Brief Explanation of My Lawsuit
November 1, 2023 (read time approx. 2 minutes 23 seconds)
I am happy to explain my lawsuit against the Planning Board and the developer:
The process of a Planning Board Hearing is governed by the NJ Municipal Land Use (MLU) law.
The hearing process is basically broken into 2 segments, the 1st is the presentation of the application along with the plans and the testimony of the applicant’s expert witnesses: their engineer, architect, planner, and traffic consultants. The public is then only permitted to ask questions of the witnesses, they are not permitted to object to the application during this portion of the hearing.
The MLU law stipulates that the second segment of the hearing is when the public has an opportunity to voice their objections to the application and to put forth their own expert witnesses to testify.
I had asked 182 questions of the applicant’s witnesses during the 1st segment of the hearing which was held on Zoom. At the conclusion of the question period and prior to the commencement of the 2nd segment, the Planning Board Chairman hit the mute button, and moved the application to a vote, which they approved-denying me (or anyone else that was on Zoom) an opportunity to object to the application in any way, shape or form!
This is the basis of my lawsuit. The remedy I am seeking is for the judge to remand (which means-send back) the applicant to the Planning Board to reopen the hearing, so I have an opportunity to present my objectors case along with my expert witnesses.
A judge denied my request at a trial that was held in the spring. Since my property is directly adjacent and downhill from the development, I have a higher standing than any other objector and wholly expect to prevail when my appeal is heard this month in the NJ appellate court.
The claims, re my lawsuit, that Kurpis is making in his attack direct mail pieces against me are almost laughable. I believe that they are going to actually strengthen my position among voters when they see how desperate he is, by sinking so low, and making such ridiculously false claims as a result of my lawsuit.
I have been asked by many residents, both in person as I have been knocking on doors (over 450 doors so far and counting) and via email and on phone calls, what my plan is? My answer is simple: TOGETHER WE CAN:
Protect our Property Values
Restore Fiscal Responsibility and
(most importantly) Restore Integrity to the Mayor’s Office!
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about my position on this issue and for sharing my response with your neighbors and friends!
Vin Blehl
Saddle River Mayoral Candidate
201-472-0048
FB Vin Blehl
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3 Ways to Vote:
By Mail (Yes, there is still time to return your mail ballot to the PO or a secure Drop Box))
Early In-person (With voting machines, the same as In-person voting
Now until November 5th, Weekdays & Saturday 10 AM – 8 PM
Sunday 10 AM – 6PM
(Check our website for locations, scroll all the way to the bottom) www.Vin4Mayor.com
Election Day In-person – Tuesday Nov 7th at the Firehouse 6AM – 8PM
October 30,2023
Dear neighbor,
Al Kurpis has ignored my repeated challenge to debate because he cannot defend his baseless claims/lies…To YOU.
His most recent campaign letter is riddled with lies about taxes (no, taxpayers will not get hit with a phantom $72 million tax bill ), zoning (no, we would not lose our 2-acre zoning or surrender our quality of life to “…hordes of out of town developers) and transparency (shutting off discussion by closing down microphone is not transparency.)
Kurpis still hasn’t explained how he intends to repay the $8 million he has borrowed, the low interest $600,000 at below market rate – 1 % – loan he gave to an out-of-town developer with Saddle River taxpayers assuming the risk nor has he offered a cogent/realistic plan to meet whatever obligations Saddle River may have while maintaining our community’s character.
If Kurpis is afraid to confront me in person, is he hiding something from you?
I hope you will decide that voting for me is a vote for you and your family. Please feel free to call me, at 201-472-0048, if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Vincent Louis “Vin” BLEHL
Saddle River Mayoral Candidate
Vote Column 1 (From the bottom up)
3 Ways to Vote:
Now until Nov 5, Mon – Sat 10AM-8PM & Sun 10AM -6PM
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YOUR VOICE I YOUR VISION I YOUR CHOICE
Open Letter to Mayor Al Kurpis
Al,
Your failure to respond to my debate challenge demonstrates your ongoing disrespect for Saddle River residents.
That’s unacceptable. You’re the mayor and you have an obligation to be truthful and forthcoming.Hiding behind untruthful campaign flyers doesn’t cut it.
Here’s what Saddle River taxpayers would learn if you show up to debate:
Al, you can try to avoid me and ignore your constituents but you can’t hide from the truth. These are just some of the issues we should discuss so that Saddle River voters can make an intelligent choice.
Where and when? I’ll be there.
Vin Blehl
You can explain why you favor deer hunts in our community and I’ll tell you why the vast majority of our residents say “no” emphatically!
Open Letter to Mayor Al Kurpis
Al, your last mailer is consistent: misleading, devoid of truth, in fact, quite “Trumpian.”
Here’s a thought. Instead of using a borough facility for a political rally why don’t we invite the community to a mayoral debate?
You can explain your abhorrent campaign to deny public participation in the affordable housing debate and I’ll describe how I had to file a lawsuit on behalf of every Saddle River resident who wants to preserve the character of our community. By the way, the Borough Attorney’s political comments reflect your policies – not the interests of Saddle River.
You can explain how you planted a “tax bomb” with your irresponsible borrowing of $8 million. Saddle River residents know you put this bill on THEIR credit cards so you could claim “no new taxes.”
Al, it’s time for you to stop hiding and defend your irresponsible policies. No shutting off the microphone! How about next weekend? We can send an email inviting all Saddle River residents. I’m waiting for your response.
Vin Blehl
SaddleRiver Mayoral Candidate
PS – yes, I oppose deer hunts in our community. The issue is, why don’t you?
From: Vin Blehl
Date: Fri, Apr 2, 2021, 6:17 PM
Subject: Re: Republican Assembly- PLEASE READ and REPLY
To: Joanne Kakaty
Joanne,
In light of recent events during the last administration in Washington and the recent decision by the Mayor and Council to suppress the mission of the Environmental Commission by canceling the residents survey on resolving deer conflicts that we worked on for 6 months in conjunction with the mayor, Jerry G and the council liaisons, I have become a registered Democrat.
Vin Blehl
Dear Neighbor:
Al Kurpis’ recent “Trumpian” type mailer (where he makes-up his own facts and then exaggerates them) requires a response.
Yes, I have filed a lawsuit which seeks to protect all of us – every Saddle River family – from the tyrannical modus operandi of the mayor to deny all residents the right to object to the construction of affordable housing in Saddle River. This lawsuit was made necessary by the irresponsible actions of the Saddle River Planning Board, which the mayor sits on, by denying my rights to present an objectors case by silencing me (and you) by hitting the mute button during the hearing (on Zoom) when it was my turn to object.
Even if you discount the flagrant violation of the Municipal Land Use laws by the planning board, there is no denying what THE REAL FACTS ARE-What Kurpis did not tell you is:
4 houses on Choctaw Trail and then deeded them to the developer for $1.
That’s how Kurpis and his administration see Saddle River, a free-for-all with your tax dollars evident from the clearly irresponsible actions taken by Kurpis to subsidize developers at your expense- the taxpayers.
I don’t share that vision and I know that many of our neighbors agree. We wish to maintain the character of Saddle River, to stop the costly run-away bonding freight train and to restore integrity to the Mayor’s office. Our lawsuit helps accomplish this for all of us!
I hope you will envision the Saddle River you and your family wish to live in as you vote. A vote for Vin Blehl is a vote for that vision.
Thank you for your consideration,
Vin Blehl
Saddle River Mayoral Candidate VOTE: COLUMN 1 (From the Bottom Up) Thank you!