Items by Tina Renna

• Who pays for these trips

  —The County Watchers

  I had the displeasure of having to sit through the above ceremony, involving the county manager’s wife, at a recent freeholder meeting. The entire spectacle which included speeches and pictures, took longer than the peoples business discussed at a prior agenda meeting which took all of 14 minutes to appropriate [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 20, 2009, 8:08am EST
  by Tina Renna

• League of Municipalities Conference

  —The County Watchers

  The League of Municipalities Conference is only one of 30 conferences Union County Employees attended in 2008. Although they didn’t go as far as Hawaii where they traveled to a conference at a cost to taxpayers of approximately $18,230 in 2005, they’ve traveled around the country costing tens of thousands [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 18, 2009, 9:10am EST
  by Tina Renna

• Union County Citizen’s Forum 11.12.09 Regular Meeting

  —The County Watchers

  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 17, 2009, 10:03am EST
  by Tina Renna

• Settlement document obtained in prisoner’s wrongful release suit

  —The County Watchers

  The County watchers previously reported that a lawsuit had been filed and settled by an inmate who had to have her toes and parts of her heels removed due to frostbite because even though she was found to be a threat to herself and others the county wrongfully released her [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 07, 2009, 8:38am EST
  by Tina Renna

• Union County Citizen’s Forum 11.5.09 Agenda Meeting

  —The County Watchers

  Feedback: Good morning, Tina: In regard to your reporting on the Freeholder meeting last evening, I have information regarding your comments on Senate Bill 1861. The bill did not die in May, but in fact is alive. According to legislators, it has an opportunity to be enacted upon before the session ends at [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 06, 2009, 8:32am EST
  by Tina Renna

• Fixing Open Government in NJ

  —The County Watchers

  The Fixing Open Government Symposium, recently held at the State House and sponsored by the New Jersey Foundation for Open Government, is now available on the web. The keynote address by NJ State Comptroller Matthew Boxer is a must see for all local government watchdogs to appreciate how difficult their [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 04, 2009, 5:25pm EST
  by Tina Renna

• Prisoner’s wrongful release kept secret through two county prison escapes

  —The County Watchers

  At the October 8, 2009 freeholder meeting CHAIRMAN MIRABELLA, approved the settlement of pending litigation entitled Lynette Baker-Blevins v. UC, et als, Docket No. UNN-L-0297-09. This is the first time this litigation appeared on the radar. You won’t find anything about this case on the prosecutor’s press release web page or [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 01, 2009, 10:50pm EST
  by Tina Renna

• Good lawyers know the law; but it’s better to know the judge.

  —The County Watchers

  New York County Supreme Court building at 60 Centre Street FACT: If Union County Democratic Chairman Charlotte DeFilippo were to become a Union County Superior Court judge she would be allowed to preside over cases brought against the party faithful and their family members from the bench. Union County Superior Court Judges [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 21, 2009, 11:52pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Freeholder debate is always amusing

  —The County Watchers

  The League of Women Voters Union County Freeholder Debate will be held this Thursday at 7:30 pm at the Cranford Municipal Building located on Springfield Avenue. The debate usually proves to be entertaining, if not informative. In the past the audience would submit questions on que cards, the process was hijacked [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 19, 2009, 5:47pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Lesniak’s family and friends are draining our resources and making a mockery of our public safety

  —The County Watchers

  Last Monday I had a medical emergency in my home, my husband called 911 while I helplessly watched over our daughter. Cranford Police and EMS arrived in less than a handful of minutes. That is public safety worthy of our property taxes; in fact I would have signed away my [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 18, 2009, 12:05pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Union County Citizen’s Forum 10.8.09

  —The County Watchers

  Praise for the Citizen’s Forum: Tina I think this was a great idea. I really enjoyed watching and learning about whats going on in Union County. I only wish we could get a petition going to move these meetings out of Elizabeth. If I recall, the meetings were held in Union [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 09, 2009, 7:36pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Bob Hope on Union County Freeholders

  —The County Watchers

  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 05, 2009, 10:21am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Citizen’s Forum Launched

  —The County Watchers

  Tina Renna is the President of the Union County Watchdog Association. She can be reached at tinarenna@unioncountywatchdog.org [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 01, 2009, 10:59pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Citizen’s Forum Launched

  —The County Watchers

  Ci [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 01, 2009, 9:52pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Gov. Corzine must find Open Government issues to be extraordinarily boring

  —The County Watchers

  Four months after an appellate court ruled against the state’s Government Records Council’s (GRC) advisory opinion requiring records custodians to require official forms from requestors seeking public records, the GRC is still posting the advisory opinion on their state website. The GRC administers the state Open Public Records Act and [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 28, 2009, 10:48pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• MusicFest 2009 - Ask them yourselves

