Hoboken City Council Meeting Preview- January 17, 2018 7pm

Tonight's Hoboken City Council meeting starts off with two closed session items:

1) Hoboken City Hall Security Measures:

Hoboken’s Chief of Police Kenneth F. Ferrante wishes to brief the City Council and Administration on safety and security matters, specifically new security measures at City Hall. One of the reasons to go into closed session is to discuss tactics and techniques utilized in protecting the safety and property of the public, disclosure of which could impair that protection. The City Council wishes to receive the safety and security briefing from Chief Ferrante, which will include discussion of tactics and techniques utilized in protecting the citizens of Hoboken, disclosure of which could impair said protection.

It is unknown whether these measures are related to any specific security threats made towards the Mayor or City Hall generally but some level of security strengthening in these times is likely warranted.

2) Personnel Matters:

This is likely a discussion of the new Deputy Chief of Staff created by new Mayor Ravi Bhalla. Under Mayor Zimmer there was a singular Chief of Staff position in her efforts to reduce the overhead for the Mayor's office and save the taxpayers money as part of her campaign promises. By creating this new position Ravi is asking for an additional slot on the table of organization that requires City Council approval. the discussion will likely revolve around the justification for this new position when in the past just one position seemed to foot the bill.

The two major ordinances for final vote are:

1) Schedule of Classifications for City employees (Table of Organization)

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND SUPPLEMENT AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A SCHEDULE OF CLASSIFICATIONS AND ALLOCATIONS OF TITLE FOR THE HERIN MENTIONED POSITIONS IN THE CITY OF HOBOKEN (sponsored by Councilman Cunningham and Councilwoman Giattino) (Z-539)

2) Authorization Ballot for reinstating run off elections. Mayor Zimmer vetoed this in one of her final acts as Mayor. The question is WWBD (What will Bhalla do)? It is likely the City Council will have enough votes to override anyway and let the people decide this November at the ballot box.

AN ORDINANCE TO SUBMIT THE PROPOSITION TO THE VOTERS AT THE NOVEMBER 6, 2018 GENERAL ELECTION THAT THE CITY OF HOBOKEN ADOPT THE HOLDING OF RUN-OFF ELECTIONS AS PERMITTED BY THE UNIFORM NON-PARTISAN ELECTIONS LAW (sponsored by Councilman DeFusco and Councilman Ramos) (Z-541)

Two Council resolutions have some significance: 

1) Make Warrington Plaza an open market. This was a Mike Defusco campaign promise. It is unclear to me what jurisdiction Hoboken has and that this could just be a wish list request to NJ Transit.

CL3.* RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING THE BHALLA ADMINISTRATION TO PURSUE THE PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED “OUTDOOR MARKET PROPOSAL” WHICH WOULD ACTIVATE WARRINGTON PLAZA AND CREATE AN INTERCONNECTED WATERFRONT IN 2018 (sponsored by Councilman DeFusco and Councilman Ramos, Jr.)

2) Instant runoff option for elections. NJ has to pass legislation to allow municipal elections to have this option but it has merits vs. winner take all or a separate runoff election.

CL4.* RESOLUTION URGING THE STATE TO PERMIT INSTANT RUN-OFFS IN HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY (sponsored by Councilwoman Jabbour

And this ordinance on first reading: 

Bar Crowd Control Ordinance - requiring minimum security personnel based on capacity for special events like Santa-con. 

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 68 ENTITLED “ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES” AT § 68-14 “RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING LICENSES” TO REQUIRE PLENARY RETAIL CONSUMPTION LICENSE HOLDERS TO EMPLOY CROWD CONTROL AND SECURITY MEASURES

Here is an example of one aspect of this legislation. I spoke to several bar restaurant owners and they claim they were not consulted on this before this was put up for first reading. There is the potential I see that these regulations may be onerous for restaurants and bars that do not participate in events like Santa-Con.

