Recap: Sullivan attempts to undermind kf credibility by stating they are not "true reformers", are playing by "ham fisted machine politics", suggest others run against KF in 2010 election, and suggests she will not run a slate (but neglects to note that her husband will) apparently due to a disagreement in a vote. It certainly wasn't the process as Sullivan had no problem with (and was indicated as the person responsible for) the Principal vote (also, a live item).

When MSV and HJ ask Sullivan to explain the "accusations", she refuses. The individuals asking for an explanation are now cast as attacking Maureen Sullivan. They and their blogs are then referred to as "a bunch of juvenile nonsense. are these two clowns still in high school? we know the type--tech nerds in their underwear who can't get a date so they spend their time online thinking up stupid pictures of people they used to like but now have decided they don't."

When an past, ardant supporter questions Sullivan's motives, he is accused of having"a lot of venom and hatred. obviously a tech nerd with an anger-management problem."

Somehow, Zimmer and supporters get dragged into all of this and blamed for attacking Sullivan.

Oddly enough, when one disagrees with Sullivan, it would seem that they get attacked.

Who is playing by machine politics, here?

Sullivan knows that if another reform group runs it will split the vote. Not only will you lose the cuts and advances of the KF team, you will regain the prior 18 year majority. In 2008, Maureen Sullivan garnered 850 votes, Snyder(KF)-1475. They both lost. Garcia, Kearns and Defalco walked in. Their vote totals were somewhere around 2200, 1900 and 1900. Based on all of this, MSV and HJ questions, reasearch and concerns seem logical.

hobofan-Sullivan signed the MOA. She IS responsible for the Union contracts. Live item is not breaking state law. Sullivan voted for the Principal as a live item, a few momnets prior/aft the supt. vote. Sullivan voted for the $2300 junket, check the Jan. minutes. Most all of her comments were contested, on many blogs. No supportive response given.

Meh, all these fun and games, imaginary complaints on the defriended Jolly Green Giant.

Hey Hudson Reporter, you guys want an exclusive on a real blog war? I'll give you the inside dope on Hoboken411's threat against Da Horsey.

Now at least that's a story you don't need to manufacture.

http://hobokenhorse.blogspot.com/2010/02/hoboken411-threatens-da-horsey.html

Sullivan vilified her former colleagues in her resignation letter when she accused them of being anti-reform and called for true reformers to run for the Board. Sullivan continued the vilification when she was quoted in this publication (HR) accusing her colleagues, "of machine politics. That’s straight out of the machine playbook," and of, "a ham-fisted machine move." You may disagree but I 'm confident these statements from Sullivan were not meant to be complimentary. The blogs are not anonymous (the authors of both blogs identify themselves) and they have been publicly requesting a response from Sullivan from the outset and offering to present her perspective. For someone complaining about vitriol you seem to have a great deal of anger toward so called tech nerds and since you're blogging anonymously I guess we can assume you're in your underwear too?

« hobokenfan wrote on Thursday, Feb 25 at 08:46 PM »

ok, so i looked at these two blogs, and what a bunch of juvenile nonsense. are these two clowns still in high school? we know the type--tech nerds in their underwear who can't get a date so they spend their time online thinking up stupid pictures of people they used to like but now have decided they don't. and that greg bond--a lot of venom and hatred there. obviously a tech nerd with an anger-management problem.

and this giant reformer has turned out to be really disappointing. back when he wrote on 411 he seemed like a straight-shooter who favored reform no matter what side was pushing it. now he's signed up with one faction and lost his marbles.

one more thing--i read Sullivan's letter linked here and seen her posts under her own name (unlike most of you). where is she vilifying anyone? do you know what that word means? The letter seems remarkably factual and unemotional--just a straightforward rundown of what happened. and i haven't seen any of her facts challenged anywhere. obviously with Rose Markle in talks with the machine to back her ticket (as has been reported here) and blocking reform after reform all year (where are the budget cuts? how are the union contracts turning out? breaking state law to shut a meeting. nice. and it wasn't minutillo, sullivan and gilliard who voted for that junket), it's perfectly factual to say she's anti-reform and has joined the machine. and sullivan makes it clear that this was coming for a long time--that it wasn't just because of romano, it was the "stiff resistance" she got to just about every proposed reform, reforms that Kids First ran on. so why would she resign from a slate just because of one vote? obviously it's much more serious.

ok, so i looked at these two blogs, and what a bunch of juvenile nonsense. are these two clowns still in high school? we know the type--tech nerds in their underwear who can't get a date so they spend their time online thinking up stupid pictures of people they used to like but now have decided they don't. and that greg bond--a lot of venom and hatred there. obviously a tech nerd with an anger-management problem.

and this giant reformer has turned out to be really disappointing. back when he wrote on 411 he seemed like a straight-shooter who favored reform no matter what side was pushing it. now he's signed up with one faction and lost his marbles.