  —The County Watchers

  People have been calling, emailing and even stopping me on the street to ask about the cost of MusicFest 2009. I’ve told them I was never able to find out the costs of MusicFest 2008. And as of the 8/20/09 freeholder meeting, the freeholders didn’t know the cost of MusicFest [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 15, 2009, 6:27pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Apology now available for viewing

  —The County Watchers

  At its August 20, 2009 meeting, the Union County Freeholders read an apology to the public that it negotiated with the New Jersey American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to avoid a First Amendment law suit. The apology was clumsily read by Chairman Mirabella, who was the only freeholder to mention [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 12, 2009, 7:11pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• MusicFest is this weekend, are you invited?

  —The County Watchers

  The Union County MusicFest is this weekend. To the county, entertainment has become the most important service they provide. More resources, staff time, money and energy has been put into these two days of MusicFest, and for the first time this year four days of a county carnival, than any [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 08, 2009, 10:46pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Judge John Malone strikes again

  —The County Watchers

  In June 2009 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that elected judges must step aside from cases when large campaign contributions from interested parties create the appearance of bias. New Jersey Superior Court judges are appointed by power brokers. Shouldn’t they be made to recuse themselves from politically charged cases? Consider recent [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 03, 2009, 9:54am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• “MusicFest outgrew Nomahegan Park in Cranford”, George Devanney New York Times

  —The County Watchers

  Photo by: Alexi Friedman/The Star-Ledger Union County work crews filling in sand traps at the former Oak Ridge Golf Course in Clark now that the property has been turned into a multi-use park. New York Times August 30, 2009 Spotlight | Clark A Bigger Setting for a Musical Stew By TAMMY LA GORCE Organizers of the Union [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 01, 2009, 5:03pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• More apologies are long over-due

  —The County Watchers

  During the last freeholder meeting a crowd of about 70 supporters of the UCWA came out in response to a recent meeting where I was once again bullied by a county official and tossed out of a meeting and another resident was kept from talking about rampant nepotism. The American [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 25, 2009, 9:13am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• 2009 Rhythm & Blues By The Brook lacked salt & pepper

  —The County Watchers

  I’ve been remiss at paying attention to the Rhythm & Blues By The Brook concert in recent years, which takes place in June and is held at Cedar Brook Park in Plainfield. This concert is the poor step child to the much bigger and widely promoted Musicfest. I checked into the [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 11, 2009, 11:31pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Being on the wrong side of the machine

  —The County Watchers

  A Roselle council candidate has been charged with the crime of voting twice in the June primary. Marc Baltimore was not aligned with the Union County Democratic Committee and this would appear to make all the difference with the prosecutor’s office when you are on the wrong side of the [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 07, 2009, 8:33am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Court finds that Union County violated suspects Miranda rights

  —The County Watchers

  On July 21, 2009 the Appellate division turned down the Union County Prosecutor’s bid to reverse a lower court order suppressing incriminating statements made by an alleged murder. The defendant was in police custody at the time when he had agreed to respond to the officers’ questions after being informed of [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 27, 2009, 9:17pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Sen. Lesniak is against cronyism, not sure about nepotism

  —The County Watchers

  Last Tuesday The Star-Ledger reported that Senator Raymond Lesniak and Nicholas Scaturi (both D-Union) questioned Attorney General’s Milligram’s nomination for N.J. civil rights chief. This gem of a quote was within the article: “(Milgram is) choosing her personal friends for this position and not even considering New Jersey lawyers,” Lesniak said. [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 26, 2009, 9:56am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Economic Crime/Inspection Bureau Chief is a former furniture salesman

  —The County Watchers

  The Chief of the newly-created Economic Crime/Inspection Bureau, Richard Childs, used to own a furniture store, not that there’s anything wrong with that. What’s interesting is that a county press release dated May 14, 2009, county communications director Sebastian D’Elia describes Childs’ background going all the way back to his days [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 20, 2009, 7:00am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• What it takes to follow the tax dollars in Union County

  —The County Watchers

  Without the Open Public Records Act it would be impossible for a citizen to know about purchases like the recent one reported here on the County Watchers, the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid Limiteds pimped with top of the line voice activated navigation systems. Attending a public meeting, where the public’s [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 14, 2009, 10:00pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• New Navigation systems will help employees find their way to work from Europe

  —The County Watchers

  The county purchased new vehicles for four employees recently. The new vehicles are 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid Limiteds (base price $26,231), featuring the Limited Package ($2,230) and side steps ($625.00) and a top of the line voice activated navigation system ($2,131.55). These prices include an 11% discount that I can [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 12, 2009, 11:01am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Old news & a note about county propaganda