A. Security regulations and Crowd Control.
1. Each licensee shall be responsible for operating the licensed premises in a safe and orderly manner. The minimum number and type of security personnel on duty shall be determined by the occupant load of the licensed premises pursuant to the Certificate of Occupancy, Uniform Construction Code, and/or International Fire Code, subject to the following:
a. 100 occupants or less: At a minimum, one door person and one security person. The security person may also serve as the manager to the licensed premises.
b. 101 to 200 occupants: At a minimum, one door person and two security persons. One of the security persons may be a manager.
c. 201 to 300 occupants: At a minimum, one door person and three security persons. One of the security persons may be a manager.
d. 301 to 400 occupants: At a minimum, one door person and four security persons including a security supervisor who may be one of the four security persons. One of the security persons may be a manager.
e. 401 to 500 occupants: At a minimum, one door person and five security persons including a security supervisor who may be one of the five security persons. One of the security persons may be a manager.
f. 501 to 600 occupants: At a minimum, one door person and six security persons including a security supervisor who may be one of the six security persons. One of the security persons may be a manager.
g. 601 to 700 occupants: At a minimum, one door person and seven security persons including a security supervisor who may be one of the seven security persons. One of the security persons may be a manager.
h. 701 to 800 occupants: At a minimum, one door person and eight security persons including a security supervisor who may be one of the eight security persons. One of the security persons may be a manager.
i. 801 occupants and above: At a minimum, one door person and one security person for every one hundred persons as allowed by the occupant load for the licensed premises and one security supervisor for every four security persons. Security supervisors may also be security persons required under this subsection. One of the security persons may be a manager.

Agenda: http://www.hobokennj.org/docs/council/agenda18/1-17-18-revised-ccm.pdf
Resolutions: http://www.hobokennj.org/docs/council/respack18/1.17.18.revised.respac.pdf

Former Hoboken City Councilman Chris Campos Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for $7 Million Car Loan Scheme

In April of last year former Hoboken City Councilman Chris Campos along with Julio Alvarez were charged with participation in a loan fraud scheme to fraudulently obtain new automobiles that they intended to lease to livery cab drivers. The scheme totaled $7 million dollars and involved 20 straw buyers and over 200 vehicles. Chris Campos was just sentenced this Friday December 8th, 2017 to 30 months in prison based on his conviction in a trial joining many others in the history of the Hudson County Democratic Party to do time for financial crimes. 

Here is the release from the FBI...

Former Hoboken City Council President Sentenced To 30 Months
In Prison For His Participation In A $7 Million Car Loan Scheme

Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that former Hoboken, New Jersey, City Council president and attorney CHRISTOPHER CAMPOS was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to 30 months in prison for fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars in car loans.  CAMPOS used approximately 20 straw buyers to purchase more than 200 new automobiles based on false representations that, among other things, the straw buyers would use the cars for their personal use when, in fact, CAMPOS and his co-conspirators obtained the vehicles in order to lease them as livery cabs.  After a week-long trial, CAMPOS was found guilty on June 22, 2017, of bank and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud.  U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni presided over that trial and imposed today’s sentence.

Former Hoboken City Councilman Chris Campos in happier times 

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “Christopher Campos, an attorney and former Hoboken City Council president, defrauded lenders out of millions of dollars.  He put up straw buyers to obtain loans for ‘personal use’ cars that in fact comprised a fleet of over 200 vehicles leased to livery drivers. Campos has now received the significant sentence his crimes merit.”           

According to the allegations contained in the Complaint, Indictment, and the evidence presented in Court during the trial: 

Between approximately October 2012 and September 2013, CAMPOS and his co-conspirator Julio Alvarez, among others, orchestrated a scheme to fraudulently obtain new automobiles that they intended to lease to livery cab drivers.  In order to secure financing in connection with the purchase of these new cars, CAMPOS and other co-conspirators enlisted and aided individuals with good credit histories (“straw buyers”) to submit fraudulent car loan applications to numerous lenders.  In order to obtain the new vehicles, CAMPOS and other co-conspirators sent straw buyers to several car dealerships located throughout the New York City area, where dealership employees helped straw buyers submit fraudulent loan applications. 

