I received the official financial documents (required to be filed by state law) for the Trusted Team and the Mark Marino PAC and found out who was directly and indirectly involved with donating money. Now for the totals first ... are you sitting down ... believe it or not the "Trusted Team" spent over $9,500 on their Trappe Borough Council Campaign. Wow ... that has got to be a record for a small Borough like Trappe!
Now typically in local races you spend at the MOST $1500 (in a contested race). Money and favors bought this election and the 'Trusted Team" will be bring their sleigh in January to Trappe Borough Hall and will be handing out presents to all of the donors.
The following is the donor list for the "Trusted Team" (with my comments):
- Mark Marino and John Kane $2000 - Development of the Trappe School site (1st Avenue and College Avenue) - want zoning overlay but area residents opposed and so is current Council
- Gilmore and Associates (John Sartor) $650 - Former Trappe Engineer buying back his job
- Anthony Tosco, Tosco Real Estate (Collegeville) $250 - Represents properties in Trappe
- Bob Manley $500 - Insurance Broker (Watch this guy get insurance business without bidding or rigged bidding)
- Al Hermann $250 - Former Trappe Borough Manager (Contract) - Wants his old job back
- Steve Fox, Le Jardin - $500 - Wants many waivers to develop Zollers property
- Ralph Zoller $400 - Wants many waivers to develop his property with Steve Fox
- Bob Brandt $150 - Represents Strategic Realty, proposed developers for the Trappe School site (1st Avenue and College Avenue)
- Tony Mazzamuto $350 - Owns property in Trappe and is good friends with the Stagliano's
- Rowan Keenan $80 - Collegeville Councilman and an employee of his fathers law firm. That law firm is solicitor for Lower Frederick Township (where Ernie Schmitt was just elected and formerly served as Building Inspector while working at the CTJPW as a no-show employee)
- Liz Veres $60 - Collegeville-Trappe Joint Public Works employee and head of clerical union that is looking for better contract (like you could get better!)
- Robert Kerns $1000 (via his PAC) - Current Trappe Borough Solicitor who is looking to stay the Borough Solicitor
Sources of Mark Marino PAC money (some of it funneled to the "Trusted Team")
- Gambone Development $13000 - To get out of Silverleaf work wiythout paying
- Bob Brandt $300 - Representing Strategic Realty for the Trappe School
- THP $500 - Fugo Tract development
- Strategic Realty $400 - Trappe School
- BG Partnership $250 - Trappe School
- Ed Mullins $1500 - Fugo Tract
- Carl Weiner $1000 - Andre DiPrinzio property on Main Street is being held up by current Council due to numerous requested waivers
Now no one in business spends money unless they think it will make them money. After reading the list and my personal opinions above ... it starts to fall in place.
Compare the money that the "Trusted Team" received to that of Stu Strauss and the others that ran against them and you will see that Strauss and the others did not have a prayer. The "Trusted Team" had ten times more money, they had the press (bought and sold), and for God's sake they had press releases for a little borough campaign! Take a GOOD look at my list above and I think you will agree here there is more here than meets the eye.
Yes indeed, there will be no coal in the stockings for these donors. Yes folks, just come to the Trappe Borough Council meetings (held on the first Tuesday of the month) for the next four years and you will see Santa Watson and his merry elves pull up to Trappe Borough Hall in their sleigh and and hand out Trappe Taxpayer's money to all of these donors ... wait and watch!
Jingle bells, jingle bells ...