  —The County Watchers

  When a prisoner escaped recently it was the County Watchers Blog that broke the story. We noted that the county was frantically trying to keep the escape quite and that they didn’t have news of the escape on their home page which features press releases that the county calls “news”. One [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 11, 2009, 4:25pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Prisoner still-at-large – just like the freeholders

  —The County Watchers

  It’s been 24 hours since the County Watchers broke the story of a prisoner escaping from the Union County Jail; approximately 34.5 hours since the prisoner walked out of the jail and 17.5 hours since the Star-Ledger reported on the incident. Some facts and thoughts: 1. The prisoner is still at-large (maybe [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: June 30, 2009, 10:52am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Prisoner escape

  —The County Watchers

  A source within the county administration has told the Union County Watchdog Association that there was a prisoner escape around midnight today. The prisoner was working on the cleaning crew and just walked out the front door of the jail. We are told that the county is furiously trying to keep [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: June 29, 2009, 9:54am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• OPRA form lawsuit has far reaching effects

  —The County Watchers

  “Mrs. Renna wasted twenty-seven thousand tax dollars on this lawsuit.” Freeholder Daniel Sullivan, June 26, 2009 freeholder meeting in a statement read about the county setteling a lawsuit they lost pertaining to the official use of forms for OPRA requests. Actually Danny it was $28,307.80 and quite frankly I’m tired of [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: June 26, 2009, 9:39am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• UCWA a powerful positive for the community

  —The County Watchers

  At the last freeholder meeting in her closing statements – you know when a citizen has to sit there and allow themselves to be abused, rather than being at the microphone where you can defend yourself - B.J. Kowalski whined about my being a pain in the butt and stated [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: June 08, 2009, 9:03am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• UCWA wins OPRA Form Lawsuit

  —The County Watchers

  NEWS RELEASE Contact: Tina Renna, Plaintiff on behalf of the Union County Watchdog Association 908-418-5586 TinaRenna@UnionCountyWatchdog.org Richard Gutman, Attorney 973-744-6038 (voice and fax) rickggg@yahoo.com Appellate Division strikes down bureaucratic obstacle to public record access Court holds that OPRA record requestors are not required to fill out official request forms; Written requests, including e-mails, are sufficient Trenton, May 21, [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: May 21, 2009, 11:16am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• UCWA asks State Comptroller to shine light on county payroll

  —The County Watchers

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Tina Renna, President Union County Watchdog Association tinarenna@unioncountywatchdog.org 908-418-5586 The Union County payroll list is less than transparent. It’s impossible to tell what employee’s are assigned to do; therefore the public can never know if an employee is in fact doing their job. More importantly, there is no accounting of county [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: May 17, 2009, 1:06pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• $653,372 going to the dogs

  —The County Watchers

  The Freeholders voted to move forward with plans to renovate the county Dog Park last night. Currently the park consists of a fence. The funds will come from the Open Space Trust Fund. There was no public discussion on the Dog Park, in fact there was no public information at all [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: May 15, 2009, 7:38am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• OPRA Day

  —The County Watchers

  Enclosure: [download]

  There are things that the Union County Watchdog Association checks regularly by placing Open Public Records Act requests. I then pick up and/or review the records at the County Administration Building about once a month. The following are items of interest that probably wouldn’t make it into a separate blog [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: May 02, 2009, 2:09pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Don’t try this at home folks

  —The County Watchers

  The county has been busy cutting down huge trees at the Galloping Hill Golf Course to make way for a driving range which will replace the 9-hole pitch-and-putt course in part of its plan to close Oak Ridge Golf course and possibility make the two remaining courses more attractive for [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: April 29, 2009, 10:30pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Next phase of County Open Space Trust Fund: Land grabbing

  —The County Watchers

  In 2004, based on overwhelming voter approval, New Providence implemented a one penny per $100 of assessed value to create their own Open Space Trust Fund. Funds were limited to the acquisition of open space, but in 2008 council sought voter approval to expand use of the funds to include [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: April 26, 2009, 6:06pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Art imitates life in Union County

  —The County Watchers

  I’ve been busy lately and have skipped a few freeholder meetings. There is a freeholder meeting tonight and at this writing I’m sure the all-democratic freeholder board passed the county budget 9-0 as they pass everything on their agenda. I’m also sure the usual 2 people from the public showed [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: April 16, 2009, 11:05pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• An open door helps citizens avoid bad government