The auto loan applications submitted by the straw buyers falsely represented that the vehicles would be used for the buyers’ personal use, rather than as part of the defendants’ leasing business.  In addition, in many cases, the car loan applications misrepresented personal information about the straw buyers, including their incomes and assets.  CAMPOS also caused financing applications to be sent to multiple financial institutions at the same time so that the lenders would not know that the straw buyers were incurring obligations to other lenders in connection with the purchase of multiple new automobiles. 

In total, the scheme carried out by CAMPOS, Alvarez, and others involved approximately 20 straw buyers, the purchase of approximately 200 new vehicles, and ultimately resulted in lenders disbursing over $7,000,000 in fraudulently obtained car loans.  Most of those loans ultimately went into default.

Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Mr. Kim also thanked the National Insurance Crime Bureau (“NICB”), the New York Automobile Insurance Plan (“NYAIP”), and the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles for their substantial assistance in the investigation and trial. 

The prosecution of this case was handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Dina McLeod, Sagar K. Ravi, and Niketh Velamoor are were charge of the prosecution.

Breaking: Tony Soares to Seek NHSA appointment coming up February 2018

Former North Hudson Sewerage Authority Commissioner Tony Soares has filed an application for consideration on the NHSA for a 5 year term starting February 1, 2018 today at the Hoboken City Clerk's Office. The seat is currently held by Commissioner Brian Assadourian whose term is up early next year. Brian Assadourian is a political ally of Mayor Zimmer and Mayor Elect Ravi Bhalla as well as a close personal friend of the Mayor and her husband Stan Grossbard.

Tony Soares has previously served Hoboken as Hoboken City Council at Large, The Hoboken Zoning Board of Adjustment and two terms as NHSA Commissioner before stepping down last year. Hoboken resident and community infrastructure advocate Ed Friedrich was appointed last year to fill Tony's vacant seat. Tony was also a key backer of the Michael Defusco for Mayor campaign. Last year Tony had stepped down from his position due to a vehicular accident where he was struck as a pedestrian and needed time to focus on his recovery. When asked by the Hoboken Resistance the reason is applying again, Tony Soares responded "I think I offer the City of Hoboken a lot based on my past experience as City Councilman, Chairman of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, and NHSA commissioner. I am applying because I want to participate in the process of governing and believe the best candidate should get to serve on this important board."

Tony Soares left and Brian Assadourian right
Let the battle of the two term NHSA commissioners begin!

In Hoboken there are 3 commissioners that represent Hoboken on the NHSA. The board totals 9 members and comprise of two from Weehawken, 2 from Union City and 2 from West New York in addition to the 3 Hoboken Commissioners. Seven votes out of 9 are required to pass any resolution so the fact remains that Hoboken has veto power but it that power has not been utilized recently.

Appointments to the NHSA are made by the City Council and 5 votes are needed to get the position. Thus it appears to be a race between Brian Assadourian and Ravi Bhalla ally should he seek a third term and Tony Soares a key Michael Defusco ally. Key insiders will see this appointment as a litmus test of Mayor Elect Ravi Bhalla's support level on the City Council very early in his first term. No reports of Frank Raia putting his hat in the ring again but that is certainly a possibility as there is still time before the last January 2018 City Council meeting when these appointments are typically made.

Editor's Comment: I currently serve on The NHSA and Tony Soares served with me for one year in 2016 on the board and I thought Tony was engaged and a very good advocate for Hoboken and the Authority as whole. He has the respect of the leadership at the NHSA and its consultants. He asked great questions and his conduct throughout meetings was energetic and professional. Putting political affiliations aside he would make a very good commissioner should he get the votes necessary to be reappointed. This position is first off political, and secondly up to the City Council to decide for themselves who best to serve Hoboken and the NHSA. I worked well with Brian Assadourian too but it is not my opinion that counts here. I know I can work with either candidate selected. Whoever gets the five votes from the City Council is all that matters in the end.

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!

Tiffanie Fisher Hoboken City Councilwoman Advocates for Open Space at Union Dry Dock Facility

Below is a useful list of contacts for those so inclined to advocate for the Union Dry Dock property to be allowed to become a park instead of a facility for NY Waterway. Open space advocates for years have stated the goal of of having end to end continuous access in Hoboken and this site is viewed as the last piece of the puzzle.

