Morris Freeholders get secret meeting in Sussex

According to sources in both Sussex and Morris counties, several Morris County freeholders who supported the solar bailout that cost Sussex taxpayers millions have asked for, and got, a special "educational" meeting between the principals behind the failed solar project and the incoming members of the Sussex County Board of Chosen Freeholders.  To our knowledge, the meeting hasn't been advertised, and will include the participation of sitting Freeholders as well.  How this squares with state law is questionable.

If there's to be a backroom "spin" session conducted by the critters who got our county into its current unenviable position, shouldn't the taxpaying public have been invited?  The public and the press are generally the most tireless watchdogs of politicians' deal making.  Especially when so much money is involved and so much egg on the face of egotistical elected officials.

It is to be hoped that the incoming Freeholders who have been targeted will make full reports to the people on (1) who was at the meeting, and (2) what was said.  It is to be hoped that Freeholder George Graham, a voice for reform, attends as well so that the vendors, who have made so much money off taxpayers already, get asked tough questions by someone who understands what their game is.

The solar scam is part of an ongoing investigation by state and federal authorities, so someone should notify the United States Attorney's office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the State Attorney General's office, and the State Police investigators assigned to the case.  We will be following this closely.

Sparta Councilwoman attempts to politicize the police

All across America, people are concerned about what some call the "militarization" of our police departments.  There is a lot of discussion going on aimed at reassessing the interaction between police and citizens from various groups -- ethnic, racial, and political.

Into this already heated atmosphere steps Sparta Councilwoman Molly Whilesmith.

Whilesmith is a lobbyist for Concord Energy/ Concord Engineering, an energy firm that just landed a fat contract from Sussex County.  She is also the chairman of the Marie Bilik for Assembly campaign. 

Bilik was recruited to run against Assemblyman Parker Space and Freeholder Gail Phoebus by another Concord lobbyist.  This was done in retaliation for Space and Phoebus' call for an investigation of a solar energy deal gone bad that cost Sussex taxpayers millions and had to require a $7 million bailout.  The deal is currently being investigated by federal and state law enforcement authorities.

Without revealing her connection to the Bilik campaign, Concord Energy, the solar deal, or the federal/state investigation, Whilesmith contacted every police chief in Legislative District 24 today and asked them to politicize their departments in the effort to retaliate against Freeholder Gail Phoebus.

It was Freeholder Phoebus who opposed the solar bailout.  It was Freeholder Phoebus who led calls for an investigation.  It was Freeholder Phoebus who wrote to the United States Justice Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Securities & Exchange Commission, and the State Attorney General's Office.

Let's hope that Councilwoman Whilesmith's unethical attempt to politicize police departments in Sussex, Warren, and Morris Counties is thoroughly rebuked.  The police shouldn't become partisan political agents in an attempt at retaliation -- particularly when there is an ongoing criminal investigation.

Whilesmith's unethical request of police chiefs is printed below:

From: whilesmith@gmail.com 
Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2015 10:20
Subject: Sparta Councilwoman needs you to be Aware...

Dear Chief,

I ask that you share the following information with your department. 

Though you may not know me, I consider public safety my number one obligation to the residents of Sparta, just ask any one of Sparta’s fine officers.

We have an important Primary coming up on June 2nd.  I recently attended the Assembly debate in Blairstown and it is imperative that all public safety officers understand what transpired.  You do not have to take my word, I will share a video with you so that you can see and hear for yourself. 

I am going to the trouble to send this to every police chief in the 24th Legislative District because this Primary is important.  People need to understand what is at stake.

Energy Aggregation: Are we creating a Monopoly?

Last evening, the Sussex County Freeholders voted 3 (Crabb, Vohden, and Mudrick) to 2 (Phoebus and Graham) to make Concord Energy/ Concord Engineering the provider of energy to Sussex County government.  Concord is the for-profit corporation that has the contract to manage the Passaic County Government Energy Aggregation Program.  Sussex is now a part of the Passaic system.

There was an attempt to obscure this on the part of Phil "the fibber" Crabb who tried to mislead both his fellow freeholders and the public about the relationship between the Passaic County program and Concord.  He was supported in this by the manic presence of side-kick Richard Vohden.  But it failed to work because even Crabb and Vohden can't hide the volumes of correspondence they have received from Concord representatives Vicki Molloy and Wendy Molner about the Passaic program.  They know and they know too well.

One result of municipal aggregation is that, in effect, you are undoing the benefits of deregulation.  The main benefit, of course, is achieving lower rates through competition.  The price of electricity has been decreasing steadily since alternative suppliers came into the market.  That's because individual buyers have been allowed to make individual choices.  But when you re-concentrate large numbers of buyers into co-opts and establish corporate filters, you risk undoing that competition. 

