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Post by Marc LeVine on Dec 6, 2006 9:46:19 GMT -5
Brian:
Steven knows to call you. His new job took him to a conference of women realtors on Park Avenue in NYC, yesterday. One of his colleagues forgot the digital camera they needed to bring along and Steven had to literally run several blocks to ask another client that he has never met, if he could borrow their digital camera.
When Steven got back to the conference, the camera battery was dead!! It was a long day of unusual challenges. He left the house at 6 am and got home after 8pm.
He knows to get in touch with you; is very excited and already was talking about "slogans" for Freehold Borough. Fortunately, he takes after me. We have a passion for getting things done and tireless energy to work on them. Leading positive change excites both of us.
Remember, whatever you discuss will have to be approved by the Mayor and Council - insofar as establishing a new OFFICIAL PR committee. I will gladly place the item on the council agenda, once you are ready.
Marc
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Post by fiber is good for you on Dec 6, 2006 9:52:22 GMT -5
PR Commity, where do I sign up? Brian, I can't log in, I regstered last week, and did't recieve me Reg-Pin# thingie.... I'd like to jump in here every now and then! Thanks FIGFY PR is for Public Relations RIGHT?  |
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Post by Marc LeVine on Dec 6, 2006 11:24:18 GMT -5
Calliope:
I view our PR challenge as very complicated. How do we continue to fight off the effects of illegal immigration, while painting a pretty picture of Freehold?
If we want to back the bad absentee landlords out and invite more owner-occupied residents in. Accomplishing this involves the type of discouragement that only the media can relay to current and potential offenders.
Someone recently made the point that Stonehurst Apartments in Freehold Township is a real hell hole with issues that the township officials keep out of the press. Of course, their suburban demographics are far different from ours and I suppose that they are just satisfied containing the damage to their only troublesome apartment complex. They don't seem to fear having this problem "jump" to their single family homes, as it did in the Borough.
Do we hide issues like the "Illegal Restaurant" from the Press and public or do we use these issues to send a WARNING message - when, of course, the fines equal the offense!!! Please, just let's discuss this in the context of this message - we're working on improving the penalties for the offense, itself.
Difficult balance. Especially difficult for an HR guy, who started a career with management that would say, "we tell the people only what we think they should know," to today's human resources philosophy that says, "people need to be kept well informed, if you want them to be part of the success."
Your thoughts?
Marc
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Post by fiber is good for you on Dec 6, 2006 15:14:35 GMT -5
Some news papers post the name of those arrested for DUI, or Sexual Solicitation.
Why not post the name of Landlords who are found guilty of Code Violations?
Once found guilty, this information is a matter of Public Record.
Can the Boro, or more so, the Dept of Code Enforcement, post the names on their WEB and Identify the Violators?
I believe there quite a number of rental properties owned by Jackson and Wall Patrolman. These officers may not care about that their names in the news papers "Slumlord Blotter", but you'd be on the winning side of a bet that the Municipalities who employ the services of Police/Slumlords would not like to see this type or PR in the papers!
FIGFY
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Post by Marc LeVine on Dec 6, 2006 17:18:24 GMT -5
FIGFY:
The News Transcript has shown a greater interest in doing this for Freehold Borough, but not to the extent you mention. At least, not yet. They have reported on Michael Leftkovitz, the landlord from Lakewood, who wanted to go door to door to buy up more houses in town. He had multiple violations on other properties he managed in town and was denied the permit and "outed" to the town and the Transcript's readership. Today, we all learned that the matter eventually became part of an Orthodox blog in Lakewood, in which several readers agreed with the Borough's stance.
As a result of the bad publicity, this man was removed from his property management duties in Freehold Borough.
The Transcript also helped bring to light the owners and tenants of the, now infamous, illegal restaurant on Mechanic Street. That one is owned by a Wall policeman. The Wall Coast Star picked up on that story and quoted the Wall Township Police Chief as "looking into the situation" from the police angle. It turns out that three or four other Wall police officers also own rental properties in the Borough.
Finally, the Transcript presented the case of Donald Forgione, a code enforcement official from Bricktown, who also has multiple housing violations in the Borough. Shame on him. A recent article in the local Brick papers, picked up on the story for all to read. His professional credibility had to take a hit - at very least.
The Asbury Park Press hasn't really been interested in these stories, to date. I used to be their HR Director and passed the stories to their key editors, but they have not reported on any.
Writing letters to newspapers is a good idea, in this case. The volume of letters, received, is the key influencing agent here.
The goal of all newspapers is to sell advertising. Content is really only secondary. When the publisher realizes that there are untapped areas of public interest and if they can determine significant readership potential, they will move to include such topics in their newspapers. It's all about increased sales.
The challenge in this particular case is that, they already report on crime in all area towns with Police Beat. They would have to consider including landlord violations for all area towns, too. It becomes a space consideration measured against additional advertising potential. If additional pages are needed to cover this news, the newsprint costs (paper & ink) also figure in to the equation. It's all a question of business justification by Gannett, the Asbury Park Press' parent company.
Gannett is a national media group that tends to use a "cookie cutter" approach to all their papers. If they are not reporting on Landlord Violations, elsewhere, it is difficult to interest them in our case, locally. New Jersey Press, the former APP owners, might have been more inclined to do this.