Union Dry Dock Hoboken - recent photo

Below is an email from Tiffanie Fisher Hoboken City Councilwoman 2nd Ward to a number of Hoboken residents to get the word out to your representatives. That is what citizen advocacy is all about.

Dear friends and neighbors –

As a follow up to my prior email [concerning the Union Dry Dock Property acquisition by NY Waterway], I wanted to provide some additional contact information for you.  I have spoken directly with both Assembly Members Chapparo and Mukherji, Senator Gordon and John Leon from NJ Transit.  All are receiving your emails so keep them coming.  At the bottom is a copy and paste version for different groups and a few suggestions on what you can say for each.  Feel free to use / not use or add whatever information you feel is most helpful.

I assure you that more voices are better.  So please reach out to as many as you can.  This is a great contact list so definitely keep for your records for future concerns.  

- Tiffanie Fisher Hoboken City Council, 2nd Ward

Another photo of Union Dry Dock Hoboken - recently taken

Administration:

• Mayor Dawn Zimmer, Hoboken Mayor – dzimmer@hobokennj.gov or call (201) 420-2013
• Steven Marks, Business Administrator – smarks@hobokennj.gov or call  (201) 420-2059
• Ravi Bhalla, Mayor Elect – rbhalla@hobokennj.gov or call (201) 420-2000

City Council:

• Jen Giattino, Council President - jengiattino6@gmail.com or call (201) 780-6779
• Peter Cunningham, Council VP - cunninghamforhoboken@gmail.com or call (201) 562-7071
• Mike Defusco, Councilman – mdefusco@hobokennj.gov or call (646) 372-4341
• Jim Doyle, Councilman -  jimdoylehoboken@gmail.com or call (201) 792-9319
• Tiffanie Fisher, Councilwoman – hoboken2nd@gmail.com or call (201) 208-1674
• Ruben Ramos, Councilman – councilmanramos4@gmail.com or call (201) 401-7947
• Michael Russo, Councilman - councilmanrusso@gmail.com or call (201) 401-9687

Hudson County:

• Thomas De Gise, Hudson County Executive – tdegise@hcnj.us or call 201-795-6000
• Craig Guy, De Gise’s Chief of Staff – cguy@hcnj.us or call 201-795-6000
• Anthony L Romano, Hudson County Freeholder – aromano@hcnj.us or call 201-795-6001

State Level Representatives:

• Governor Chris Christie - http://nj.gov/governor/contact/ or call 609-292-6000
• Amy Cradic, Christie Chief of Staff – amy.cradic@nj.gov
• John Spinello, Dir. Of Authorities unit of Counsel – john.spinello@nj.gov
• Governor Elect Phil Murphy - https://go.murphy4nj.com/page/s/contact
• Pete Cammarano (different one), Murphy Chief of Staff – pcamm@optonline.net or pete@cammaranolayton.com
• Matt Platkin, Murphy Counsel – mplatkin@gmail.com
• Brian Stack, State Senator and Union City Mayor - senstack@njleg.org or call (201) 376-1942
• Annette Chaparro, Assemblywoman – chaparrofornj33@gmail.com or call (201) 683-7917
• Raj Mukherji, Assemblyman - AsmMukherji@njleg.org or call (201) 626-4000
• Bob Gordon, State Senator and Vice Chair of Transportation Subcommittee – SenGordon@njleg.org or call (201) 703-9779

Federal Level Representatives:

• Frank Schultz, Deputy State Director for Sen. Bob Menendez - frank_schultz@menendez.senate.gov or call (202) 224-4744
• George Helmy, State Director for Sen. Cory Booker – george_helmy@booker.senate.gov
• Gene Matorony, Chief of Staff to Rep. Albio Sires - gene.martorony@mail.house.gov or call (202) 225-7919

New Jersey Transit/NY Waterway:

