A Code of Conduct for council committees and mayoral advisory groups

Our town has several council committees and mayoral advisory groups. These groups facilitate public input into Town Council discussions, often resulting in the introduction of resolutions and ordinances.

While members of the respective committees and advisory groups should be commended for their commitment of time and energy, it is essential that they remain impartial and objective in the advice they render.

Indeed there are challenges and inherent restrictions placed upon these individuals in assessing and recommending various options in a conscientious and ethical manner. 

Thus there is a need for a general standard - a "Code of Conduct" - for all committee and advisory group members to ensure they are acting in a manner that is appropriate with regard to their duties and responsibilities. 

Here is an example of a model "Code of Conduct" for committee and advisory group members. 

Such a "Code of Conduct" would specify what committee and advisory group members shall not:

(a) Engage in any business or transaction or have a financial or personal interest that is incompatible with the discharge of his or her official duties;

(b) Place themselves in a position where she/he is under obligation to any person who might benefit from special consideration or favor on their part or who might seek in any way preferential treatment;

(c) Accord, in the performance of his or her official duties, preferential treatment to relatives or to organizations in which she/he or his or her relatives have an interest, financial or otherwise;

(d) Deal with an application to the Town for a grant, award, contract or other benefit involving his or her spouse, live-in partner, child or parent;

(e) Place themselves in a position where she/he could derive any direct or indirect benefit or interest from any matter about which they can influence decisions;

(f) Benefit from the use of information acquired during the course of his or her official duties which is not generally available to the public; 

(g) Accept gifts, hospitality, or entertainment that could reasonably be construed as being given in anticipation or recognition of special consideration by his or her respective board or committee; and

(h) Disclose or release by any means, confidential information which they have acquired by virtue of their appointment with the Town for personal or private gain, for the gain of their relatives, affiliated organizations or their employer.

Time is of the essence for the Little Falls town council to adopt and implement a "Code of Conduct" to ensure that all members of council committees and mayoral advisory groups remain impartial and objective with respect to the advice and recommendations they render.

Today marks the seventh anniversary of The Gadfly

The Gadfly which started on December 6, 2009 as a blog under the auspices of the northjersey.com - aka The Record - came to an abrupt end on April 22, 2016 when the newspaper was sold to the Gannett news organization.  At that time, not only was the blog discontinued but none of the published blogs were archived by the new newspaper owners.

 

Thus, the history of events in Little Falls as reported by The Gadfly no longer exists as a matter of record within the newspaper's archives.

 

It was almost two months later, on June 16 that The Gadfly found a new home at blogger.com

 

Since then The Gadfly has posted 25 blogs.

 

A review of all posted Gadfly blogs since 2009 revealed that the two blogs that generated the most public comments/interest related to community issues. 

 

These included a blog posted on December 6, 2009 which focused on the newly erected cell tower in the Great Notch Fire Company's parking lot located at 170 Long Hill Road; and a recent blog, posted on November 2, 2016 about changes coming to Browertown Road. 

 

With the demise of Little Falls news coverage by Gannett publications' The Herald News, The Record and The Passaic Valley Today, The Gadfly is committed to keeping "an eye on the issues confronting the residents of Little Falls, New Jersey."

Residents Sought for Township Committee Assignments

Recently Mayor-elect James Damiano requested that residents who want to serve on a Township Ad-Hoc Committee should email their name, phone number and email address to Cynthia Kraus, Township Clerk: ckraus@lfnj.com for consideration.

The following is a list of the Ad-Hoc Committees seeking participants: Domestic Violence, Open Space, Passaic River Advisory, Planning and Zoning, Public Safety, Senior Advisory Committee, Technology, Transportation and Wildlife Management.

 

Mayor-elect James Damiano's request is a positive indication of his commitment to increase residents engagement in Township affairs.

 

At the same time there is a need to establish a criterion for the selection and assignment of residents to serve on these Committees.

 

The following criteria should be considered:

 

1)  No individual shall be assigned to more than two Ad-Hoc Committees,

 

2)  Residents shall be assigned to Ad-Hoc Committees as individuals and not as representatives of an organization or interest group, and

 

3)  All Ad-Hoc Committee appointees shall be required to complete a financial disclosure statement to provide transparency regarding their financial dealings and to ensure the public of their integrity with respect to possible conflicts of interest.

 

With the installation in January of Mayor-elect Mayor James Damiano, and Council members-elect, Maria Cordonnier and Anthony Sgobba, Little Falls residents can expect new government policies and procedures from our new leaders.

 

The Gadfly will be watching and commenting on the changes in future blogs.

PVT Week #2 - Still needs improvement

Week two of the newly formatted Passaic Valley Today (PVT) was just as disappointing as last week's edition.

