All Red Bank Democratic Government No More

Cindy Burnham was the top vote winner in this years 2-seat council race. She will replace Sharon Lee on council. It seems the voters are now seeing the problems you face when a town is run like a monopoly for many years. Click Here to see the video of Ed McKenna and Sharon Lee at their 1/2 victory celebration. Sharon Lee speaks of dirty politics, this after press releases were sent to all of the major NJ newspapers about Sean Di Somma’s out of state traffic ticket to question is character.

Station Place Development formerly known as the Courtyards

station place red bankThe Station Place Development formerly known as the Courtyards@Monmouth Project was sold to Brenda McIntyre of Station Place LLC. The property was sold for 4 Million according to tax records and they received 9.6 million in loans from the seller, Amboy Bank. for the 45 market units. The building according to the application is 60,556 sq ft. Roger Mumford went before the Red Bank Zoning Board at a special meeting on December 13, 2012 to revise previously agreed to plans. He received those approvals at this meeting and then Brenda McIntyre signed the deeds on December 19, 2012.
From the Borough of Red Bank Agenda list for a Special Zoning Board Hearing held on Dec 13, 2012.

Station Place @Red Bank, LLC, Monmouth and West Streets, Block 42, Lots
1,2,2.01,3,4,19,20,21 Z 10411
Seeking relief from conditions of a prior Zoning Board approval and amendment to the
application including revised elevations, elimination of solar canopies and roof –top
easement, elimination of on-site car share use, and changes to the parking and grading
plans to permit the construction of a 60,556 square foot multi –family building consisting
of 45 units and a 12,822 square foot building consisting of 12 units. BR-1 Zone and BR-2
Zone.
From the Asbury Park Press dated 12/28/12
What had been hailed as a forward thinking condominium project, with solar panels, car-share parking and a rain garden has given way to economic reality.
Revised plans for the former Courtyards at Monmouth project, now dubbed Station Place, were approved by Red Bank’s Zoning Board of Adjustment on Dec. 13, by a 7-0 vote.
The site has seen several previous plans, none of which ever were constructed.
Developer Roger Mumford said the changes were necessary so Station Place will not just be a pipe dream on paper.
The design calls for building a 45-unit, four-story upscale rental building on Monmouth and West streets and a smaller building of 12 affordable units at West and Oakland streets.
The original development proposed by GS Realty Corp., which is part of Amboy Bank, proposed a car canopy over the 67 spaces in a parking lot, to be covered with solar panels, a rain garden to filter rain water and proposals to include parking for car-sharing companies, such as Zipcar, which could eliminate the need some residents have for a first or second car.
The revisions scuttled some of those features, which some said gave the project a visionary aspect. Even the buildings’ appearance with faux brownstone individual entrances and stairs, has given way to a traditional single entrance and lobby.
“I didn’t think they were very appealing. The spirit of the (new) building (facade) is captured from the Count Basie theater,” Mumford said during a hearing on the application. “I wanted more classic architecture that would look great 20 years from now.”
The overall size of the buildings are the same with aesthetic changes and reconfiguring the internal lay-outs.
While he proposed to eliminate the solar, Mumford cited his environmental credibility for building other energy efficient developments, including a group of new homes at Bridge Avenue and Bergen Place.
“Our environmental policy recognizes energy efficiency, conserves natural resources and indoor air quality,” Mumford said. “It may not be technically LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, but it will be one of the greenest buildings in Red Bank.”
The solar aspect of the original plans would only provide 10 to 15 percent of the buildings’ electricity, Mumford said.
Gary Weisman, president of the New Jersey Solar Coalition, said the market has dropped out of the solar energy market, since the original approval. He said the solar component of the project was “made for a project, that if your look at it on an economic basis, is no longer viable,” considering the current health of the solar energy market.
“There is no way I could find an investor for the solar component of this project,” Weisman said, adding it would take at least 15 years under the current economic climate to recoup that investment.
Mumford called solar “one spoke on the environmental wheel” and ticked off a list of environmentally friendly features such as cabinetry certified not to contain formaldehyde, “engineered” lumber made of recycled wood chips, recycled concrete chips in the parking lot, a white plastic “cool” roof covering to reflect energy and energy efficient insulation.
The “L” shaped corner property has a tortured history of proposals, which never saw reality.
Prior to interest by Amboy Bank and its real estate arm, G.S. Realty, the last development approved on that site in May 2008 was never built, and borough officials said the bank took possession of the property.
Those plans, proposed by RB Monmouth LLC, would have built three, four-story buildings with stores on the first floor and apartments on the upper floors for a total of 20 units.
RB Monmouth bought the property and different plans from Building Land Technology, which filed an application in 2003 and got approval to build a total of 35 condo and townhouse units in three buildings on the site.
That approval was challenged in 2004, by seven borough residents who sued, contending there was a conflict of interest between a board member and a law firm, which previously represented the land owner.
In 2006, three state Appellate Division judges ruled that board member shouldn’t have heard the BLT application and reversed the approval.