• NJ Transit Board - njtboard@njtransit.com
• Paul Wyckoff, Deputy Executive Director NJ Transit – pwyckoff@njtransit.com
• Eric Daleo, Assist ED of Capital Projects – edaleo@njtransit.com
• John Leon, Government Relations NJ Transit – jleon@njtransit.com
• Steven Santoro, Executive Director NJ Transit – ssantoro@njtransit.com
• Richard Hammer, Commissioner NJ DOT - rick.hammer@dot.nj.gov
• Armand Pohan, Chairman NY Waterway – pohan@nywaterway.com

Neighboring Cities:

• Gio Ahmad, Town of Weehawken Business Administrator – gahmad@tow-nj.net
• James Davis, Mayor of Bayonne - mayors.office@baynj.org
• Steve Fulop, Mayor of Jersey City - fulops@jcnj.org

Copy and Paste version with suggested questions:

Hoboken Administration and City Council:

What are you doing to protect our waterfront now that NY Waterway have announced they are moving in? What are you doing to ensure NY Waterway (or their successor NJ Transit) find a permanent home for their maintenance facilities?

dzimmer@hobokennj.gov; smarks@hobokennj.gov; rbhalla@hobokennj.gov; jengiattino6@gmail.com; cunninghamforhoboken@gmail.com;mdefusco@hobokennj.gov; jimdoylehoboken@gmail.com; hoboken2nd@gmail.com; councilmanramos4@gmail.com; councilmanrusso@gmail.com;

Hudson County and Neighboring Cities:

What can be done within the Hudson County waterfront cities to provide a better, permanent home for NY Waterway in a location that is more industrial in use than residential?  Please consider locations in and around Hoboken’s Lackawana Terminal or sites in Jersey City or Bayonne for the permanent location.  Can the lease with Lennar in Weehawken be extended to accommodate discussions for a permanent location?

tdegise@hcnj.us; cguy@hcnj.us; aromano@hcnj.us; asantos@hcnj.us; gahmad@tow-nj.net; mayors.office@baynj.org; fulops@jcnj.org

Governor Elect:

Please say no to NJ Transit’s potential acquisition of NY Waterway site in Hoboken and/or their future acquisition of NY Waterway.  Please have NJ Transit locate any of its operations and future expansion NOT at the UDD site, but rather another location outside of Hoboken or via expansion of the existing sites at the north and south end of Hoboken.

info@murphy4nj.com; pcamm@optonline.net; pete@cammaranolayton.com; mplatkin@gmail.com;

State Representatives:

Please advocate for NJ Transit / NY Waterway to not locate their operations in the center of Hoboken’s waterfront.  Hoboken residents have fought for decades to have an end to end park in Hoboken.  Please consider moving ferry maintenance to Lackawana terminal or to locations outside of Hoboken including Bayonne.  Please work with the Hoboken administration to determine the best alternative for Hoboken and existing and future waterway passengers.

senstack@njleg.org; chaparrofornj33@gmail.com; AsmMukherji@njleg.org; SenGordon@njleg.org;

Federal Level Representatives:

Please advocate for NJ Transit / NY Waterway to not locate their operations in the center of Hoboken’s waterfront.  Hoboken residents have fought for decades, along with Senator Menendez, to ensure that Hoboken’s waterfront would be a public park for its residents and visitors.  Please consider ways you can support moving ferry maintenance to Lackawana terminal or to locations outside of Hoboken including Bayonne.  Please work with the State and Hoboken representatives to determine the best alternative for Hoboken residents and visitors and existing and future waterway passengers.

frank_schultz@menendez.senate.gov; george_helmy@booker.senate.gov; gene.martorony@mail.house.gov;

New Jersey Transit/NY Waterway:

What can be done to provide a better, permanent home for NY Waterway in a location that is more industrial in use than residential?  Please consider locations in and around Hoboken’s Lackawana Terminal or sites in Jersey City or Bayonne for the permanent location.  Can the lease with Lennar in Weehawken be extended to accommodate discussions for a permanent location? Hoboken residents have been fighting for an end to end public park in Hoboken for decades.  Please work with the State and Hoboken representatives to determine the best alternative for Hoboken residents and visitors and existing and future waterway passengers.

njtboard@njtransit.com; pwyckoff@njtransit.com; edaleo@njtransit.com; jleon@njtransit.com; ssantoro@njtransit.com; rick.hammer@dot.nj.gov;pohan@nywaterway.com

