Lavish Atlantic City Parties…One Touchy Subject for Schrieks and Luna!

Questions from tonight’s council meeting are highlighted.  

Did any of you bill Lodi for any expenses from your trip to Atlantic City last week?

Marc Schrieks was not present for this question (a couple of years ago, he said he billed the Lodi taxpayers for his hotel room).  He entered the meeting about five minutes before it ended.

Council members Cima and Masopust said they didn’t attend.  

A few said “No”. 

Did any of you attend the lavish party thrown by Maser Consulting which was written about in the Star Ledger?

Tony Luna reluctantly answered “No.”

Marc Schrieks said he didn’t remember but he attended the parties as a Freeholder Aide and not as a Mayor.

You attended the parties last week.  If you don’t remember, I take that as a “Yes”.

Marc then said he didn’t attend Maser’s party.

Did any of you attend any parties thrown by anyone that has received a NO BID contract from Lodi?

Tony Luna said he would answer that when I was done with all my questions.  When I was done with all my questions, he still refused to answer it.

Marc didn’t remember which parties he attended LAST WEEK by those receiving NO BID contracts from Lodi.  He stated a few times that he attended these parties not as the Mayor of Lodi but as a Freeholder aide.

I think it’s very inappropriate that you are receiving meals, gifts, and parties from those you are signing NO BID contracts for.

Marc Schrieks tried to interrupt me and cut me off so I couldn’t make that statement.

Maybe you shouldn’t be holding dual positions because you are the Mayor of Lodi and you are attending parties by those you are signing no bid contracts for.  You can’t say you aren’t the Mayor of Lodi because you work for Joan Voss. You also are signing NO BID contracts for those hooked up with the Bergen County Democratic Organization and they are billing Lodi excessively.

If you haven’t done anything wrong, you should disclose to the public which parties you attended in AC last week thrown by those receiving NO BID contracts from Lodi.  When will you provide this information?

Marc said: next month.

Florio Bills:

The October bills show that the Florio firm was paid $ 19, 473.77.  Can you please explain why the bills are so high and what those bills were for?

Luna said they were for a police contract and litigation.  He claims police contracts are done every year.  He wouldn’t name any litigation.  He said I would have to OPRA individual bills (besides their bills resolution).

Isn’t a $20,000 bill excessive?

Luna said that is my opinion.

Why can’t the Borough Attorney fulfill this role?

Spiniello said that’s not in his contract.

Why don’t you put that in his contract?

No answer.

Marc Schrieks’ Health Benefits:

Three months ago, Mr. Schrieks said he would find out what date he began receiving health benefits from Lodi.  Then he missed the last two meetings.  What was the date?

Marc doesn’t know.  He has it written somewhere on his desk.  He will find out for next meeting (same response he has given for years).

Ordinance 2014-11 was adopted tonight.  It gave Gary Paparozzi authority to issue fines to used car lots three years after he has already been doing it.  

Approximately, how many businesses does this ordinance apply to?

Nobody knew.

So you need four different departments to regulate this small number of businesses.

Spiniello deflected the question.  

Shouldn’t this ordinance have been amended three years ago when Mr. Luna created a new position for former Mayor Gary Paparozzi?

Luna said Paparozzi’s summons were challenged in court so they amended the ordinance.

Why did this council allow Mr. Luna to create a new position for Gary Paparozzi with nothing more than a two sentence memo when clearly a lot more was necessary?

No one from the council responded.

Spiniello claimed Paparozzi’s summonses might have been alright but they amended the ordinance anyway. (He disregarded the fact that Mr. Luna said it was challenged in court).

Do other towns create new positions with nothing more than a two sentence memo? 

Why don’t you report at meetings when you create new positions and explain them?

No answer.

People brought to my attention two years ago that Paparozzi was not authorized to issue fines.  Only the Fire Prevention Bureau and Property Maintenance were.  How did others know this two years ago and not the Council?

No answer.

Approximately, how much in fines did Gary Paparozzi issue last year?

Council remained silent.

Spiniello answered: “No idea.”