From a letter to the editor on the Hub Newspaper dated 9/28/06
Pay-to-play changing landscape
Now that former state Sen. John Lynch and his business partner John Westlake have pleaded guilty to corruption charges and tax evasion, it is important for my fellow residents of the Jersey Shore to understand the nexus between John Lynch and our local politicians, developers and their professionals. Just as importantly, we need to understand the impact of these relationships and how it has affected the quality of life in our shore communities.
In the movie, “All the President’s Men,” actor Hal Holbrook portrays the Washington insider Deep Throat who continually states “follow the money.” If we follow that lead, it takes us to two political action committees which have had a tremendous influence over our politicians, some who are already guilty of corruption. “New Directions Through Responsible Leadership,” a Lynch PAC – co-chaired by Westlake and John Hoffman of the Wilentz, Goldman, and Spitzer law firm – has raised millions of dollars since 2000. The bulk of those dollars have come from people or companies doing redevelopment projects throughout the state and in our hometowns.
Developers like K Hovnanian, the Gale Co., Mack-Cali, PRC, Jack Morris, Applied Development, Matzel and Mumford, and others have contributed significantly to this PAC, and it is no coincidence they are all doing major development projects in towns like Long Branch, Matawan, Asbury Park, Keyport, West Long Branch, Belmar and my hometown of Red Bank.
In addition, engineering firms such as Maser Consulting, Birdsall Engineering, Schoor DePalma, T&M Associates, and Najarian Associates are among the local firms who have been major contributors for years. Again, it is of no surprise these firms are either employed by our towns or are working on behalf of the developers.
The other PAC called the Monmouth County Council of Democratic Leaders – formed in 1999 and co-chaired by the respective law partners of Mayor Ed McKenna of Red Bank and Mayor Ken Pringle of Belmar – has been in sync with the Lynch PAC for many years. Not only has this PAC received contributions from the same developers and professionals, but it has also received direct monies from New Directions by way of “wheeling.” Also, the McKenna/Pringle PAC has wheeled money upwards to the Lynch PAC for many years.
Where has the money flowed to? In Monmouth County, the biggest recipient of campaign contributions from New Directions has been the Red Bank Democrats and their campaign accounts, each year chaired by Mayor McKenna. In fact, Mayor McKenna received $5,000 in 2000 in his unsuccessful bid for the Democratic county chairmanship. Again, it is of no coincidence that currently there are 19 development projects proposed or under construction in Red Bank.
Another major recipient of campaign monies was Mayor Adam Schneider in Long Branch, who in addition received campaign staff help from John Lynch in his re-election campaign this past May. These staffers were formerly on the payroll of Lynch’s New Directions.
Mayor Schneider and his use of eminent domain on good citizens has been fueled by these developers and professionals. Is it again a coincidence Joseph Barry of Applied Development, Charles Kushner of Westminster Properties, and Phil Konvitz – all guilty of corruption – were doing waterfront development? Mayor Schneider also represented developer Jack Morris in the Walgreens project in West Long Branch, where a bribe was passed to a Democratic councilman.
I could certainly continue to write about how far and how deep this goes, but then it would become a book. I only wish to inspire those of you out there who are not happy with the overdevelopment of your hometowns. There is a direct link as to why it is happening, and it’s not called smart growth. It is pay-to-play and corruption, and it has changed the Jersey Shore landscape.
For those facing eminent domain this holiday season, my heart goes out to all of you, for it truly is the “Lynch” who stole Christmas.

Stephen M. Fitzpatrick

Red Bank
Ed McKenna who endorsed the GS Realty/Amboy Bank approvals that were acquired by Brenda McIntyre also became a member of the Red Bank Rivercenter just prior to Amboy Bank/GS Realty making application for the approvals and numerous variances. This project failed to meet the guidelines on the Rivercenter organization. In addition the township rezoned the property for greater density on the parcels that were identified as in foreclosure from the former Coffenberg approval after the town argued that the Coffenberg approval was creating a much higher density than permitted in the zone which was never true and proven during the Coffenberg approval process.
Here is the deed for Station Place’s Purchase from GS Realty which is Amboy Bank.
deed station place
Here is the tax record for the Station Place purchase and mortgage from Amboy Bank.

