Township Manager Joe Hartnett said the state deputy director of community affairs told him that state representatives disagree with the Superior Court judge’s decision. Really? I checked. Everyone I reached said it was against their policy to comment on Superior Court judge rulings. Who is this mystery person that commented and why didn’t The Times report it?

Twelve taxpayers filed a lawsuit in 2006. I was just one of them. Why can’t The Montclair Times accurately report the facts?

Montclair Economic Development Corp. President Steve Schuckman told The Times, "The MEDC is pleased that the judge took the stand that we are a professional organization and that we do provide a service of expertise to the community." What the judge actually said was "individual volunteers and members of the boards certainly have expertise, training and experience in the field." The judge never said or implied that the MEDC as a whole was a "professional" organization. In fact, Alan Trembulak, former MEDC attorney turned Montclair Township attorney, agreed. Under my constant questioning in 2005, Trembulak agreed that the MEDC was not qualified to receive a "professional services" agreement with the township.

The Times failed to report reaction from any winning plaintiffs in an effort to balance its article.

While The Times’ poll and Times’ reporting would have most of us think that the case is over, it is not. The township must now address the countersuit which it filed.

The fact remains that for the past 11 years, the MEDC has received about half a million dollars in contracts that were not legal.

Fact checking is not the reader’s job.