Millville Insider

Pay close attention to the August 7, 2018 Commission meeting. Here are the questions the agenda raises: 1.     There is an ordinance to adopt the redevelopment plan by CME Associates. Why is the redevelopment plan not attached to the agenda? Where is the transparency that Team Santiago promised? 2.     There is a bond ordinance for $550,000. The bond is for $160,000 in IT improvements but the improvements are not specified so are they necessary?   The rest of the bond is for 7 new vehicles for the police and fire department. 3.     There are two resolutions giving more money to Doug Long’s law firm, Marmero and Grace. Team Santiago initially gave the firm $110,000 in two contracts and are increasing the contracts to $140,000. That means that in 7 months the firm has exceeded their original contract. This should not be a surprise. Why is Team Santiago giving more money to lawyers with previous and pending et...

Team Santiago voted unanimously to hire Doug Long as the City’s Personnel, Foreclosure, Affordable Housing, and Tax Appeal attorneys.   Surprise, Surprise!! Democratic Chairman/ City Attorney Doug Long once again is facing serious ethics violation charges. On December 13, 2017, Doug Long was fined by the State of New Jersey Local Finance Board for an ethics violation. The details can be found at: http://njrandomgovt.blogspot.com/2017/12/cumberland-democratic-chairman-fined.html This is not Mr. Long and his firm’s first ethics violation. They are repeat offenders. In 2014, Mr. Long and his firm were fired by the City of Trenton because of yet more ethics charges. This link is: http://www.trentonian.com/general-news/20140904/state-ethics-complaint-dooms-embattled-law-firm-from-doing-work-with-trenton On November 4, 2016  the New Jersey Supreme Court reprimanded Long and his partner for another ethics violation.  The details of...

Commissioner Parent is a seasoned politician with years of experience as an elected official. Mr. Parent denies any political affiliation and stated he had nothing to do with the derogatory commercials during the last election. At the recent commission meeting, a citizen stood up and stated he was paid $50 to hand out fliers for Team Santiago. A search of the election fund reports shows that the Cumberland County Democratic Party paid for this. Doug Long is the Democratic County Chairman and now his firm has the attorney contracts for personnel, tax appeals, foreclosures, and COAH. Coincidence? Probably not. At a recent commission meeting Mr. Parent stated that the fees charged by the new city solicitor from Atlantic County, James Schroeder were not out of line. In fact he compared them to the previous city solicitor, Brock Russell, a Millville native who lives and practices law in Millville. Mr. Parent is in charge of Revenue and Finance so he should underst...

The Wheaton property has been in disrepair for years sitting at the entranceway to the city of Millville. It has long been the first impression to anyone entering the city. The owners, GGI, had not paid the taxes for years owing the city hundreds of   thousands of dollars. GGI also blocked the environmental cleanup of the property. Jim Parent and Jim Quinn were Directors of Revenue and Finance for much of that time but chose to do nothing about the problem or the unpaid taxes. When the City got a new Director of Revenue and Finance, the city began foreclosure proceedings in an effort to do something about this eyesore   and financial albatross.   In response to the foreclosure, GGI declared bankruptcy and the bankruptcy judge has decided the property should be returned to GGI. What does this mean for the city of Millville? The city is now once again at the mercy of GGI to do what it wants with the property. Will the City press GGI to pay its...