Greater Media (The News Transcript), o the other hand, is a weekly newspaper group with much more local flavor and area interest. They are our best chance for adding such a column. The good news is that when they print something of interest, other newspapers pick up on it. The paper serves as a conduit for other and often larger media outlets, which is a good thing.
As for placing this information on the Borough's web site? There really is no real benefit (and lots of needed labor) and it would remain mostly obscured from the general public.
All in all, the effort to make this happen is worthwhile, though critics might argue that it fall into the category of bad PR for the Borough. I say...once we cleanse ourselves of the negative influences in or town, the PR job becomes that much easier.
Marc
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Post by admin on Dec 6, 2006 19:52:47 GMT -5
PR Comity, where do I sign up? Brian, I can't log in, I registered last week, and didn't receive me Reg-Pin# thingie.... I'd like to jump in here every now and then! Thanks FIGFY PR is for Public Relations RIGHT? FIGFY, Try the process again. When you get your confirmation number emailed to you, cut and paste. i know these boards can be temperamental sometimes. I have had similar problems signing up at another pro-board. Just keep trying. if you have further problem, let me know, and I will guide you through it a little more detailed. |
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Post by Fiber is good for you on Dec 6, 2006 20:03:11 GMT -5
When you get your confirmation number emailed to you, cut and paste. Problem is I do not recieved the email's, nothing ever arrives (I tried 2 addies, ffom different domains! FIGFY |
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Post by admin on Dec 6, 2006 20:21:56 GMT -5
When you get your confirmation number emailed to you, cut and paste. Problem is I do not received the email's, nothing ever arrives (I tried 2 addies, from different domains! FIGFY something is wrong! I have emailed you twice, from two different servers. usually the sign up sends you an immediate response. I will try to get in touch with you again. |
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Post by Fiber is good for you on Dec 6, 2006 20:33:51 GMT -5
on the matter of PR, aside form the a prospective committee;
can the W. Monmouth Chamber or Com. be counted on to help turn up the volume by creating a timley POSITIVE BUZZ?
BTW, I like "Get your Glory Days, in the Boro"
FIGFY
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Post by Fiber is good for you on Dec 6, 2006 20:36:59 GMT -5
something is wrong! I have emailed you twice, from two different servers. usually the sign up sends you an immediate response. I will try to get in touch with you again. ending in .net, not .com RIGHT? You have a YIM? we can chat me through this~! |
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Post by fiber is good for you on Dec 6, 2006 21:06:13 GMT -5
I told the council how repulsed I was with the thought of someone at my door doing a soft sell Block busting gig!
And the letters in the Mail;
"Well buy your home for CASH, Close in TWO WEEKS!!!"
I am still looking for the mail with the SI postal cancellation, which I think is a ...Federal RICO Violation, a Felony offense to use of interstate mail for ill gains (verbiage in the letter inferred again, block busting, but it read CLEVERLY OH so suttle, property value plunging so neighbors are selling you should too, while the value is highER!
I have seen one of the Lakewood Blogs, to me, it seemed almost as intolerant and as bad as the VANGUARD blog.
Thank "Ashem" we have freedom of speech and the Internet, at least you know what people are saying and know where you stand, but on the other hand, Free speech on the INTERNET can help fuel the flames of ignorance because a massive virtual audience can be hiding behind closed doors. If you think that the INTERNET fosters rampant Porn and Gambling, there is an over abundance of RAW IGNORANCE & HATE (google around a bit and you will be horrified by the abundance)
Got off topic....Is it in appropriate for the BORO or the Code Enforcement Dept to Post on the WEB Judgments and the associated Violation.
The Post's may not generate a MASSIVE hit count, but it will exposes scumlords in a public venue.
Boro residents can look and might start to call attention whats going on around the corner or on their street, Might make people become more vigilant!
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Post by Marc LeVine on Dec 7, 2006 10:37:10 GMT -5
Absolutely. Executive Director Art Kondrup is about to retire. He did a good job, but with a new Executive Director taking over, there is the opportunity to influence new directions fot the Chamber to take. They have the size, clout and funding to promote the "positive buzz" you speak of. They are also based in Freehold Borough, split their offices with Jayne Carr of the Partnership and share each other's ear throughout the entire work week.
The Chamber can be very helpful in convincing many area realtors to SELL the Borough MORE to young families looking to plant their roots in a nice community rather than to slum landlords looking to profit at everyone else's expense.
We need to reintegrate our neighborhoods with more owner occupied, racially diverse families that will replace current absentee landlord rental properties, one by one. We are all very tired of reading real estate ads that refer to " Excellent Income Producing/Investment Properties." Better those ads should read, "Beautiful Victorian home with a wrap around porch, sitting on an oversized lot located in one of Western Monmouth's most charming and desirable towns."
As for enlisting the Chamber to help. For us to benefit from good PR, the more the merrier.
Marc
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Post by Fiber is good for you on Dec 7, 2006 14:49:40 GMT -5
not sure if I should start a new sting, or is this is the correct sting but here it goes.... A Property Tax Credit to any Landlord who rents (as residential, not commercial) to any Medical Profession working at Centerstate, looking for long or short term rental housing?  This Medical center is rapidly expanding, attracting many new medical professional to the immediate Area? So may not be looking to buy property right away! Can we encourage the Reat Estate professionals and the Landlord to engage with Center state HR to develop a program for housing search here in the Boro? |
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