The data within this report is compiled by CoreLogic from public and private sources.
Generated on 11/06/2013
153 Monmouth St, Red Bank, NJ 07701, Monmouth County
Beds
N/A
MLS Sq Ft
60,000
Lot Sq Ft
15,002
Sale Price
$4,000,000
Baths
N/A
Yr Built
N/A
Type
N/A
Sale Date
12/19/2012
Expired Listing
Owner Information
Owner Name: Station Place At Red Bank LLC Tax Billing Zip: 07739
Tax Billing Address: 52 Paag Cir Tax Billing Zip+4: 1739
Tax Billing City & State: Little Silver, NJ Owner Occupied: No
Location Information
Township: Red Bank Boro Carrier Route: C004
Zoning: MU-08 Block #: 42
Census Tract: 8036.00 Lot #: 1
Tax Information
Tax ID: 39-00042-0000-00001 Lot Number: 1
Tax Appraisal Area: 39 Block ID: 42
Legal Description: ALSO LOT 2 NIT 1A
Assessment & Tax
Assessment Year 2012 2011 2010
Assessed Value – Total $737,000 $914,400 $914,400
Assessed Value – Land $737,000 $737,000 $737,000
Assessed Value – Improved $177,400 $177,400
YOY Assessed Change (%) -19.4% 0%
YOY Assessed Change ($) -$177,400 $0
Tax Year Total Tax YOY Tax Change ($) YOY Tax Change (%)
2010 $16,221
2011 $16,523 $302 1.86%
2012 $13,657 -$2,867 -17.35%
Characteristics
Estimated Lots Acres: 0.3444 Estimated Building Square
Feet:
Tax: 1,862 MLS: 60,000
Estimated Lot Area: 15,002 Exterior: Concrete Block

Property Detail
Page 2 of 3
The data within this report is compiled by CoreLogic from public and private sources.
Generated on 11/06/2013
Last Market Sale & Sales History
Recording Date: 12/28/2012 Deed Type: Bargain & Sale Deed
Settle Date: 12/19/2012 Owner Name: Station Place At Red Bank LLC
Sale Price: $4,000,000 Seller: Gs Realty Corp
Document Number: 8988-5283
Recording Date 12/28/2012 09/13/2012 05/21/2009 12/06/2006 07/09/2004
Sale Price $4,000,000 $955,000
Nominal Y Y Y
Buyer Name Station Place At Red Bank LLC
Balacco Property Mgmt
LLC Gs Realty Corp R B Monmouth LLC Palatial Homes At Red
Bank LLC
Seller Name Gs Realty Corp Gs Realty Corp Rb Monmouth LLC R B Monmouth LLC Torra Frank M &
Alexandra
Document Number 8988-5283 8970-6379 8774-6828 8613-680 8379-7961
Document Type Bargain & Sale Deed Deed (Reg) Rerecorded Deed Deed (Reg) Deed (Reg)
Recording Date
Sale Price $40,000
Nominal
Buyer Name Torra Frank
Seller Name Methot June
Document Number 4161-84
Document Type Deed (Reg)
Mortgage History
Mortgage Date 12/28/2012 07/27/2007 05/11/2007 07/09/2004
Mortgage Amount $9,600,000 $500,000 $4,500,000 $1,886,880
Mortgage Lender Amboy Bk Amboy Nat’l Bk Amboy Nat’l Bk Amboy Nat’l Bk
Mortgage Type Resale Construction Construction Resale
Foreclosure History
Document Type Release Of Lis Pendens/Notice Lis Pendens
Foreclosure Filing Date 09/22/2008
Recording Date 01/20/2012 10/07/2008
Document Number 6806 107013
Original Doc Date 03/31/2010 05/11/2007
Original Document Number 27909
Original Book Page 8825009634 8651001071

What Will Red Bank Affordable Housing do with the Profit?

rb affordable housingAccording to the 2011 990 tax filing required by non-profit organizations, the Red Bank Affordable Housing Corporation has retained a profit of over $416,000 from phase 1 of the Cedar Crossing Development. Upon the completion of phase 2 the project should generate a total profit of approximately $800,000. The project was started with the purchase using “free” taxpayer money to aquire the land. Ed McKenna while Mayor of Red Bank pushed the Borough Council to approve this purchase using tax money from the State of NJ. Since non-profit organizations cannot make a profit, it would be a nice gesture on the part of Red Bank Affordable Housing Corporation to donate all profits on the project to the Borough of Red Bank and it would help reduce the property taxes for everyone in the town.

