Talk of the Town - Juan Melli Hoboken's Communications Director Moving on to Private Sector and More

The holiday edition of Talk of the Town features some additional transitional news:

Juan in a Million - Hoboken's Communications Director Moving on to Private Sector:


Hoboken's communications director Juan Melli is leaving Hoboken Government for his new venture Progressive Strategies, a strategic communications firm. Working alongside Mayor Zimmer, Juan Melli did an excellent job of keeping the public informed and enhanced the City of Hoboken's website, real time HOP bus tracking via GPS, expanded social media options of Facebook and Twitter, helped create the Hoboken 311 ticket systems for public issue reporting and established Nixle alerts plus many other things not publicized. Juan is a multi-talented individual and was a great asset to the the City of Hoboken. Replacing him will not be an easy task.

Juan Melli - Founder of Progressive Strategies
and Hoboken Communications Director
Photo from Progressive Strategies Website

Juan had this to say about his new opportunity on Facebook:

"I’m excited to announce that I’m starting my next adventure with the launch of my strategic communications firm, Progressive Strategies. Check out the website at www.progressivestrat.com and drop me a line if you or someone you know is looking for communications consulting.

I’ve really enjoyed working as Communications Manager for Hoboken and will be staying on through the end of Mayor Zimmer's term. Years ago when she interviewed me for the position, I admitted I didn’t know how to do half of the things I thought the job entailed (as it turns out, there was a lot more I didn’t know). She said I could do it, and I’ll always be thankful to her for putting her trust in me. I can honestly say I looked forward to going to work *almost* every morning, and I’m going to especially miss all my great colleagues who made the job fun."

Here is wishing Juan all the best in his new endeavor. As editor of this website and getting to know Juan over the years, he is a man of great intellectual gifts, solid work ethic and the utmost integrity.

Ravi Bhalla making a deal with Mike Russo to become City Council President?:

Just when the hardcore Ravi Bhalla backers thought they had a dead horse with the at least temporary suspension of the Hoboken Horse Blog otherwise known as the Mile Square View or MSV, the editor reveals this tasty dish before the holidays: Ravi Bhalla is purportedly backing Michael Russo for City Council President. Say it isn't so? For real?

Future City Council President Mike Russo and backed by Ravi Bhalla?
Photo credit MSV aka Hoboken Horse

First off, the Grist for the Mill is a political rumor column but typically most of these columns turn out to be true and are based on at least one solid source with a record for being correct. The thing that makes this plausible is that Ravi only has 2 secure votes on the City Council. He has to negotiate with someone to get to 5 votes on the City Council to get his agenda through. But why Michael Russo? Heads are sure spinning over at Grafix Avenger's Safe Space trying to spin their way out of this one. For me as editor of the the Hoboken Resistance it's like having desert before a great big turkey dinner.

More on this story at MSV: Thanksgiving Grist Special: Ravi Bhalla backs Michael Russo for Council President!