  —The County Watchers

  Every third year freeholder Alexander Mirabella is up for re-election and he will have guest commentaries in the weeklies leading up to Election Day. You won’t hear from Mirabella in years 1 and 2. Because he’s an elected official he will have special billing on the editorial page, sometimes with [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: April 05, 2009, 9:48am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Politically charged employee lawsuit headed to court on Monday

  —The County Watchers

  A former Union County employee of 18 years, Robert Travisano, is claiming in a law suit that he was forced to retire in lieu of termination. The county manager is singularly left if the case and has two remaining causes of action against him pending: aiding and abetting discrimination and [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: March 28, 2009, 1:59pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Nobody in politics got swagga like Holmes

  —The County Watchers

  Somewhere someone referred to Freeholder Chester Holmes as John Shaft (not to his face), and it clicked. Every time I lay eyes on Homes the theme from Shaft plays in the background of my mind. If you ever saw Holmes in action you could dig it. Freeholder Chester Holmes of Rahway [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: March 25, 2009, 9:17pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Prosecutor won’t investigate Sunshine Law violations, defends dinner meetings

  —The County Watchers

  County prosecutor’s offices are empowered to investigate complaints regarding alleged violations of the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), N.J.S.A. 10:4-6, also known as the Sunshine Law. The prosecutor’s office is also authorized to seek the imposition of monetary penalties upon any person who knowingly violates the provisions of the OPMA. [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: March 21, 2009, 12:38pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Union County public information online

  —The County Watchers

  An initiative of Sunshine Week 2009 was to survey government information online across the nation. While more and more government records are being posted online, some of the most important information is being left off line. Union County is a perfect example of this national problem. In 2005 the Union County [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: March 16, 2009, 11:59pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Musicfest Moved to Oak Ridge/Financial Crisis/Employee Layoffs/Tax Hikes

  —The County Watchers

  Enclosure: [download]

  While employees still haven’t been officially notified of their eminent layoffs, and others that have been notified must be wondering what pot they’ll have left to piss in the county had a meeting where about 20 employees and consultants gathered to finalize plans to move the county manager’s next birthday party [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: March 10, 2009, 10:46am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• New layoff list - The connected will still be Connected to you!

  —The County Watchers

  Dear employees on this list, I take no glee in informing you that you are targeted for layoff. I believe you haven’t been officially notified yet, your only warning has been word of mouth. In a memo dated March 5, 2009 to the state’s Division of Local Human Resource Management, appointed [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: March 08, 2009, 12:14pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• County budget hearings to begin this Saturday, gee who knew?

  —The County Watchers

  According to the Westfield Leader the county budget hearings will start this Saturday. There is no information about the budget hearings on the county’s website under their extensive fluff press release section or on their county calendar. Incidentally freeholder meetings aren’t posted on their calendar either. A citizen has to [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 19, 2009, 4:27pm EST
  by Tina Renna

• Let’s be guided accordingly by lack of transparency for Musicfest 2008

  —The County Watchers

  I tried like heck to get a full accounting of the costs of Musicfest 2008 over several months by placing dozens of Open Public Records Requests, pouring over the gibberish and then requesting more documents, etc.. Several times I used my allotted 5 minutes to address the freeholders during meetings [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 14, 2009, 10:35pm EST
  by Tina Renna

• Star-Ledger reporter joins county team

  —The County Watchers

  The latest Union County Employee list shows that Star-Ledger reporter Gabriel Gluck has joined the county’s Confidential Assistant team with a salary of $91,856. Gluck used to cover the county government beat back in the day. The Star-Ledger hasn’t had a reporter covering the county since August of 2007 when Brian [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 08, 2009, 1:05pm EST
  by Tina Renna

• Pot calling the kettle black

  —The County Watchers

  The Star-Ledger reports today that Senate President Richard Codey was disgusted by the latest example of Wall Street mismanagement and has asked State Attorney General Anne Milgram to investigate whether investment firms squandered New Jersey’s pension funds on lavish bonuses and perks. On October 5, 2005 the County Watchers reported that [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 25, 2009, 9:31am EST
  by Tina Renna

• County proposes to spend $1,370,000.00 property tax $’s per day in 2009

  —The County Watchers

  Union County Manager George Devanney has proposed a $449.3 million budget for 2009 that predicts cost reductions through at least 28 layoffs. In a letter to the freeholders dated 1/22/09 Devanney writes “We have implemented a hiring freeze on all non-essential positions.” Sound familiar? The hiring freeze was implemented in [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 23, 2009, 8:16am EST
  by Tina Renna

• Inspect Union County - Please!

