FCP lawsuit over????

[novillero]

but who knows what, when, why, how... it's all confidential...

Suit against development group may end soon
By Kim Predham • FREEHOLD BUREAU • August 12, 2008

FREEHOLD — A tentative settlement has been reached in a short-lived lawsuit against the town's economic development organization, the plaintiffs' attorney confirmed Monday.

Local business owners Carl N. Steinberg and Paul Lussier have agreed to settle a suit they brought against the Freehold Center Partnership that claimed the partnership violated its bylaws when it conducted its annual meeting on May 21.

The partnership's chief executive officer, Richard Gatto, plans to present the settlement to the partnership board on Wednesday, Gatto said. Board members will decide at that time whether they will approve it, Gatto said.

Gatto and the partnership's attorney, Elias Abilheira, were authorized to seek a settlement, Gatto said.

The borough also was named in the suit, and the Borough Council endorsed the agreement at its meeting on Aug. 4.

The terms of the settlement are expected to be confidential, said the plaintiffs' attorney, Larry Loigman. He said, however, that the partnership agreed that there were some bylaw violations. Loigman did not elaborate.

The plaintiffs also received a written apology from Don Smartt, the partnership's former consultant, for remarks Steinberg said he made at the May partnership meeting.

Smartt dismissed Steinberg and Lussier, Steinberg said, when they questioned the vote taken at that meeting.

"He (Smartt) was outright rude," Steinberg said.

Smartt could not be reached for comment.

Several additional issues also were resolved in the agreement, Steinberg said, but he declined to discuss those because of the confidentiality agreement.

Gatto also declined to discuss the specifics of the settlement, which he said he had not yet presented to the partnership board.

"If the board accepts, it will be an amicable settlement," Gatto said.

Steinberg was pleased with the settlement, saying Monday, "Paul Lussier and myself stood up, made a statement and we're going to give the benefit (of the doubt) to the town and the partnership that they're going to work for a better downtown, historic Freehold for the future."

Steinberg owns Carlton Station LLC on Monmouth Avenue; Lussier owns the Freehold Center Laundromat Inc. on Throckmorton Street.
www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080812/NEWS01/808120382/1285/LOCAL09

[stffgpr2003]

but who knows what, when, why, how... it's all confidential...

Suit against development group may end soon
By Kim Predham • FREEHOLD BUREAU • August 12, 2008

If YOU know anything about Carl Steinberg, he would not agree unless he felt the matter was headed to a successful conclusion. I served with Carl on the Council and I have always liked him and have been impressed by his detail orientation (sometimes he's anal LOL!!!) and his love for the town. I often take his counsel on many town issues.

Marc

[novillero]

Oh, I am not saying anything about Mr. Steinberg, just emphasizing that we won't get any details. And what is successful to him, may not be what someone else considers successful.

I guess if we see changes, like 'em or not, and they deal with Throckmorton, we might attribute them there. But I guess that confidentiality is the best course so that the FCP can move on and things are over and done with.

Unfortunately, the last week's news was not good for Throckmorton (2 items I won't bother to recap). Let's hope there's change afoot - beginning with that bus station.

[misterpr1981]

Aug 12, 2008 11:10:42 GMT -5 novillero said:

Oh, I am not saying anything about Mr. Steinberg, just emphasizing that we won't get any details. And what is successful to him, may not be what someone else considers successful.

I guess if we see changes, like 'em or not, and they deal with Throckmorton, we might attribute them there. But I guess that confidentiality is the best course so that the FCP can move on and things are over and done with.

Unfortunately, the last week's news was not good for Throckmorton (2 items I won't bother to recap). Let's hope there's change afoot - beginning with that bus station.

[stffgpr2003]

Oh, I am not saying anything about Mr. Steinberg, just emphasizing that we won't get any details. And what is successful to him, may not be what someone else considers successful.

I guess if we see changes, like 'em or not, and they deal with Throckmorton, we might attribute them there. But I guess that confidentiality is the best course so that the FCP can move on and things are over and done with.

Unfortunately, the last week's news was not good for Throckmorton (2 items I won't bother to recap). Let's hope there's change afoot - beginning with that bus station.

If you don't like what you see on Throckmorton or anywhere else in town - please, speak up. I may not like the changes, either, and definitely will do the same. My point was that Carl is, in my opinion, a good critic of all such things and his heart is also in the right place. He's a good guy to take the town's "temperature" with on certain issues.

It is no secret that I have been a critic of the Partnership, for the past couple of years. However, with the addition of Rich Gatta and the re-arrangement of Jayne Carr's position, I am willing to see how things go under the new alignment. So far, I like what I am hearing from Gatto and some others.

I, along with you, are looking to see if they can deliver. And, I'll take an active role with the "delivery,"this time. So far, I've brought in my comedy club friend, as well as the owners of a high end jewelry store that is looking to relocate to the Borough from the township, if they can buy the right building on Main. Gatto seems to be a "do-er" like me and he deserves a chance to show us what he can do.

Marc

[admin]

First, I am glad the suit is over. That is bad news and I would hope that progress can be made without a suit hanging over anyones head.

Second, I never met this Steinberg guy, but I like him. I know he has been vocal for quite some time about getting the town to clean up Throckmorton. He is not wrong and I admire his continually bringing this up. Throckmorton is a dump and as a gateway into our town, it should not be.

I hope this will be an area of priority for the NPC, the police, FCP, and code enforcement. I mention code because just about every house there is a rental.

Keep up the good fight, Carl.

[novillero]

newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2008/0813/front_page/005.html

Litigation reported settled
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer


FREEHOLD — A lawsuit filed against the Freehold Center Partnership, the Freehold Borough Special Improvement District (SID) and Freehold Borough by two property owners is reported to have been settled.

Carl Steinberg, who owns the Carlton Station commercial property at 2 Monmouth Ave., just off Throckmorton Street, and Freehold Center Cleaners Inc., 78 Throckmorton St., were listed as plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

Steinberg claimed that business owners on Throckmorton Street were not getting the same treatment from the partnership and the SID as business owners on Main Street were receiving.

He said he believed there were inconsistencies in the money raised by the partnership and how that money was dispersed.

The partnership oversees events and activities in the borough's business district.

The lawsuit also alleged there was improper conduct in the voting process held at the partnership's annual meeting on May 21.

The lawsuit stated that the actions of the partnership resulted in "economic harm to the interest of the plaintiffs and other property owners within the SID."

Attorney Lawrence Loigman of Middletown represented Steinberg and Paul Lussier, who owns the Freehold Center Cleaners.

Loigman said that in settling the litigation — which was filed within the past month — all sides agreed to work together for the betterment of downtown Freehold.

"They all want to put a damper on any recriminations out there," he said.

The attorney said all of the parties concerned want to "start fresh." He said the fact that the partnership has brought a new CEO on board is one element that "will help this new start."

Loigman said the partnership acknowledged there was "some merit" in the claim from Steinberg and Lussier, and said the organization will "take some measures to satisfy everyone to help things go the way they should be going."

"A lot of this depends on the development of trust. It's a handshake type of relationship and we are hoping it will all work out," Loigman said.

Attorney Elias Abilheira, who is representing the Freehold Center Partnership, said the group would have a statement about the litigation after representatives of the organization meet this week.

[admin]

One interesting point. The article announcing the law suit was on the front page of the county section. The article announcing it was over was buried in the back of the county section.

Not very fair.