Red Bank Affordable Housing Corp Docs

Here are a list of articles, ordinances and resolutions pertaining to the Red Bank Affordable Housing Corporation and their development project known as Cedar Crossings. The town purchased the property for around 2.4 million using a NJ grant. John Curley a Republican Councilman at the time and a current Monmouth County Freeholder questioned the purchase as well as Red Bank being brought up during the Operation Bid Rig FBI investigationAt last night’s Borough Council meeting, Republican John Curley brought up the Press story, and said he had “contacted the FBI to request a full investigation of these comments.”Curley then immediately segued into a reference to the borough’s $2.45 million purchase last February of property on which the Cedar Crossings affordable housing project is to be built. Curley said he had asked the FBI to investigate that as well.“I do not believe that deal was legal,” Curley said with rising anger.

The town then sold the property to Red Bank Affordable Housing Corporationfor $1 and leading the public to believe the Red Bank Housing Authority would develop the property. From Red Bank Green  Red Bank was the first town to apply for and obtain funds under the DCA’s Municipal Acquisition and Construction Program. Next: the Red Bank Housing Authority will kick into gear to oversee the construction, Menna said. he expects the agency to work with the federal Housing and Urban Development bureaucracy and others to pay for construction.

. Red Bank Affordable Housing Corporation then obtained Grant money as well as loans from Investors Savings, the NJ Mortgage and Finance Agency and the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York The loans and grants totaled $5 million to build (36) 1150sqft (on avg) townhomes to be sold at an average price of $115,000. This would have generated approximately  $4.2 million in sales. The estimated cost to build was $4.4 million which would be more than $100 per square foot and this was modular construction which usually costs less than $100 sqft to build. In either case there would be somewhere between $600,000 and $800,000 extra dollars then was needed to build the affordable housing units. I know that in 2006 when the property was agreed to be purchased, we were at the top of the market, but the market in Red Bank did not drop by approximately 50% over the past 5 years. The purchase was around 2.4 million for the land and now they are assessed for $30k per unit for the land which makes the land value $1,080,000. Here are the tax records for the units.Each of the 36 units were assessed the same. Non-Profit Corporations take money out in the form of fees. Here is a copy of the DeCotiis Law Firm charging the Red Bank Affordable Housing Corporation nearly $3,000 for legal work. in 2010. During 2009 the Decotiis firm charged nearly $5,000 to Red Bank Affordable Housing Corporation. Frank Borin of the DeCotiis Law Firm is a member of the Red Bank Affordable Housing Corporation.

rb_10-101resolution[1]

rb ordinance 2010-26

rb borough website for cedar crossings

rb fed home loan bank 400k grant

rb investors savings 1.1 loan

rb green article cedar crossing deal closes

rb green article cedar crossing plan breezes

rb green article cedar crossing work begins

rb green article barking mad

rb_10-182resolution[1]

rb10-37resolution[1]

Master Deed of Cedar Crossings rb iManage_1285186_1_1_

Cedar Crossing bylaws rb cedard crossing bylaws iManage_1285187_1_1_

Hub article on purchase of cedar crossing

Hub article on ground breaking at cedar crossing

William Katchen member of Red Bank Afffordable Housing Corporation

Tax information related to Red Bank Affordable Housing Corporation

Two River Times Article about approval at cedar crossings

Hub Newspaper Article on Creation of Red Bank Affordable Housing Corp

There are laws in NJ that govern the conduct of elected officials working in government.

52:13D-17. Post-employment restrictions

No State officer or employee or special State officer or employee, subsequent to the termination of his office or em-ployment in any State agency, shall represent, appear for, negotiate on behalf of, or provide information not generally available to members of the public or services to, or agree to represent, appear for, negotiate on behalf of, or provide information not generally available to members of the public or services to, whether by himself or through any partner-ship, firm or corporation in which he has an interest or through any partner, officer or employee thereof, any person or party other than the State in connection with any cause, proceeding, application or other matter with respect to which such State officer or employee or special State officer or employee shall have made any investigation, rendered any ruling, given any opinion, or been otherwise substantially and directly involved at any time during the course of his of-fice or employment.
Any person who willfully violates the provisions of this section is a disorderly person, and shall be subject to a fine not to exceed $ 1,000 or imprisonment not to exceed six months, or both.
In addition, for violations occurring after the effective date of P.L.2005, c.382, any former State officer or em-ployee or former special State officer or employee of a State agency in the Executive Branch found by the State Ethics Commission to have violated any of the provisions of this section shall be assessed a civil penalty of not less than $ 500 nor more than $ 10,000, which penalty may be collected in a summary proceeding pursuant to the “Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999,” P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.)

Example of Linden NJ Mayor violating ethics laws

League of Municipalities Ethic Violations

conflict land development cases

conflicts of interest with elected officials

Nj League of Municipalities Ethics Course