  —The County Watchers

  A funny debate is going on in Monmouth County where Democrats have taken over the majority of the freeholder seats. Last week the Asbury Park Press reported that after taking control of the freeholder board Democrats in Monmouth County continued pushing to fund the creation of an inspector general’s office to [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 14, 2009, 9:05am EST
  by Tina Renna

• Having their chicken & eating cake too

  —The County Watchers

  The catering of freeholder meetings have been reported on this blog many times and recently the Union County Watchdog Association produced a Youtube depicting scene’s from a debate where incumbent freeholders lied about only “snacking” on “Pizza or a Sandwich” when having the taxpayers’ pick-up their catering bills. Not only did [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 26, 2008, 10:07am EST
  by Tina Renna

• County employees and campaigns

  —The County Watchers

  When you push for someone’s silence via a lawsuit, you had better have nothing to hide. When you sue someone that gives that person the opportunity to conduct discovery. Depositions give the person you’re suing a chance to have their attorneys question you under oath. A libel lawsuit was thrown out [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 05, 2008, 10:02am EST
  by Tina Renna

• The party’s over for Charlotte

  —The County Watchers

  Charlotte DeFilippo will not be hosting the Union County Democratic Committee’s annual League of Municipalities party in her hotel suite this year. This is when all her fans literally stand in a line to pay homage to her greatness. Chatter is that Charlotte will be indicted any minute now. To [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 06, 2008, 3:33pm EST
  by Tina Renna

• Mark their words

  —The County Watchers

  PoliticerNJ.com reports today that Union County College President, whose salary is paid for by the taxpayers, is offering the UC Reps space for a rally with President Bush in response to complaints that the college is playing party politics. If the hot rumors are true and indictments are imminent after Election [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 02, 2008, 10:22am EST
  by Tina Renna

• Regulations schmegulations

  —The County Watchers

  In a letter to the Union County College President, the Union County Republican Committee (UCRC) is charging that the upcoming campaign rally for former freeholder Assemblywoman Linda Stender is clearly not permitted. Union County College will be hosting a rally promoting one Democratic candidate to the exclusion of her Republican opponent, [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 31, 2008, 7:42am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Institutional Nepotism

  —The County Watchers

  Star-Ledger reporter Jason Jett did a great job of exposing nepotism in Union Township and showing the connection to the county in an article published recently. Nepotism has been investigated by the Union County Watchdog Association and has been reported on this blog extensively as it is an institutional problem [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 28, 2008, 7:13pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• It’s the representation, stupid

  —The County Watchers

  Kudos to the all-Democratic ruled Roselle Borough Council for following the towns of Summit, Cranford and Kenilworth in passing a resolution calling for the districting of county government. The only vocal objection came from Councilman Jamal Holley who just happens to be a county employee. Currently all 9 freeholders are [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 18, 2008, 2:09pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• “Pass the lies please.”

  —The County Watchers

  The UCWA’s new YouTube depicts a typical freeholder debate, just in time for the 2008 debate scheduled for October 15th. In this YouTube you will see incumbent democrat freeholders lie (excuse me, I know that’s redundant) about their tax-payer funded dinners. You can also judge from the laughter in the room, [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 09, 2008, 7:37pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Union County is inching up the top 10 list

  —The County Watchers

  The Tax Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit, non-partisan group that monitors fiscal policy has reported that seven counties in New Jersey ranked in the top 10 for high property taxes in the nation. Union County is listed at number 9. This is up from number 10 a year ealier. The full report [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 24, 2008, 8:41am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Districting county government would empower Democrats most of all

  —The County Watchers

  Number of comments: 1
  The county democrat machine would like everyone to believe that districting county government is “political” and a Republican initiative “against” democrats. What has been left out of the debate is the fact that there is a democrat freeholder challenge in the primary every year. Our current at-large system makes it [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 16, 2008, 9:10pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Musicfest 2008 washed out

  —The County Watchers

  Number of comments: 3
  You read that here folks. According to the county’s website which states it has “breaking news” as of this posting it will tell you in big red letters MUSICFEST TO BE HELD RAIN OR SHINE THIS WEEKEND AT NOMAHEGAN PARK IN CRANFORD If you go to the official Musicfest website listed [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 06, 2008, 8:11pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• They’ve got Solid Brass Ball…point pens

  —The County Watchers

  The Oriscello Correction Facility was embossed on 300 Solid Brass Twist Action Gunmetal Finish Ballpoint Pens. They cost $2.95 each for a total bill to taxpayers of $885.00 according to a bill dated 5/28/08 obtained through the OPRA. Specialty items are used by company’s to promote their brand name, it is [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 10, 2008, 10:41pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Meter on employee lawsuit registers another $409,266