one more thing--i read Sullivan's letter linked here and seen her posts under her own name (unlike most of you). where is she vilifying anyone? do you know what that word means? The letter seems remarkably factual and unemotional--just a straightforward rundown of what happened. and i haven't seen any of her facts challenged anywhere. obviously with Rose Markle in talks with the machine to back her ticket (as has been reported here) and blocking reform after reform all year (where are the budget cuts? how are the union contracts turning out? breaking state law to shut a meeting. nice. and it wasn't minutillo, sullivan and gilliard who voted for that junket), it's perfectly factual to say she's anti-reform and has joined the machine. and sullivan makes it clear that this was coming for a long time--that it wasn't just because of romano, it was the "stiff resistance" she got to just about every proposed reform, reforms that Kids First ran on. so why would she resign from a slate just because of one vote? obviously it's much more serious.

Pisha, Maybe you're right. I probably should not have mentioned that Frances Rhodes-Kearns was a running mate of the corrupt Petey C and now she is getting a free trip from her BnR pals. Your right. I was wrong. But come on. You seem to know a lot about this junket. If I can stand it, I will try to wathc the board mtg again to see the part where the superentendent siad it was a worthwile trip because I don't remember that part.

I didn't say ugh about Markel because she isn't charasmatic. I said ugh because I think its a disgrace to spend money on junkets when I know I can't afford a $2,300 trip to Chicago (go Cubs!) this year. I don't want charisma (I voted for Dawn for heavens sake) I want people on the board of ed and at city hall who "get it." I have watched her and Markel doesn't get it. And because Irene Sobolov voted to give away my money to her friemd, I guess she doesn't "get it" either.

You say the meeting would go past midnight if they explained every vote. I say that if they voted no they would not have to explain thier vote and that every one wouild understand.

They also did not explain why they want to give 3.5% raises automatically to the new superentendent. I also think there was time for them to give thier reasons on that. They will have to explain that behavior during thier campaign so they might as well get started now.

SmelltheGlove

I agree with you on your first statement.

Carter recommended that Rhodes-Kearns attend the $2.3K trip to Chicago. He said it was well worthwhile. KF doesn’t have to vote in lockstep. They also don’t have to explain every single vote down the line or the meetings would all run past midnight.

Rose Markle may not be the most charismatic member on the board, but she certainly votes with her head and is focused with keeping costs down. She keeps her eye on the priority – ensuring a quality education for the Hoboken students. Substance is more important than a Hollywood presence. Sadly, your “double ugh” candidate is simply incoherent. I’m surprised that in your first statement you say you don’t care about who supported Dawn or Mason, but throw Kearns with Cammarano. That’s not fair – keep City Hall out of it. :^)

I agree with your first statement

I don't care which Kids First member likes which one. Or even who supported Dawn adn who supported Beth. Dawn is the mayor, get over it. And Beth isn't, get over it.

I want to know which candidates are going to cut down that crzy $60 million budget that covers something like 2,000 kids. Why don't these blogs write about the important stuff instead of harping on personality.

What is the deal with that $2,300 junket for Frances Rhodes-Kearns. She ran for city council on Petey C's ticket. She shouldn't get a bus ticket to newark. So when I watched the board of ed meeting I watched Sullivan say she was against it. Which makes perfect sence. Then Sobolov and Markel voted for it. They didn't say why. Wassup with that? Those two are running for re-eclection, right? Sounds like they were paying off Frances Rhodes-Kearns for having thier back in the supertendent vote. I don't know the truth but I know how old Hoboken BnRs work.

I will vote for the board candidates who tell me they won't send thier pals on trips with my dough. Does that mean I have to chose between Markel (ugh) and Patricia Waiters (double ugh). She runs for everything so I guess she is running again. Maybe that Jamaican guy from the mayors race is feeling better and can come back to run for the board of ed.

Is this thing working?

What's with some of you people? You claim you want fair discussion of the issues only to go off on senseless attacks and baseless accusations against anyone who dares to question your position.

Anon4, you're dead wrong about me. I deny all your accusations designed to push the discussion off topic. Keep the stupid attacks and allegations going though, because that's all you got.

Hooray for Smarty's comment below, he makes the best sense out of all of you! And gave me a laugh too.

BrokenBart, you really need to buy your costumes at a better place... well, now that you're out of your Red Haven I'll count the seconds until you start calling those bloggers "Zimmerists" and those who post there "elitists"... I see your benefactoress, Hoboken's own Cruella DeVille, has you back on the payroll. With your track record, surprising even YOU take yourself seriously.

Good luck.

There's a classic double standard here in the comments section. Kids First was supported by people who were with Zimmer, Mason and even Cammarano. That didn't stop the Zimmer fanatics from claiming FULL responsibility for pushing Kids First to victory last year. When Kids First first started getting criticism for the Superintendent choice it was Michael Lenz who jumped on the internet to defend his... er, their choice.