Editor's Note:

It way end up being the path of least resistance that wins out in the end. Fighting NJ Transit should they decide to purchase the property from NY Waterway would be a big legal hurdle due to their power of eminent domain trumping Hoboken's. Perhaps settling for easements and givebacks could be the easiest way to go while allowing NY Waterway to use property as envisioned. There is already a cleanup initiative underway. Should NY Waterway eventually give up its plans to use this site then perhaps the City of Hoboken could buy it down the line. I am not saying that is the best option but could be the only one viable one from a legal and/or financial position.

Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Hoboken Election Results - Final including provisionals

More for posterity than anything else, Here are the 2017 Hoboken Election Results over all. I will have more detailed ward and district breakdowns next week when the provisional votes are added to the City of Hoboken Clerk's office final document.

The winner of the Mayoral election was Ravi Bhalla with only about 33% of the vote. Ravi won Wards 2,3,5, and 6 and second place finisher Mike Defusco won Wards 1 and 4. 66% of the Hoboken voters voted for someone else besides Ravi Bhalla. Keep that in mind because there is no mandate and the result has prompted a group of Hoboken Residents to at least discuss the idea of instant runoff voting. Whether this leads to election reform is another matter.

For City Council Jim Doyle won re-election along with newcomers Emily Jabbour and Venessa Falco.

For the Hoboken BOE, the Hoboken Proud slate of Sharyn Angley, Chetali Khanna, and Melanie Tekirian won and will represent Hoboken's district schools for 3 years. Incumbent Peter Biancamano lost and just missing the number 3 spot by a little over 100 votes.

Post Election Fallout- Defusco and Bhalla Battle Royale at Last City Council Meeting

At Monday's Hoboken City Council meeting the fallout of the contentious election season continued with an exchange between Mike Defusco and Mayor elect Ravi Bhalla over the racist fliers that were distributed on the street the Friday before the election. The manner in which the campaigns were conducted may have a lasting impact on how policy decisions are accomplished in the next 2-4 years.

The following video clip is from News Channel 4 NBC New York and discusses the City Council exchange between the top two Mayoral vote getters Defusco and Bhalla as well as a status update on the Police investigation of who was behind the racist flier depicted Ravi Bhalla falsely as a terrorist.

City Council Update - Union Dry Dock Eminent Domain Approved

Last night at the Hoboken City Council meeting, the potential use of eminent domain to acquire the Union Dry Dock property was approved 8-0-1. The lone abstention was Councilman Ravi Bhalla who has also recently recused himself from potentially voting on the Suez contract due to his extensive legal connections.

This vote merely allows the current Administration and the Mayor elect to pursue negotiations with either NY Waterway or NJ Transit with the option to exercise eminent domain for leverage. A separate vote would be required to actually acquire the property should direct negotiations fail.

The Union Dry Dock site is the one remaining property that would complete a contiguous path along Hoboken's beautiful waterfront. Citizens and organizations like the Fund for a Better Waterfront have been advocating for its purchase for some time. The Fund for a Better Waterfront stated their opposition to actually using eminent domain in a letter dated 10/3/2017:

Fund for a Better Waterfront Letter 10/3/2017

The proposed use by NY Waterway is a bus depot and ferry repair station. A number of residents spoke out against the usage of that site in terms of traffic pollution and the obvious loss of aesthetics. It was mentioned that there are other potential sites in the area including Bayonne and Jersey City.

Editor's Comment: Eminent domain should always be a method of last resort. However, I thought in this case the City Council was reasonable in allowing the Administration the tool of eminent domain to use as leverage to keep the cost of acquisition in check based on current zoning evaluations or fair value. This leverage could save the taxpayer money should the purchase go through either way.

There are potential pitfalls to this and one of them is price of at least $11.5 million which was the price paid by NY Waterway. Additionally, it was revealed at the meeting that NJ Transit’s Eminent Domain authorities trump Hoboken’s (pun intended). This means if Hoboken is successful in acquiring the parcel, NJ Transit could then acquire it from Hoboken which is not good.