  —The County Watchers

  The county was recently ordered to pay out another $409,266 to the attorneys of former decorated Sheriff’s Officer Virginia Fanelli. Fanelli is now retired. The county lost every point in the lawsuit and all of the legal battles stemming from the county’s petty harassment of Fanelli cost taxpayers to date: [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 03, 2008, 9:38am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Star-Ledger to employees: buy-out or be sold

  —The County Watchers

  Number of comments: 2
  Radio news has announced today that The Star-Ledger has asked for 25% of their employees to take a buy-out to avoid the newspaper having to be sold. The Star-Ledger is Union County’s only daily newspaper. They rightfully claim that they have the largest readership in the county, yet they haven’t had [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 31, 2008, 2:40pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• No democracy needed to fill 20th District seat

  —The County Watchers

  Max Pizarro writing for Politikernj.com today writes that Union County Freeholder Angel Estrada called in a request to Democrat officials that he wants to be considered as a candidate to replace Assemblyman Neil Cohen (D-Roselle). Let’s consider him: It is my humble opinion from watching Estrada for several years now that he [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 29, 2008, 9:31am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Cohen, Lesniak, Cryan – Holley? It just doesn’t smell right

  —The County Watchers

  Number of comments: 1
  Breaking news from the Star-Ledger informs us that Asemblyman Neil Cohen was turned in by Senator Raymond Lesniak and Assemblyman Joseph Cryan for having child porn on a computer they all shared in their Legislative office in Union Township. Is there a connection to the Jamel Holley voter fraud incident in [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 25, 2008, 9:14am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Another Amendment ‘allegedly’ ignored

  —The County Watchers

  A class action complaint has been filed against Union County alleging unreasonable searches under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution. The Complaint filed by Paul M. Takacs, individually, and on behalf of others similarly situated reads in part: The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution protects citizens from unreasonable [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 14, 2008, 8:06pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Budget information was witheld from public

  —The County Watchers

  Number of comments: 2
  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Walter Luers, esq. Phone: 908.453.2147 Email: wluers@luerslaw.com Tina Renna, President Union County Watchdog Association Phone: 908-709-0530 Email: tinarenna@unioncountywatchdog.org UNIOIN COUNTY WATCHDOG ASSOCIATION FILES RECORDS COMPLAINT OVER UNION COUNTY’S DELAY OVER RELEASING THEIR 2008 BUDGET TO THE PUBLIC Union County - The Union County Watchdog (“UCWA”) announced today that it has retained attorney Walter Lauers, to file [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 08, 2008, 12:17pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Nervous? I’d say!

  —The County Watchers

  U.S. Attorney Chris Christie was interviewed by the publisher of Westfield/Scotch Plains Leader, Horace Corbin on June 19, 2008. “Anyone who’s breaking the law in Union County has to be nervous – and beyond that, I will not be making any comment about any particular individuals,” Mr. Christie said. Judging last night’s [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: June 27, 2008, 3:28pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Nervous? I’d say!

  —The County Watchers

  
  Photo of Chris Christie having some down time with States Attorney General Anne Milgram. Both offices are investigating Union County Government.
  
  U.S. Attorney Chris Christie was interviewed by the publisher of Westfield/Scotch Plains Leader, Horace Corbin on June 19, 2008.
  
  “Anyone who’s breaking the [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: June 27, 2008, 9:24am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• 437.7 million dollar budget - county is now spending $1,199,000 per day

  —The County Watchers

  For the second time in as many years I turned to the county website for directions to the administration building where freeholder meetings are held. Despite telling the freeholders at a meeting that they had the wrong directions on their website, I found the same wrong directions today. We spend [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: June 22, 2008, 1:55pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Taxpayers are out another $377,499

  —The County Watchers

  
  Although an agreement to establish a children’s museum in Union County was entered into with much fanfare in 2003, recently the county very quietly terminated their agreement with the Children’s Museum of Central New Jersey (CMCNJ) after blowing through $377,499.
  
  Of what was to [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: June 17, 2008, 9:33pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Taxpayers are out another $377,499

  —The County Watchers

  Although an agreement to establish a children’s museum in Union County was entered into with much fanfare in 2003, recently the county very quietly terminated their agreement with the Children’s Museum of Central New Jersey (CMCNJ) after blowing through $377,499. Of what was to be a $1,00,000 grant the CMCNJ had [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: June 17, 2008, 3:24pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• $437.7 million budget - county is now spending $1,199,000 per day

  —The County Watchers

  For the second time in as many years I turned to the county website for directions to the administration building where freeholder meetings are held. Despite telling the freeholders at a meeting that they had the wrong directions on their website, I found the same wrong directions today. We spend [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: June 17, 2008, 11:48am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Summit calls for freeholders to be elected by district

  —The County Watchers

  On June 4, 2008 the Summit Town Council passed a resolution calling for certain Union County Freeholders to be Elected by District.
  
