Brick & Dover: It all started with an E-Mail from a normally reliable source who has given OCP a great deal of interesting and useful information.

The E-Mail concerned former Planning Board Chairman Juan Carlos Bellu, the accountant who helped kill plans for open space acquisition in Dover Township and was part of the "Posse" group involved in an unsuccessful planning board political power grab a couple of years ago.

Bellu Is DMUA Vice-Chairman

Bellu is now Vice-Chairman of the Dover Municipal Utilities Authority, an officer of the Republican GreedClub and a crony of GOP Boss Richard Clement and his wife, DMUA Commissioner Deborah Clement.

The DMUA has a big budget deficit (now increasing at about $50,000 a week) which Bellu and the Clements have made worse by refusing to support intelligent spending reductions and reforms since Bellu became a commissioner in January.

E-Mail Says Bellu Is In Conflict

The E-Mail, in part reads as follows: "You people should look into one of the biggest conflicts in Dover Township. Juan Bellu, who was the Planning Board Chairman, is the owner of downtown property under a corporation name. Some of the property, which is rental property, is rented to public agencies at exorbitant rentals that represent a rip-off to the taxpayers."

Downtown Business District Waste

In view of the disastrous failures and waste of public funds of the so-called Downtown Business Improvement District, and Bellu's connection with other downtown issues, we thought we owed it to our readers to check this "information" with Mr. Bellu for accuracy.

We Left Six Messages, But Bellu Does Not Return Calls

So we called him and left messages a total of six times. Once, our associate editor reached Mr. Bellu directly, but he refused to talk and promised to call us back, a call that never came.

Another Stone Wall - Another Cover-Up?
Chairman Bellu?? Councilman Acropolis??

Clearly, we are being stone-walled, a condition that is almost always the basis for a cover-up of some sort.

OCP is suddenly also having problems getting information from Brick Council President Stephen Acropolis, who won't return our phone calls to provide information on important issues:

The use of vital reserves to paper over the tax increase generated by excessive spending on patronage in the Brick Municipal Budget.

Acropolis' business partner's connection with the big budget deficit at the DMUA, and their joint complicity in aromatic commitments to the Clements at the time of the GreedClub's support for Acropolis' unsuccessful try for the freeholder seat now held by Freeholder Jerry Little.

Bilotta, Another Clement Stooge?

The Acropolis business partner, Joseph Bilotta, was, like Bellu, appointed at the behest of the Clements as a DMUA commissioner in January. He is now receiving a salary plus free family medical insurance (cost of about $12,000) for one or two meetings a month.

Bilotta Helps Enrich Clement Cronies - Makes Deficit Worse

Bilotta, like Bellu, has refused to support intelligent budget reductions at the DMUA, and has concentrated on enriching the favorite patronage recipients sponsored by the Clements, a policy that has given the DMUA a three year cumulative deficit (nearly $8 million) that is now increasing at about $50,000 a week.

What About The Shea Guy??

And, what about attorney Robert Shea, the scourge of the Votech and Fire District #1. Is he still Acropolis' "Finance Chairman?" Will he be enriched if the Republicans win in Brick next year when Acropolis runs for mayor?

Stay Tuned For More Articles On these important Issues

© Copyright 2003-2007 Ocean County Politics .com. All Rights Reserved.
Questions & Comments: gvgeditor@aol.com