August 5,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Word on the street is that former Village Council member Gwenn Hauck paid the bill from Tim Hillman (the video promoting a “yes” vote on the parking garage funding) out of her own pocket, and then submitted a request for reimbursement to the Village (which was subsequently approved by an unnamed employee).
The Ridgewood Blog wonders if Council members paying bills and then requesting reimbursement is an accepted financial practice in NJ municipal government?
Seems to us as if someone was trying to pull a fast one on taxpayers.
Wow. That is ridiculous. Any way to find out who approved the expense?
Come one Gwenn, $600 is lik 60 cents to the rest of us. You really needed that reimbursement? Well, good new for us, because this is just another nail in the coffin of Roberta our vastly unqualified and unethical manager.
another sneaky thing done by the former council
And the current village manager is paying that bill. She has to GO
8:47, how is $699.96 “$600”? Fooled by the “99-cent ploy”!
Stellar research. This item has been sent to all council members with a demand for restitution, the identity of the staff member who signed off on reimbursement, and the question: FRAUD?
Elected officials may not use their positions to further political agendas or tax money to fund them.
If nothing is done, residents may ask WHY at future council meetings.
An easy way to send a single email message to all council members may be reached through this link, which is updated after every council election:
https://www.preservegraydon.org/write-council
You can remove the cc: before sending, if desired.
A similar group email form posted on the council page of the village website has been suggested and approved (weeks ago), but not implemented (surprise).
In fact, fraud was committed twice: not only on taxpayers, but also on the videographer, reportedly a Hillmann family member, who was gypped out of his full fee on the pretention that the client was a village business and C. of C. member. Even if he was in on the “joke,” it’s wrong.
I suggest a letter on legal letterhead from the village attorney to Ms. Hauck: “It has come to our attention….we have obtained documentation, to wit…please make out your check, including $X in interest, to…and since you have committed fraud, please do not attend the September or subsequent meetings of the Parks, Recreation and Conservation Board, except perhaps as an observer sitting over in the corner. To protect the village from possible legal action based on your fraudulent behavior as a council member, we must remove you from this and any future positions of responsibility within the village. Not-love, etc. etc.”
The is going nowhere. Just another brick on the taxpayers load. No one is going to investigate this.
Did she pay the bill with quarters?
Roberta is the one who has to go. She had a starring role in that freaking video and there is an ethics complaint pending against her and Aronsohn for it. In the video she promoted a YES vote on the parking referendum, totally illegal to use public funds to do this and to put it on the publicly funded village website. She said that parking is a CRISIS. She is a dangerous gas bag.