Saturday, November 1, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Glen Ridge Tennis Club Endorses Yvonne Provost and Kelly Conklin
The Glen Ridge Tennis Club endorses Yvonne Provost and Kelly Conklin as candidates for Glen Ridge Borough Council. These are the two candidates who understand and support quality maintenance for the court facilities. They understand that having such great clay courts in our town is a privilege that demands ongoing attention and annual budget support. Yvonne Provost and Kelly Conklin know how much the Freeman Courts mean to the Glen Ridge Tennis Club members and to the boys' and girls' tennis teams of Glen Ridge High School. For all, the courts are a place to enjoy healthy outdoor exercise and recreational fun with friends. Let's make sure the Freeman Courts stay viable now and for the future. Vote Yvonne Provost and Kelly Conklin for Glen Ridge Borough Council.
--Gwen Lindgren
President, GR Tennis Club
--Gwen Lindgren
President, GR Tennis Club
Sunday, September 28, 2008
WHAT’S THE NEXT STOP FOR THE JITNEY?
As many of our commuting residents know, Glen Ridge runs a Jitney service that shuttles commuters back and forth to the train station.
What many people don’t know is that, while originally New Jersey Transit footed the bill for the Jitney service, starting this year the Borough must begin to pick up the tab. Because Glen Ridge will continue to run the Jitney program, the DOT will be giving the Borough two new buses in 2010 (other towns that gave up their Jitney service are not eligible for the bus replacement program). But operating costs are now the Borough’s responsibility, including paying for gas, maintenance and drivers. No one knows right now how much continuing the service will cost or who will pay for it – the details are still being worked out.
There are also questions about exactly who is allowed to ride the Glen Ridge Jitney. The service gets its fair share of Bloomfield residents. It also serves as a school bus for many children. The kids know the “rule;” -- if there are not enough seats for commuters, the kids have to stand. Which means we are transporting children in a less than safe manner.
So, what do you think? Should Glen Ridge continue its Jitney service? If so, should the service be paid for by the town, should it be paid for by the riders, or should it be paid by a combination of the two? Should Bloomfield residents and Glen Ridge Students be allowed to ride the Jitney?
We would like to know what you think.
What many people don’t know is that, while originally New Jersey Transit footed the bill for the Jitney service, starting this year the Borough must begin to pick up the tab. Because Glen Ridge will continue to run the Jitney program, the DOT will be giving the Borough two new buses in 2010 (other towns that gave up their Jitney service are not eligible for the bus replacement program). But operating costs are now the Borough’s responsibility, including paying for gas, maintenance and drivers. No one knows right now how much continuing the service will cost or who will pay for it – the details are still being worked out.
There are also questions about exactly who is allowed to ride the Glen Ridge Jitney. The service gets its fair share of Bloomfield residents. It also serves as a school bus for many children. The kids know the “rule;” -- if there are not enough seats for commuters, the kids have to stand. Which means we are transporting children in a less than safe manner.
So, what do you think? Should Glen Ridge continue its Jitney service? If so, should the service be paid for by the town, should it be paid for by the riders, or should it be paid by a combination of the two? Should Bloomfield residents and Glen Ridge Students be allowed to ride the Jitney?
We would like to know what you think.
Yvonne's Reasons for Running
I have three best reasons for running for Borough Council – my daughters Amanda, Margaret and Zoe. Growing up here, my husband Gary and I were part of a strong and vibrant community, which was a big reason why Gary and I decided to raise our girls here.
Because we are parents, and because of our life-long relationship with Glen Ridge, Gary and I have always been active in community organizations, including the CCC. Being active in the community, I have come to hold certain beliefs about how our Borough Council works when it is working best.
When Borough Council is working best, the Mayor and Council members are terrific listeners. They recognize that a healthy community is one where residents take part in public discourse, and they encourage it. The Mayor and Council, as well as Borough employees, get back to people in a reasonable timeframe - by phone or in person. They say “We discussed your idea very carefully, but what do you think of this......." They say "Thank you for your thoughts.” They say these things a lot.
When Borough Council is working best, no idea is a bad idea. There are no sacred cows; every aspect of our government is continually under review. That doesn't mean change for change sake. It may mean validating that what we currently do still works. And if it doesn’t work, we try something else. Maybe there is no better way, but let's be open to the possibility that there is. As Albert Einstein said, "We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them."
