Coming to Radburn and Fair Lawn

Trustees Approve New Development Contract 8-1

The Radburn Board of Trustees voted 8-1 to approved a revised contract for the sale of Daly Field to Landmark L.L.C. on Monday night. The only vote against approval was cast by Citizens' Associatiion President Art Murray. The trustees voting to give the developer up to four more years to close the deal for a minimum of 165 units on Daly Field and the adjacent Hayward property were: Lou Weiss, Marion Paganello, Sue Mecky, George Brouca, Aleece Nolan, Lisa Meltzer-Press, Annabel Schlair and Christine Nunn. Read more about the meeting as reported by Fair Lawn Patch.

In April 2008 a judge ordered the Radburn Association to conform to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), which requires detailed disclosure of finances to residents. None of the information provided by the Radburn Association currently is in conformity with GAAP. In fact, the trustees of the Radburn Association have gone to court to appeal a judge's decision that requires the Radburn Association to make financial disclosures in accordance with GAAP, even as they say they are developing such a policy.

Full financial disclosure plays a role in the price Radburn homeowners may receive when selling their homes.Just what are these principles and what will Radburn need to do to come into compliance?

View the analysis by Certified Public Accountant Gary Konecky.

CA Committee Offers Election Reform Proposals

The Citizens' Association elections reform committee in August, 2006 submitted proposals to the Trustees for modifying Radburn's nomination and election procedures. A special meting to discuss these proposals took place on July 19, 2006. The proposals were delivered to the trustees for review in mid-August, 2006, but to date have not received a response.

Radburn Election Proposal 1 Radburn Election Proposal 2

Radburn Election Proposal 3 Radburn Election Proposal 4

View Curent Radburn Association Bylaws

View Current Radburn Association Certificate of Incorporation

Daly Field Contract Available for Review

We have obtained a copy of the contract for the sale of Daly Field from The Radburn Association to Landmark Companies L.L.C. Unfortunately, virtually all of the relevant terms of the contract, such as the purchase price, the contingency dates, and the zoning contingencies, have been blacked out ("redacted," in legal parlance).We are working on getting an unedited version of the contract, so stay tuned. Thanks to Donal A. Meyers for obtaining this copy.

View the Daly Field contract.

CPA Analysis of Radburn Association Finances

After reviewing recent tax returns and public statements from officers of The Radburn Association, Certified Public Accountant Gary Konecky has concluded that the RA has been engaged in "massive" deficit spending, and apparently lacks adequate Trustee oversight of management and significant expenditures. Konecky believes that these factors indicate material weakness in the RA's internal control, which is classified by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Professional Standards as a reportable condition. Fraud risk factors, as defined in these standards, appear to be present in the RA's operations, according to Konecky.

View Gary Konecky's analysis of the Board of Trustees 2006 Public Budget Meeting.

View Gary Konecky's professional analysis of the 2006 Radburn budget as presented to citizens in December.

View Gary Konecky's follow-up report as presented to citizens in February.

View Gary Konecky's follow-up report for May, including reference documents.

Read Gary Konecky's open letter to the Radburn Board of Trustees.

Radburn Association Audit

The Radburn Association commissioned an audit of its finances for 2005, which was concluded in the fall of 2006. As a result of the accountants' suggestions, the Radburn Association announced on November 30, 2006 that it now intends to:
1. Update written job descriptions for the three full time employees and annually review
their performance.
2. Create passwords for all computers.
3. Formally approve annually the Managers employment contract, including related
benefits.
4. Establish a threshold amount for approval of contracts with vendors.
5. Memorialize the Finance Committee's oversight responsibilities.
6. In addition to the current practice of distribution to all Trustees of monthly financials
including a cash flow statement, provide to all Trustees the monthly list of bills paid that
is currently distributed to the Officers.

Radburn tax returns available: If you'd like a copy of The Radburn Association's tax returns for any year from 2000 to 2005, please send a request with your telephone number to letters@radburncitizens.org. These returns are available to the public because the RA is a not-for-profit corporation

All About the Radburn Citizens' Association

The purposes of the Citizens' Association are (a) To serve as an open forum to give opportunity for the consideration and discussion of matters of public interest (b) To act as an agency for the presentation to the Radburn Association and to other public or private bodies, of community opinion arrived through public discussion and other appropriate means. (c) To provide a common meeting place for the members. (d) to foster the development of community life and a realization of its benefits and responsibilities. (e) To cooperate with other organizations in the furtherance of the above purposes for the welfare of Radburn and the entire community of Fair Lawn. View the Citizens' Association's constitution, by-laws and more...