  WHEREAS, all County residents deserve a greater voice in the manner by which they are governed; and
  
  WHEREAS, if the County layer of government must [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: June 10, 2008, 4:40pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Summit calls for freeholders to be elected by district

  —The County Watchers

  On June 4, 2008 the Summit Town Council passed a resolution calling for certain Union County Freeholders to be Elected by District. WHEREAS, all County residents deserve a greater voice in the manner by which they are governed; and WHEREAS, if the County layer of government must remain existent here in New [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: June 10, 2008, 4:40pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Another Union County prisoner receives a death sentence

  —The County Watchers

  
  The Star-Ledger has posted that another Union County inmate, Addison Wilcox, 33, died at the Union County Jail. The post doesn’t mention what day the death occurred. The Ledger reported that Newark attorney Gerald Saluti, who represented Wilcox, said members of the family told him that [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: June 05, 2008, 9:14pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Devanney allowed to escape responsibility

  —The County Watchers

  It was Senator Raymond Lesniak’s nephew, the appointed county manager, George Devanney who rejected a bid to install about 500 cameras in the Union County jail back in the day, and he is the only county employee to escape punishment, or even public scrutiny, for the systematic problems at the [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: June 04, 2008, 4:14pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• The Star-Ledger has a stunning reversal in policy

  —The County Watchers

  When the New Jersey State Attorney General's office served subpoenas at the Union County Improvement Authority where the Director is the Union County Democrat chairman Charlotte De Filippo just weeks before the general election in 2007, the Star-Ledger chose to suppress the news claiming it is their policy not to [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: May 31, 2008, 12:43pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Devanney is a god, he can go anywhere he wants on the taxpayers dime

  —The County Watchers

  The below is a photo of Senator Raymond Lesniak's nephew (green t-shirt), who is the appointed Union County Manager, George Devanney, leaving the Parisi Gym in Garwood early yesterday morning with Union County Police Chief Daniel Vaniska
  
  Excerpt from the LAWS OF UNION COUNTY,NEW JERSEY ADMINISTRATIVE [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: May 29, 2008, 10:54pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Sinclair suicide still haunts taxpayers

  —The County Watchers

  On March 24, 2008 another employee lawsuit was filed in Superior Court. Here are some excerpts of the complaint:
  
  11. On May 10, 2003, Mr. Hamilton witnessed the suicide of a teenaged resident. This event left Mr. Hamilton psychologically scarred, and required extensive psychological care.
  
  12. During this [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: May 12, 2008, 3:27pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Employee lawsuit reveals ....

  —The County Watchers

  1. County sham seasonal employee hiring practices
  
  2. County park lands are largely going unprotected from encroachment (too many votes to lose?)
  
  3. Encroachers are pursued “selectively by the county depending on the identity of the encroacher”
  
  4. County lost 5 million dollars in Green Acres funding [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: May 07, 2008, 3:05pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Improvement Authority Legal Bills Sought

  —The County Watchers

  
  
  
  
  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
  
  Contact Tina Renna, President
  Union County Watchdog Association
  Phone: 908-709-0530
  Email: tinarenna@unioncountywatchdog.org
  
  Walter Lauers, esq.
  Phone: 908.453.2147
  Email: wluers@luerslaw.com
  
  UNIOIN COUNTY WATCHDOG ASSOCIATION FILES RECORDS COMPLAINT SEEKING TO VIEW $64,624.96 IN IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY’S LEGAL BILLS
  
  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: April 29, 2008, 5:48pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• County can�t spin a live performance

  —The County Watchers

  On January 31, 2007 the Union County Watchdog Association announced that it will be posting complete video coverage of Union County Freeholder’s meetings on its website. A press release stated: “Union County government accounts for 1/4 of our property tax bills and constituents have a right to see and hear [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: April 23, 2008, 7:20pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Indictments are my end game

  —The County Watchers

  I receive anonymous mail often which obviously comes from people on the inside of the Democrat machine. I appreciate the tips, but don’t think this is enough to bring indictments. You need to find the courage to trust the State’s Attorney General’s office and not only send them this info, [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: April 20, 2008, 12:25pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• I will not allow them to lie to the public without speaking out

  —The County Watchers

  From: Nicole Dirado [mailto:ntedeschi@ucnj.org]
  Sent: Friday, April 11, 2008 2:09 PM
  To: tinarenna@unioncountywatchdog.org
  Subject: RE: Open Space
  
  Pursuant to OPRA, kindly submit a request form for the audit report which you have requested below. Thank you.
  