As I see it, Borough Council is not working at its best because it is not encouraging public discourse and it does not regularly engage in due diligence reviews of “business as usual.” If elected, I want to make some changes:
a. Put EVERYTHING that is not confidential on the web site. Council should not edit or be selective about it. A few things our web site could use:
i. ALL pages of the budget
ii. All ordinances, and
iii. The benchmark studies which our tax dollars are paying for every year.
Regarding the benchmark studies, there is supposed to be a new one every year on a different aspect of government. During my campaign last year, I asked the Council to post the study to the municipal website. They never did. The town is grown-up enough to understand that studies are imperfect. Although the Benchmark Study is still in it infancy and there is debate on whether or not the study can be posted because it may have limited usefulness at this juncture, there should be a section on the website explaining why the town is doing is participating in such a study and updates with the study’s development along the way. Certainly, post an open invitation to interested residents in town to come to view the report on site.
b. Stop relying on the web as the primary means of outreach and communication with the town. It’s terrific that the Mayor and Council members show up when there’s a problem, but that’s no replacement for consistent outreach. Perhaps we could try neighborhood meetings, or just knocking on doors once in a while. Council members should make regular appearances at Golden Circle meetings, the Rotary, the Kiwanis, the Women's Club, Home & School Associations and other town organizations. And just generally be more available.
c. Start bringing transparency and accountability to Borough Council’s due diligence efforts. Voters should know if the Borough has a Business Continuation Plan, a Pandemic Plan, off-site storage facilities. Voters should have confidence that Borough employees are being responsibly supervised, that the Borough is in compliance with laws and codes.
I am running for Borough Council because I believe Glen Ridge can be a role model for what small towns can and should be. Because when the fourth generation of Provosts makes their home here (someday), I want them to inherit the best home town anyone could have.
--Yvonne
Because we are parents, and because of our life-long relationship with Glen Ridge, Gary and I have always been active in community organizations, including the CCC. Being active in the community, I have come to hold certain beliefs about how our Borough Council works when it is working best.
When Borough Council is working best, the Mayor and Council members are terrific listeners. They recognize that a healthy community is one where residents take part in public discourse, and they encourage it. The Mayor and Council, as well as Borough employees, get back to people in a reasonable timeframe - by phone or in person. They say “We discussed your idea very carefully, but what do you think of this......." They say "Thank you for your thoughts.” They say these things a lot.
When Borough Council is working best, no idea is a bad idea. There are no sacred cows; every aspect of our government is continually under review. That doesn't mean change for change sake. It may mean validating that what we currently do still works. And if it doesn’t work, we try something else. Maybe there is no better way, but let's be open to the possibility that there is. As Albert Einstein said, "We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them."
As I see it, Borough Council is not working at its best because it is not encouraging public discourse and it does not regularly engage in due diligence reviews of “business as usual.” If elected, I want to make some changes:
a. Put EVERYTHING that is not confidential on the web site. Council should not edit or be selective about it. A few things our web site could use:
i. ALL pages of the budget
ii. All ordinances, and
iii. The benchmark studies which our tax dollars are paying for every year.
Regarding the benchmark studies, there is supposed to be a new one every year on a different aspect of government. During my campaign last year, I asked the Council to post the study to the municipal website. They never did. The town is grown-up enough to understand that studies are imperfect. Although the Benchmark Study is still in it infancy and there is debate on whether or not the study can be posted because it may have limited usefulness at this juncture, there should be a section on the website explaining why the town is doing is participating in such a study and updates with the study’s development along the way. Certainly, post an open invitation to interested residents in town to come to view the report on site.
b. Stop relying on the web as the primary means of outreach and communication with the town. It’s terrific that the Mayor and Council members show up when there’s a problem, but that’s no replacement for consistent outreach. Perhaps we could try neighborhood meetings, or just knocking on doors once in a while. Council members should make regular appearances at Golden Circle meetings, the Rotary, the Kiwanis, the Women's Club, Home & School Associations and other town organizations. And just generally be more available.
c. Start bringing transparency and accountability to Borough Council’s due diligence efforts. Voters should know if the Borough has a Business Continuation Plan, a Pandemic Plan, off-site storage facilities. Voters should have confidence that Borough employees are being responsibly supervised, that the Borough is in compliance with laws and codes.
