On June 12, 2018 the Town Council voted to spend $35,000 of our collective tax money to hire an independent planner to design a redevelopment plan for Executive Drive and Essex Green; Heyer, Gruel & Associates of Red Bank, New Jersey. This project is deemed illegal by our attorneys who spoke at public meetings and pointed out the conflicts of interest with two members of the Planning Board. But, the crucial element is the lack of a blight designation. There is no blight. The town is scrapping $7000 already spent with the current Planner, Paul Grygiel. Gone, wasted. And now another $35,000 will be spent to push forward on this project that is teeming with conflicts of interest while it is in litigation. Would it make you angry to learn that the owners of Executive Drive have entered the lawsuit against the citizen's effort? They want to preserve their benefits, the potential of massive tax abatements. Tax breaks for the developers, but not for the citizens. Our taxes have gone up, four years in a row. This matter will be in Essex County Superior Court on July 16, 2018.