In 2006, after losing an election for town council, hooligans toilet papered John Biale’s house in Oakland.
Whether it was teenagers -whose interest in politics is minimal – or their parents, it was an obvious emotional blow as Biale’s voice recounted the incident during one of his final meetings as a member of the Oakland town council.
Six years later, Biale is back, and has done more towards helping the community of Oakland than the combined efforts of all the sitting council members.
It was Biale who was able to deliver on Schwager’s campaign promise to synchronize the traffic lights on Ramapo Valley Road in an effort to alleviate congestion. It was Biale who in the early spring of 2012 came to the council with a concrete plan on utilizing the affordable housing trust fund to purchase the Ramapo Valley Road property.
It was Biale who brought to the communal table a conservative and safe plan to protect the COAH trust. It was Biale who worked to earn the cooperation of the Bergen county Mosquito Commission in addressing the flooding at Crystal Lake and Allerman Brook.
It was Biale.
It was Biale, as a member of the Oakland council, who pushed to have a public referendum on instituting an open space tax – the same funds future administrations would tout as critical to Oakland being able to purchase numerous open space tracts.
It was Biale who, as a member of the council, led the fight to force the Oakland council members to relinquish their health benefits, saving Oakland taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. A last minute mailer by his opponents assumed credit for abolishing this government perk, but it was really Biale.
It was Biale.
Whether wearing the hat of a private citizen, the hat of a Bergen County Housing board member, the hat of an RML member, or wearing no hat at all on his perfectly coiffed hair, Biale has been working for Oakland. He has taken a lickin’ in the past, and still keeps tickin’; and, even today, the powers that be work against him.
It was in March of 2012, well before the impending July deadline when Oakland’s affordable housing trust fund would require surrendering the money to the state, that Biale came to an Oakland town council and proposed the purchase of the Ramapo Valley road property. Three months later, at the eleventh hour, the Oakland town council chose the Visconti plan that now puts the entire trust fund at risk of seizure by the state.
The Biale plan, which was consistent with that of multiple municipalities, would probably have passed muster with the state and maintained the approximately $800,000 for use in Oakland. Today, Oakland at best will spend additional legal fees trying to keep the state from seizing the money – and the chances of winning are small.
As a member of RML, and a citizen of Oakland, Biale approached the Bergen County Mosquito Commission to see if they could do for Oakland what they have done for towns like Franklin Lakes. It was Biale who brought the players together for a meeting to address the route 287 runoff that stifles the waters of Allerman Brook and Crystal Lake. It was Biale who had the will to do what elected officials failed to do over so many years.
It was Biale.
The council meeting of July 25th 2012 brought to light the reaction of those who, while doing nothing, will stymie the efforts of those who try to do something. It was announced that council member Chris Visconti reached out to his brother-in-law, County Administrator Ed Trawinski, to create a policy that would prevent the Bergen County Mosquito Commission from cooperating with the Biale plan to help Oakland.
Many residents struggle to get the attention of the Oakland town council. Years go by as efforts to mediate flooding and erosion fall on deaf ears. Residents come to the council seeking answers to ducks and dogs, unnecessary lawsuits, unfair practices and process.
Most residents come before the council with problems; Biale comes with answers.
What makes one Oakland man take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’? Is the source of resilience in the water? Is it the inspiration of the steady flow of the Ramapo River? Is it in the rocky hills that rise in the horizon? Is it in the example set by neighbors ready to lend a hand when disaster strikes? Or is it the other Oakland voices echoing back when the call for volunteers is sounded?
What makes John Biale tick?
What makes Oakland tick?
If the town’s affordable money is taken away by Christie, Visconti must resign from the council. This man deliberately side-tracked the plan which Mr. Biale presented. Seven years of doing nothing with the money is all the fault of Visconti.
I will not vote for him or Pignatelli this fall.
It is apparent that through his efforts and accomplishments John Biale’s heart truly ticks to see a better Oakland by addressing the needs and concerns of all citizens regardless of their party affliation. Unfortuneately, with the republican party still in control, Oakland has become a time bomb whose ticking hopefully will end next November.
What a shame, what a darn shame! Here we have someone willing to volunteer his time to do what is right for all of Oakland, but ORC politics blocks it. Visconti and friends would rather not help the seniors, those living on the lake or even reduce traffic, because God-for-bid, the ORC won’t get credit. This reminds me of DiPentima showing at a council meeting trying to take credit for the Ramapough – Van Allen House idea. Or Szabo, trying to take credit for the IHHS car show last summer, or Pignatelli trying to take credit for the improvemetns on traffic. No this is worse, Visconti and friends are actually stopping progress all in the name of the ORC. And how Visconti reaches out to his brother-in-law to stop Mr. Bialli’s plan. How dare Visconti and friends continue their assault on Oakland. I guess Mr. Bialli is “one of the angry people” or is he “one of the mayor’s supporters”; Visconti and friends stop your bad behavior, and put politics aside out of common decency!
Mr. Bialli is an Oakland treasure, Visconti and friends should be thanking him for doing this work gratis. Thank you Mr. Bialli!
Another Republican vote here not guaranteed to go to Republicans anymore