For Those Following The Privatization of Sussex' Utility

Press Release

The Letter Was It Legal?

A letter went out to the constituents of the Borough of Sussex.  It was a reflection of the presentation of Councilman Sal Lagattuta at the October 28^th at the Firehouse.  It was to be a pro and con debate on the sale of the Water and Sewer Authority to Aqua New Jersey.  The letters were processed through a postage meter, and the date of processing was October 23^rd, 2014, but the postmark was dated October 28^th, 2014.  It appears that it was prepared, i. e. printed, labeled some time before the Firehouse meeting.  In fact the letter probably went to the printer long before the last Council meeting of October 21^st, 2014.

The all were labeled, as if they were taken from a mailing list.  Where were these labels obtained from?  Who paid for the envelopes, the printing of the letter, and the postage?  Why do I ask these questions?  Well Council woman Linda Masson has requested information from the clerk on the time and money spent by the town on the sale to Aqua.  The clerk referred it to Council woman Krynicky.   As I understood this she turned the request down.  At the October 21^st, 2014 meeting Council woman Masson brought this to the attention of the full council, mayor, and the public. Why did Krynicki not want to show the time and money spent?  What did she have to hide?  Council woman Masson pushed for a vote to have the information available to the public.  The vote was 3 for and 3 against.  Krynicky, LaBar, and Lagattuta voted no, and I wonder why.

Was this mailing done in the Borough Hall, on the Borough’s postage meter, all at the cost of the Borough?

The information itself is misleading too, especially with what came out of the Firehouse meeting.  Such as Krynicy, LaBar, and Lagattuta did not investigate the grants that were available from DEP and the USDA.  Unfortunately the DEP grant applications were closed in mid October, so thanks to those three Sussex lost out.  Linda Masson has spoken to the USDA, and found that Sussex is eligible.  She has submitted the applications to the Borough.

Linda also discovered that if the utility is sold to Aqua that the town would have to repay in part or in full the $4,480,000 in Federal Grants that it has received. If that comes about there would be no reason to sell.  Even is only half of the grant had to be repaid that would not leave much money for the town, and they would lose their most precious asset the water and sewer authority.

So if this was done on Borough money, and with the misleading information contained in the letter, a serious election law violation may have been committed.

Bob McCafferty

Committee to elect Kathy Little and Al Decker to Sussex Council

And Bill Weightman to Freeholders