The full benefit of deregulation is yet to be seen and municipal aggregation might halt that progress entirely.  Concord spreads a lot of money around and makes hundreds of direct political contributions.  They have hired two Sussex County politicians -- Wendy Molner (a former Mayor of Hardyston) and Molly Whilesmith (a Sparta councilman) to lobby for them and sell their program.  They even recruited a candidate for Assembly -- Marie Bilik.  We should be careful not to allow our elected representatives to return us to a pre-deregulation monopoly through the back door.  Our hindquarters are already sore from what they did to us over solar.

Wendy Kuser Molner

Vice President, Government Relations

Ms. Molner has over 15 years of experience in client relations, community outreach and governmental affairs.  Prior to joining Concord, she held community and legislative relations management positions at  NJ Transit and NJ Department of Transportation.

At Concord, Ms. Molner also serves in a business development capacity, bridging communications between the public and private sector regarding energy, legislative and public policy.    

Ms. Molner holds a BS in Public Policy from Upsala College and attended the Harvard University Certificate Program for Public Involvement.  She is also past mayor of Hardyston, NJ.

Bilik operatives in line for County Contract

On Sunday, May 10th, the New Jersey Herald reported that the solar bailout was in danger of unraveling with a cost to Sussex County taxpayers of further millions. 

http://www.njherald.com/story/29037774/2015/05/12/solar-rescue-could-face-more-delays-as-schools-uncertain-of-project-progress

The bailout -- which was engineered by the County's top bureaucrats and supported in a 3 to 2 vote by Freeholders Vohden, Crabb, and Mudrick -- split Sussex County Republicans.  Prior to the vote, the three had supported Parker Space for re-election and Gail Phoebus for election to the Assembly.  After the vote, Vohden and Crabb supported the candidacy of Marie Bilik.

Since the fallout from the vote, the County's top bureaucrats have all announced their resignations.  Now it looks like they are preparing to hand their allies a no-bid contract as they get ready to head out the door. 

According to the official Agenda for the Sussex County Freeholder Board for tomorrow night, May 13th, an ordinance will be voted on that makes Concord Energy Services (an affiliate of Concord Engineering) the provider through which Sussex County will purchase energy.  The contract covers the period June 1, 2015 to May 31, 2017.

Concord Engineering's Vice President of Government Relations is Wendy Molner.  It was Molner who recruited Marie Bilik to run for Assembly.  Bilik's campaign chairman, Molly Whilesmith, is a lobbyist for Concord Engineering.  Both Molner and Whilesmith are paid to convince county and municipal governments to use the services of Concord Engineering and its affiliates.  

Both Molner and Whilesmith are former Mayors.  Molner was Freeholder Crabb's campaign manager in 2014.  Whilesmith, a Democrat turned Republican is still a member of Sparta Council.

Concord Engineering is a very political South Jersey firm that has made hundreds of monetary contributions to elected officials.  The firm is located in Voorhees, New Jersey, where it maintains a close relationship with the political machine of Camden County Democrat boss George Norcross.

Concerned citizens of Sussex County should attend tomorrow night's meeting of the Freeholder Board.  The meeting begins at 5:00 PM and is held at the Sussex County Administrative Center, 1 Spring Street, in Newton.

Update on Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 7:30PM by Sussex County Watchdog

Update

The Agenda of the Sussex County Freeholder Board reads:

K. RESOLUTION RE:  AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT FOR ELECTRICITY GENERATION SUPPLY SERVICE UNDER THE PASSAIC COUNTY ENERGY COOPERATIVE PRICING SYSTEM TO VARIOUS BUILDINGS WITHIN

SUSSEX COUNTY (Pricing for this agreement is $.0869 per kilowatt for a 24 month period beginning June 1, 2015 and ending in May 31, 2017)

Concord Engineering is  the Program Manager for Passaic County Government Energy Aggregation Program

http://www.concord-engineering.com/

PASSAIC COUNTY ENERGY COOPERATIVE PRICING SYSTEM

http://www.northjersey.com/story-archives/questions-over-fees-stall-paterson-s-plan-to-reduce-residents-electric-bills-1.593334

Inside the Solyndra Solar Scandal

Incorporated in 2005, Solyndra was a California company that manufactured CIGS thin-film solar cells.  The company was praised for its unusual technology but plummeting silicon prices led to the company's being unable to compete with conventional solar panels and it filed for bankruptcy on September 1, 2011.   

Solyndra received a $536 million U.S. Energy Department loan guarantee, the first recipient of a loan guarantee under President Obama's economic stimulus program, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  Solyndra also received a $25.1 million tax break from California's Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority.

Following the bankruptcy, the government was expected to recoup $27 million under the Solyndra restructuring plan, but no money was ever recovered.