I am running for Borough Council because I believe Glen Ridge can be a role model for what small towns can and should be. Because when the fourth generation of Provosts makes their home here (someday), I want them to inherit the best home town anyone could have.
--Yvonne
Kelly's Reasons for Running
Making my voice heard does not come naturally to me. However, since I moved from Montclair to Glen Ridge in 1987, I have felt compelled to participate in a number of challenges that have faced our community, sometimes in partnership with community leadership and sometimes in opposition. Which means I’ve spoken in public a lot these past 21 years.
Each time I screwed up the courage to read prepared comments in public -- hands shaking, voice quivering – I was filled with the fear that a mistake had been made, an important fact overlooked, a consequence not considered.
But I stuck with it. And starting with Mayor Ed Callahan in my role as a leader of The Loraine Street Committee for a Radium Free Glen Ridge, right up to the present as chairman of the Glen Ridge Planning Board I have experienced municipal government from both sides of the bar in Borough Hall.
As a Planning Board member I’ve been in the position of spending months hearing testimony, meeting with experts, struggling to understand detailed data and exhibits -- all requiring meetings that can stretch long into the night. And I have been one of the guys at the front of the room listening to late comers with concerns.
Yes, I have felt frustrated when -- seemingly out of nowhere -- a solution that has taken months to craft was suddenly under attack. And those I have worked so hard to please had nothing good to say about the efforts or the results.
In those situations, I always thought back to those times when I wasn’t the guy at the front of the room, the shaky hand quivering voice days. And I remembered what it felt like when my concerns as a voter were met with impatience, anger and real hostility.
In recent years, I’ve seen our municipal government become a place where lines have been drawn, compromise has become a distant and unlikely outcome and anger rules the day.
Barney Frank, a respected, senior member of Congress says “government is what we do when we want to work together.” As a councilman I will work to make that sentiment practice. I will strive to ensure Borough Hall is always an open forum where working together is what we do while trying to maintain and improve our community. I will endeavor to answer questions directly, succinctly and factually, and if I cannot I will tell you so and work to find the answers.
I pledge to do my utmost to be prepared and to contribute in a spirit of progress and cooperation. Beyond this I can make no promises.
--Kelly
Each time I screwed up the courage to read prepared comments in public -- hands shaking, voice quivering – I was filled with the fear that a mistake had been made, an important fact overlooked, a consequence not considered.
But I stuck with it. And starting with Mayor Ed Callahan in my role as a leader of The Loraine Street Committee for a Radium Free Glen Ridge, right up to the present as chairman of the Glen Ridge Planning Board I have experienced municipal government from both sides of the bar in Borough Hall.
As a Planning Board member I’ve been in the position of spending months hearing testimony, meeting with experts, struggling to understand detailed data and exhibits -- all requiring meetings that can stretch long into the night. And I have been one of the guys at the front of the room listening to late comers with concerns.
Yes, I have felt frustrated when -- seemingly out of nowhere -- a solution that has taken months to craft was suddenly under attack. And those I have worked so hard to please had nothing good to say about the efforts or the results.
In those situations, I always thought back to those times when I wasn’t the guy at the front of the room, the shaky hand quivering voice days. And I remembered what it felt like when my concerns as a voter were met with impatience, anger and real hostility.
In recent years, I’ve seen our municipal government become a place where lines have been drawn, compromise has become a distant and unlikely outcome and anger rules the day.
Barney Frank, a respected, senior member of Congress says “government is what we do when we want to work together.” As a councilman I will work to make that sentiment practice. I will strive to ensure Borough Hall is always an open forum where working together is what we do while trying to maintain and improve our community. I will endeavor to answer questions directly, succinctly and factually, and if I cannot I will tell you so and work to find the answers.
I pledge to do my utmost to be prepared and to contribute in a spirit of progress and cooperation. Beyond this I can make no promises.
--Kelly
Monday, September 8, 2008
Adams Street Clean-Up
We have spent a lot of time talking to the residents affected by the sewerage back-up on Adams Street. The general consensus seems to be great appreciation for the Mayor and Council. While other towns would have told residents to deal with the sewage in their basements themselves, Glen Ridge government partnered with residents from day one. We would be remiss if we did not specifically mention that Councilman Dawson has been repeatedly praised for being on scene throughout the crisis.