  -----Original Message-----
  From: tinarenna@unioncountywatchdog.org [mailto:tinarenna@unioncountywatchdog.org]
  Sent: Friday, April 11, 2008 [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: April 13, 2008, 10:23pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Diamond George gets a new crib

  —The County Watchers

  The county has proven again that it is awash in disposable tax revenue and disinterested in their constituents needs during this dire budget climate when the Union County Manager had his office drastically renovated during the start of the 2008 budget season recently.
  
  
  
  During [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: March 30, 2008, 4:08pm EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Focusing on the wrong machines

  —The County Watchers

  I’ve worked the polls in Union County for a number of elections and I am not all concerned about the voting machines. However, I have always been amazed that the system of hiring poll workers is so dysfunctional. Given to what I know about the people running Union County this [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: March 24, 2008, 12:04am EDT
  by Tina Renna

• Denial for public records leads to complaint

  —The County Watchers

  
  
  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
  
  Contact: Tina Renna, President
  Union County Watchdog Association
  908-709-0530 Email: tinarenna@unioncountywatchdog.org
  
  Walter M. Luers, Esq.
  Law Offices of Walter M. Luers, LLC
  105 Belvidere Ave., Oxford, New Jersey 07863
  Phone: 908.453.2147 Email: wluers@luerslaw.com
  
  Union County - Attorney Walter [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: March 08, 2008, 6:53pm EST
  by Tina Renna

• Board heads back to TV - For real this time

  —The County Watchers

  500 and 99 yesterdays ago .....
  
  On July 7, 2006 Senator Raymond Lesniak?s nephew, who is the appointed Union County Manager, was quoted in a Star-Ledger article headlined ?Board Heads back to TV? .... ?This investment in our sound system, PA and taping system will ensure that the public, [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 21, 2008, 10:02am EST
  by Tina Renna

• What were they trying to keep from you?

  —The County Watchers

  Earlier we reported that after the county claimed that the Dec. 20th freeholder meeting wasn�t recorded, despite the camera�s visably rolling, the UCWA issued a press release and asked the prosecutor�s office to investigate. The county then changed their script and the Clerk emailed �Please be advised that the response [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 10, 2008, 3:24pm EST
  by Tina Renna

• OMG! Who's hooking him up?

  —The County Watchers

  
  
  Niel Palmieri. The name might not ring a bell but you might recall a Star-Ledger article, way back when the Ledger had a reporter covering Union County, about a county employee who was allowed to rent a county house for $300 a month. The house [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 29, 2008, 10:42pm EST
  by Tina Renna

• Elizabeth council member mugged & pistol-whipped

  —The County Watchers

  Today's Star-Ledger article about an Elizabeth council member being mugged and pistol-whipped around the corner from City Hall reminded me that citizens who attend freeholder meetings aren't allowed to park in the two (2) empty county employee lots.
  
  At the April 19, 2007 meeting of the Board of [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 23, 2008, 8:03am EST
  by Tina Renna

• Waiting on the A.G. in UC

  —The County Watchers

  In the Lobby reports today:
  Hot off the press!
  
  WAITING ON THE A.G.: Rumors are rampant that the state probe into Union County politics may have widespread political implications; there�s tremendous angst among politicos waiting for the multiple shoes to drop. We hear that the case may also [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 16, 2008, 6:51pm EST
  by Tina Renna

• A Victory for Democracy

  —The County Watchers

  Ballots that were signed by Roselle Councilman Jamel Holey
  
  
  APPELLATE DIVISION UPHOLDS DANSEREAU VICTORY IN ROSELLE ELECTION! Cites "rampant statutory violations" of the handling of absentee ballots by Roselle Councilman Jamel Holley and other members of the Bullock campaign
  
  The players:
  
  Judge [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 09, 2008, 4:52pm EST
  by Tina Renna

• Meeting recording turns up

  —The County Watchers

  
  
  
  Last Friday the UCWA asked the Union County Prosecutor to investigate why a copy of the Dec. 20th freeholder meeting wasn't available through the Open Public Records Act. We also sent a press release to local media.
  
  The County Clerk's office sent the [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 03, 2008, 7:26am EST
  by Tina Renna

• A Countywatcher's year in review "2007"

  —The County Watchers

  
  
  On December 31, 2006 Time Magazine announced their 2006 person of the year on their cover which consisted of a mylar computer screen with a title �Person of the Year� �You�.
  
  �You control the information age�. Wrote time�. �for seizing the reins of [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 31, 2007, 6:55pm EST
  by Tina Renna