Localsource THURSDAY
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LocalSource THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 1. 2018 JJHgMrii](Y§BAIkY.99iyi VOL 101 NQ.4 75 CENTS County manager appointed amid anonymous iawsuit threat By Rebecca Panico Oatman, 42, vdll handle the county’s Oatman was appointed if she will file suit. Staff Writer day-to-day operations and budget. Documents obtained by IxjcalSource ELIZABETH — State Sen. Nicholas Scu But an unidentified Union County resi through a public records request showed tari’s chief of staff was appointed county dent has retained an attorney and threat that Oatman was hired Jan. 3 as a part- manager Jan. 25, amid the threat of litiga ened to challenge Oatman’s appointment. time seasonal employee in the Union tion and pushback over the county free Alexis Enderle, a lawyer based in Passa County Manager's Office for $25 f)er hour. holders’ hiring process for the full-time ic who is purportedly representing an His expected termination in that capacity is position. “anonymous” Union County resident, Feb. 28, public records state. Ed Oatman has worked for Scutari for wrote a letter to the freeholders three days “I can only surmise this was an attempt the past six years and vdll replace Alfred before they were to officially appoint Oat to avoid and circumvent what your admin Faella on March 1. Faella announced his man. istrative code requires of you,” Enderle retirement Jan. 9, after more than six years The letter was sent to LocalSource wrote in the Jan. 22 letter to the freehold as county manager. Scutari represents the through an anonymous email and a county ers. 22nd Legislative District, which includes spokesman said the freeholder chairman The letter pointed to a portion of the parts of Union, Somerset and Middlesex was notified of the letter. Enderle con county code that calls for the creation of a counties. firmed to LocalSource that she wrote the Citizens’ Selection Committee for county “Ed has more than 16 years of govern letter, but did not respond when asked why manager if there is no viable candidate for mental experience at the state and in work her client wished to remain anonymous. the position. The committee should have at ing with officials at the local and county The letter contends there were issues least four Union County residents, includ levels of government, as well as experience with the timeliness and hiring process of ing an editor or publisher of a newspaper in running a business,” Freeholder Chair Oatman, and threatened possible litigation Circulated in the county. Photo Courtesy of Union County man Sergio Granados said in a recent state if the freeholders did not table the vote Enderle contends in her letter that Oat Ed Oatman has worked as chief ment. “We are excited to work with him in appointing the new county manager. man lacks the proper qualifications, which of staff for state Sen. Nicholas moving Union County forward.” Enderle did not respond when asked after See SCUTARI, Page 10 Scutari for six years. Cranford council relents on redevelopment plan Removes private property from contentious downtown remake study after stormy debut By Jenny Goldberg Staff Writer CRANFORD — Two weeks of fury by downtown business and property owners has been quelled — at least for a moment — by township officials who removed their establishments from a study which suggested that a nearly 4-acre area be declared “in need of redevelop ment.” “To sum up what the township committee will be adopting, this resolution wilt be taking all areas out of potential area for study, the draft study of redevelopment, with the excep tion of the township-owned property,” Mayor Tom Hannen told a well-attended township committee meeting Tuesday, Jan. 23. Aside from the vacant Swan Cleaners, owned by Macrietta Realty Co. Stauber Alan, all other properties remaining for consideration in the redevelopment plan are owned by the township: a parking lot at 7 Springfield Ave., the MDTV building and the parking lots next to Bar Americana and behind Swan Cleaners. The committee’s action also removed the use of eminent domain, which is the ability of government to acquire private property for public use. The resolution was approved by a 3-2 vote. Commissioners Ann Dooley and Jean-Albert Maisonneuve voted against the resolution. Photo Courtesy of the Township of Cranford “I am completely in accord of the regrouping that was undertaken to reduce the study Cranford resident Rita LaBrutto addresses the township committee at its See CRANFORD, Page 8 Jan. 23 meeting regarding a proposed downtown redevelopment study. I FEB3''" 201816:30PM The Hamilton Stage ■ Union County REV. 5 T E F & Pertorming Arts Center II ipii AXIOM / 1 J L J I J I I I I V V I \ l Call 973-454 3629 For More Into W ^ ^ For Tickets 732-499-8226 2 — February i, 2018 — Union County I/)calSource Murphy uses Summit for NJ Transit executive order backdrop By Jenny Goldberg state political debates. Staff Writer “The issue has taken center stage SUMMIT — Jose Molina is a commuter because our commuters have hit their who often meets with delays while taking breaking point,” Dan Bryan, Murphy’s the 10:27 a train out of Summit. Howev press secretary, told LocalSource in a Jan. er, he .seemed hopeful that Gov. Phil Mur- 26 email. “Governor Murphy has made it {ihy’s recent executive order would shorten clear that this cannot continue.” his wait time. Biyan told LocalSource that “NJ Transit With the hustle and hu.stle of the Sum needs to rebuild in order to become a reli mit Train Station as a backdrop, Murphy able, world-class transportation agency signed an executive order to audit NJ Tran and the governor is committed to making sit on Monday, Jan. 22. that goal a reality.” “I pledged during the campaign that I When asked when the audit will be com would call for this audit, ami today we are plete and where the results will be pub delivering,” Murphy told those in atten lished, Bryan responded that the audit “will dance. “If we are to make this .system work be completed as expeditiously as possible.” again for the hundreds of thousands of “I believe that this is a strong first step daily riders who rely on NJ Transit for to address the serious ineffectiveness of NJ work, and to go about their days, we must Transit,” Summit Mayor Nora Radest told begin here and now.” LocalSource. “Infrastructure issues and The audit will include a critical review of inefficiencies continue to have a negative NJ Transit funding, leadership structure, Photo by Jenny Goldberg impact on Summit residents.” (lersonnel hiring and customer service. Gov. Phil Murphy used the Summit train station on Jan. 22 as a stage to Radest was among several politicians It will also evaluate its relationship with make his announcement issuing an executive order to audit NJ Transit. attending Murphy’s press conference, Amtrak and the implementation of positive including: state Senate Majority Leader train control technology — a system that Murphy referred to the Amtrak track a .system that has increased fares 36 per Loretta Weinberg, state Senate Minority re(|uires a conductor’s attention for the work that rerouted the Morris-Essex Line cent in the past eight years while the cus Leader Tom Kean Jr., state Assemblyman train to operate. Some have s|)eculated it during summer 2017, when trains to New tomer experience has eroded. John McKeon and Assemblywoman Nancy could have prevented the 2016 train crash York Penn Station were diverted to Hobo In December, nearly 12 percent of rush Munoz. NJ Transit spokesman Jim Smith at the Hoboken station that left one dead ken, leading to longer commutes. hour trains along this line were late, he told LocalSource in an email on Jan. 25 and injured toothers. “They suffered through that ‘summer of said. that the Morris-Essex Line carries 59,500 Wliile the Summit station provided a hell,’” Murphy said of the 3,000 Summit Despite the declining experience, it was passengers during the average work week. typical vista, it also symbolized the regular riders who daily board trains to New York not until the 2017 gubernatorial election When asked to comment on Murphy’s headaches NJ Transit riders experience City. that discussions about fixing NJ Transit executive order. Smith did not respond along the Morris-Kssex Line. He claimed the state can’t continue with became the subject of both local and before press time this week. MM Affordable, Professional & Reliable MAGN®LIA y' Family Owntd St Operated HOM E RE MO D ELIN G C (? 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School No. 6 students bought strips of tape for a dollar each to fund their Hall of Leaders project, which will decorate hallways to honor African- Americans for Black History Month in Feb ruary.