spree by Team Santiago. Mr. Pepitone stated something had to be done, the cost is only $1 million and bonds are cheap. Did he research other possibilities? - NO. Did he get an appraisal for the building – NO.  He relied on the appraisal from the CCIA. This is not looking out for the taxpayer. Was the lack of parking considered? Was the fact that this location is a main entrance to the city and will affect High Street. How prisoners and individuals hanging out in front of the court impact High Street? This was passed on first reading 4-1 and will be voted on again on October 1^st. Go to the meeting. Do you want Team Santiago to spend another $1.6 million dollars of your money without due diligence again?

The second point of interest was Team Santiago voted to cancel the contract for the redevelopment of the dilapidated Wheaton property at the entrance our city.  The redeveloper stated that he had the financing in place as long as he had a signed contract. The redeveloper agreed to all the terms of the city’s agreement. If there needed to be further discussion, the redeveloper requested the resolution be tabled instead of cancelled. Team Santiago must not have understood the concept of tabling a resolution or the fact that they would lose another opportunity to create jobs and a ratable in the city ( LKQ, Rovangati, etc. have all gone). After the vote the redeveloper spoke again. He stated the politics in Millville is scaring people away. He stated that he tried to talk to Ms. Udalovas regarding the redevelopment but she rejected him. Team Santiago made their excuses and said now they would like to listen to what the redeveloper has to say. Did they not listen and understand that now it is too late? The only question remaining is will the city of Millville have to repay the redeveloper the $125,000 that was paid to GGI, the tax deliquent Wheaton Property owner who allowed the property to fall into disrepair. The city requested the redeveloper pay GGI as part of the agreement.

At the end of the meeting a business owner in the city asked Team Santiago what was their mandate for the city. He said it should be to improve the life of the citizens. He stated it is obvious that Team Santiago is not doing this. He asked if they had a business planner? Yes, the city has Don Ayres who Team Santiago rehired disregarding his lack of success for the city for the past 30 years.  The business owner stated that seeing first hand how the city treated the redeveloper of the Wheaton Property makes him consider leaving the city.

At the end of the meeting, Mr. Cooper laughed while stating he knows they have lost a few new businesses and this meeting was passionate. Mr. Cooper should realize losing jobs and ratables are not a laughing matter. The citizens of Millville are passionate that this has to stop.

 Mr. Pepitone stated that he did not understand that the redevelopment plan was time sensitive but yet once again he voted. Mr. Santiago said to “trust us” and “it is not all our fault”. Well why should the citizens continue to trust Team Santiago and whose fault is it?

Mr. Parent said part of Millville’s issue in attracting businesses is lack of UEZ money. Well that is Mr. Parent’s fault; he was in office when the city blew through millions of dollars of UEZ money with poor loans and give aways to projects like the Levoy. Now there is no money to entice businesses to come to Millville. But yet, Mr. Parent is in charge of Revenue and Finance once again.

So this meeting had it all and all the citizens should watch it to see their elected officials in action. The meeting would be entertaining except it is real and you are watching Team Santiago’s wasteful spending and uninformed decisions destroy the city of Millville. Go to the meeting on October 1^st and tell them: the wasteful spending and lost opportunities need to stop.