Residents tell us that their concerns now are about being made whole. Homes have been damaged, precious possessions ruined; and residents are not clear on the process by which their claims will be resolved by the Borough.
We’d like to hear from you about your thoughts on how the crisis has been handled to date, and your concerns about the future on this issue. And please don’t hesitate to compliment the Mayor, Councilman Dawson or anyone else if you want to – enough muck has been thrown already (if you will pardon the pun).
Residents tell us that their concerns now are about being made whole. Homes have been damaged, precious possessions ruined; and residents are not clear on the process by which their claims will be resolved by the Borough.
We’d like to hear from you about your thoughts on how the crisis has been handled to date, and your concerns about the future on this issue. And please don’t hesitate to compliment the Mayor, Councilman Dawson or anyone else if you want to – enough muck has been thrown already (if you will pardon the pun).
MISSION STATEMENT
Our service to Glen Ridge has been deeply satisfying to us on a very personal level. Any one reading this who has ever volunteered in their community will understand what we mean.
In recent years, we have helped to form and lead a local movement that turned back a multi-million dollar bond boondoggle. We were told the bond was a “done deal,” that we were too late, that our concerns were selfish and ill-informed But we did not believe what we were told, and by uniting with our friends and neighbors in common cause we changed how government works in Glen Ridge.
The bond issue is over, but we believe that the referendum we championed was but a battle in a larger war. The fight over bonding for turf showcased how patronizing most Council members are towards us, their constituents; how Council members clearly presume their judgment about what belongs in our own backyards to be better than ours.
We think Council members are out of touch with the financial challenges that most of us are facing. Council members are defending in their decisions an illusion they have about Glen Ridge – one that ignores the Borough’s increasing complexity and diversity, one that ignores the nitty-gritty realities of a world where families now need two incomes to live the life a single income once could provide.
We are mounting a write in campaign for Borough Council to join the battle, and we ask you to unite with us once again in common cause to change the complexion of our Borough Council, making it truly aware of our needs and our challenges.
Despite the brevity of Yvonne’s write-in bid for a Council seat last fall, we were nearly able to unseat her incumbent rival. And, even though Yvonne did not win a seat on the Council last time around, the remarkable success of her campaign was the final nail in the coffin for tax-payer financed turf.
This time around, Yvonne is not running as an outsider. Yvonne and Kelly have been endorsed by the CCC, endorsed over sitting incumbent Art Dawson. But this year, the CCC endorsed candidates will not appear on the pre-printed ballot. This is where you come in.
We need you to write in both YVONNE PROVOST and KELLY CONKLIN for Borough Council.
With your help, we can take the next step in our battle this November. But only with your help.
In recent years, we have helped to form and lead a local movement that turned back a multi-million dollar bond boondoggle. We were told the bond was a “done deal,” that we were too late, that our concerns were selfish and ill-informed But we did not believe what we were told, and by uniting with our friends and neighbors in common cause we changed how government works in Glen Ridge.
The bond issue is over, but we believe that the referendum we championed was but a battle in a larger war. The fight over bonding for turf showcased how patronizing most Council members are towards us, their constituents; how Council members clearly presume their judgment about what belongs in our own backyards to be better than ours.
We think Council members are out of touch with the financial challenges that most of us are facing. Council members are defending in their decisions an illusion they have about Glen Ridge – one that ignores the Borough’s increasing complexity and diversity, one that ignores the nitty-gritty realities of a world where families now need two incomes to live the life a single income once could provide.
We are mounting a write in campaign for Borough Council to join the battle, and we ask you to unite with us once again in common cause to change the complexion of our Borough Council, making it truly aware of our needs and our challenges.
Despite the brevity of Yvonne’s write-in bid for a Council seat last fall, we were nearly able to unseat her incumbent rival. And, even though Yvonne did not win a seat on the Council last time around, the remarkable success of her campaign was the final nail in the coffin for tax-payer financed turf.
This time around, Yvonne is not running as an outsider. Yvonne and Kelly have been endorsed by the CCC, endorsed over sitting incumbent Art Dawson. But this year, the CCC endorsed candidates will not appear on the pre-printed ballot. This is where you come in.
We need you to write in both YVONNE PROVOST and KELLY CONKLIN for Borough Council.
With your help, we can take the next step in our battle this November. But only with your help.
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