Now the Zimmer bloggers (and yes they are obviously pro-Zimmer bloggers) are claiming the Mayor has nothing to do with Kids First. Surely you jest. There's nothing factually incorrect about the Hoboken Reporter's post. It's just a waste of space.

The two pro-Zimmer blogs were set up by Zimmer fans. The blogs are ego-driven drivel designed to promote misinformation to serve their Queen and her court. They can't have it both ways.

All Da Horsey did was just ask some questions, and then try to ask more questions while the other side was banging on the door and begging, no demanding to answer any and all questions.

No bad pictures of Maureen aka Hobo411 hit job. She looks quite nice. See for yourself:

http://hobokenhorse.blogspot.com/2010/02/grist-for-mill-whats-matter-with.html

Now I have nothing to do with Kids First, the Jolly Green Giant at The Hoboken Journal or the Zimmer Administration.

Other than they are all my puppets and it is only the righteous Hudson Reporter standing in my way.

Well if you consider Frank Raia a swell guy handling our tax dollars on the school board swell. Frank, great guy, nice citizen, horrible BoE manager.

You keep doing nice work like this Hudson Reporter, maybe I'll put you in my real estate section, with those special interests.

Okay, first one to get Maureen Sullivan to answer five questions wins. Forget Judy, we dialed in with her yesterday.

Ready, set, .... go.

What happens when you leave your "reform" brethren and criticize them? You get criticized in return. Sometimes a lot. Sometimes in tandem."

The Hudson Reporter seems to be stating the obvious. The real story is why Sullivan is surprised by the reaction. Sullivan didn't criticize she vilified everyone who opposed her with the incendiary charge that they are anti-reform and part of the machine. If you are going claim the mantle of reform expect to be challenged. Sullivan is not a political neophyte and she shouldn't act like one. What this article fails to acknowledge is that both blogs have been publicly requesting interviews with Sullivan from the outset.

socalled HobokenReformer writes: What a piece of utter nonsense! What does the controversy around the BoE have to do with Mayor Zimmer?"

If you have half a brain it doesnt say it has to do with zimmer itself, but it is her allies for the most part. Even I can figure that one out!!

I enjoyed knowing this was going on and reading the comments on the other sites and this one to have a feel for the political tempo. OhBoy and Andy are particularly interesting.

So I read them and have any of you seen the tone of the Maureen posts? They say things like "What's wrong with Maureen" and have art making her look crazy, which is their right and they are blogs, just like the odious 411 is a blog, but it's still something worth noting in town as these rumblings have gotten alot of comments on both of those blogs and are part of the political landscape. I dont think this has anythign to do with zimmer but with the zimmer movement and its allies, remember she backed kids first so its not about her having control just sayign it is a lot of the same people is accurate.

The Reporter item is, I assume as a loyal reader, a chance to let us in what some of these forces are saying. I found it inresting to see what hboth sides are spewing.

As for all th other news items going on in town how many of you commented on the budget hearing story that was in the paper this weekend like you commented on this one? There is certainly news hear that we need to read.

Last spring I voted for three like minded individuals that as far as I was concerned had primarily banded together to run against Raia who was able to bankroll his campaign. The only way these three woman literally could "afford" to win was to work together. I NEVER expected identical voting records, just honest ones. I believe that the 7 votes for Romano (especially, the four from Sobolov, Minutillo, McCallister and Markle) were made because they believed he was a great candidate. Maureen and Carrie are allowed to voice there concerns, but should be looking to the community for their support of the decision and to work with him and not against him, because his success is the town's success. Instead Maureen sounds like a sore loser who wants him to fail so that she can say I TOLD YOU SO. If she can not work as a team she should resign and just go back to what she does best write blog entries in the middle of the night.

Thank you, HobokenReformer- you're right on the money.

This is clearly an effort to discredit KF-friendly blogs by fingering them as political operatives for Zimmer, and an effort to turn KF into a 'Zimmer machine'. Talk about unholy alliances.

AndyReformer, Sullivan has a near-perfect voting record WITH her KF colleagues- the schism appears to have been caused by the Superintendent vote.

Now, you may or may not agree with that particular vote but ask yourself if it was worth the public trashing of her colleagues instead of accepting that even those with common interests will sometimes disagree? Further, keep in mind that we have heard *crickets* from the ladies of KF, who have not issued a public response of any kind, do not blog, have not written letters in their own defense or on their own behalf; they've comported themselves with the dignity we should expect from our elected officials. You may have a pre-ordained bias,but just remember the 'storm' is AROUND Kids First and not FROM them.

Hoboken Reporter said: "The pro-Mayor Zimmer forces apparently aren't too happy that she's potentially splintering the reform movement with a school board election coming in April."

What a piece of utter nonsense! What does the controversy around the BoE have to do with Mayor Zimmer? Does the writer of this "article" not understand that the Mayor has no power over or influence on the BoE?

It appears that the purpose of this "article" was not to disseminate news but rather to discredit the Mayor by associating her with some controversy that she has no connection with. What a smelly pile of a brown substance!