Readers might recall that Richard A. Green, the North Jersey Media Group's editor and vice president for news, wrote in an Op-Ed "Message from the Editor," published in The Record on Sunday November 13th, that starting on Wednesday, November 16th readers will see a newspaper that is more visible in the North Jersey community, that will expand its public service and investigative reporting to serve as a watchdog of those in public office.

Regrettably this pledge has not been actualized and residents of Little Falls are now left with a weekly community newspaper that is a shell of what it once was.

In this week's PVT, consisting of 32 pages, there were only two articles relating to Little Falls.  One was about the Passaic Valley wrestling team; and the other was about Passaic Valley High School hosting a substance abuse awareness program on December 2nd.

The remaining content of this week's PVT is lacking letters to the editor; has a generic  article about Black Friday shoppers featuring residents of Bergenfield and Dumont along with an undated photo of shoppers exploring Black Friday sales at the Willowbrook Mall; a listing of Bergen County home sales; an article about mid-autumn in Livingston, Montana; and a review of a New York City play. 

In addition, the PVT web site, which featured the articles from each weekly edition of the PVT, has not been updated since Tuesday, November 15th. 

PVT readers who are disappointed with the newspaper's new format and lack of Little Falls news coverage should flood Mr. Rick Green with messages of concern by calling him at 973.569.7118 or by sending him an email message at: green@northjersey.com

Let your voice be heard!

I Want My PVT Back!

In an Op-Ed "Message from the Editor," published in The Record on Sunday November 13th, Richard A,. Green, editor and vice president for news, stated that starting on Wednesday, November 16th readers will see a newspaper that is more visible in the North Jersey community, that will expand its public service and investigative reporting to serve as a watchdog of those in public office.

Apparently this commitment does not apply to community newspapers such as the Passaic Valley Today (PVT), which serves the communities of Little Falls, Totowa and Woodland Park.

Readers of this week's PVT were in for quite a shock.

For openers, this week's newspaper was reduced to 32 pages (half its previous size); local community news coverage was minimal.  While the newspaper included news items about Teaneck, Paramus, and Wayne, as well as a review of a play being performed in New York City.

The most glaring change was the newspaper's letter to the editor policy.  In the past, the PVT included several letters from readers in each issue of the newspaper which highlighted community concerns and issues.  The current issue featured only one letter to the editor; and there is a new letter to the editor policy that states that "not all letters will necessarily be published."

The northjersey.com's web site states that "residents of communities in the Passaic Valley have depended on Today Newspapers for more than 35 years.... Now, Community Newspapers of North Jersey Media Group covers these thriving suburbs even more completely with separate, community-focused editions."

With respect to the role of a community newspaper, a Pew Research Center survey concluded ".. that newspapers play a far more complex role in the civic life of communities than many Americans believe...."  And the National Newspaper Association reports that 75 percent of people read most or all of their local newspaper each week. 

Now is the time to act and let your voice be heard.

PVT readers who are disappointed and unhappy by the newspaper's new policies should send an email to Rick Green at: green@northjersey.com telling him that you're "mad as hell" and that you want your PVT back! 

Little Falls 2016 Municipal Elections Results

Here in Little Falls the November 8th election was a resounding victory for the Democratic candidates running for Mayor and for two seats on the Town Council.

According to the latest "unofficial" election results available from the Passaic County Clerk's Office:

Mayoral candidate James Damiano (D) received 3,459 votes and Pamela Porter (R) received 2,358 votes

In the race for the two seats on the Town Council, Maria Cordonnier (D) received 2,987 votes, Anthony Sgobba (D) received 3,024 votes, Louis Fontana (R) received 2,536 votes and Chris Stacy (R) received 2,453.

The newly elected candidates will be sworn-in during the Town Council's Reorganziation Meeting which will be held in January.

Changes are coming to Browertown Road

On Wednesday, October 19th the Passaic County Department of Planning and Economic Development held a public meeting at the Passaic Valley Regional High School to inform residents about the Morris Canal Greenway Browertown Road Improvement Project.

The scope of the improvement project includes an American with Disabilities compliant ramp on Browertown Road at the intersection of Stewart Avenue (east side); and crosswalks across Stewart Avenue at both Browertown Road and at the Little Falls Morris Canal Greenway.

In addition, approximately 700 feet of new sidewalks will be constructed along Browertown Road from the Passaic Valley High School entrance to Stewart Avenue.  This, according to the Transportation Alternatives Project, will create a safer route for students and residents that live on Browertown to local businesses and to access the Morris Canal Greenway.

Construction is scheduled to commence next April 2017 and will take approximately 4 months to complete.