The United States has scored in the first minute of their opening World Cup match against Ghana courtesy of the Texan and captain, Clint Dempsey. That is all. 6:05 pm live on ESPN.

Clint Dempsey, US Captain of the World Cup national team puts one away in the first minute of the opening match against Ghana.

=&0=& =&1=& =&2=& =&3=& =&4=& In a grueling meeting lasting over four hours Thursday night, the battle for transparency and fiscal oversight within the Hoboken Housing Authority entered a new phase with numerous conflicts breaking out between Chairwoman Dana Wefer and her working reform majority on one side and an embattled, desperate Executive Director in the form of Carmelo Garcia attempting to keep a lid on the mounting alleged improprieties on the other. Out of the gate, the meeting was stopped as the Chairwoman announced problems finalizing the agenda due she said to the obstinacy of the ED Carmelo Garcia. An email was later referenced, communicated to all commissioners outlining the latest insubordination Garcia said was not his fault. He laid blame on his administrative assistant. Later, when Wefer would substantiate the issue pointing to emails communicated to the board, Garcia would interject calling Chairwoman’s statement on the matter “a lie.”  Upon the full agenda’s introduction and a 4-2 voted approval, a recess was authorized to make photocopies available for the public.

Beth Mason arriving right before the HHA meeting, reviews papers with Carmelo Garcia. She’s not seeking transparency in the agency, she’s attempting to aid in blocking revelations of massive improprieties. At the previous HHA special meeting she concluded incorrectly the proceedings did not meet state requirements but the vote for a special legal counsel to investigate passed easily in a 5-2 vote.

That was only the beginning of an emerging picture where Garcia’s overseers on the HHA Board of Commissioners would conflict with him and his stacked room of backers looking to undermine their oversight.  Back to the confines of a HHA building, the Carmelitos restarted their practice of interrupting, at times dangerously encroaching on the commissioner’s dais and screaming out against policies thought problematic for Garcia. Late in the meeting a resolution with an option to hold more meetings in the council chambers passed 4-2. It’s unclear what the resolution would mean in future HHA meetings. Later on a different roll call vote, the meeting secretary Garcia would stop calling the vote to voice an attack on commissioner Dave Mello. In the middle of the vote, he stopped looking at Mello complaining of him staring saying, “You’re undressing me with your eyes,” to the gleeful approval of the Carmelitos in attendance. The bizarre remarks reminded long time political observers what was reported as a lovers spat between rival BoE campaign managers in a Hudson Reporter story between Carmelo Garcia and George Ortiz back in 2000. Garica was accused by Ortiz of urinating on his front door after he ended their “intimate relationship.“ On the special counsel resolution, Chairwoman Dana Wefer outlined additional steps taken with multiple bids she gathered explaining that Garcia was conflicted from participating. Garcia would interject claiming that HUD did not approve of the vote on the resolution. He had complained about the previous resolution passed at the HHA special meeting now under legal review.  No one was swayed by Garcia’s claim and it passed as many votes during the evening 4-2. Commissioner Judy Burrell was unavailable due to a scheduling conflict. Garcia also attempted to see a resolution he crafted and put on the agenda authorizing him to use a facsimile of Chairwoman Dana Wefer’s signature in financial matters. Such a move would remove the separation of powers of the Board of Commissioners from the designated contractor ED, in this case Carmelo Garcia. It’s unclear why such an attempt was even mustered but it along with other resolutions he presented were tabled after his departure.  Later after 10:00 pm in public portion, Old Guard council members Michael Russo and Beth Mason would speak and Michele Russo would read a statement from her cousin, first ward councilwoman Terry Castellano. Russo tried earlier to interrupt the meeting announcing he wanted the floor as he was “an elected official” but Wefer declined his request.

Related: The 2000 story by the Hudson Reporter of a relationship gone “sour.“

Beth Mason with her political operative Matt Calicchio at the HHA meeting. Coordinating an alleged victim claiming harassment while MSV was moving a chair to take notes he approached on the early recess repeatedly saying, “How’s your dead brother.”

Next: More on the four hour meeting marathon. During the meeting, as MSV moved an empty chair from the rear of the room to the front and sat three feet from the HHA Board dais, a charge of being shoved filed as “harassment” was claimed by a Hispanic woman. Working in tandem standing directly to her right, Beth Mason political operative Matt Calicchio. This with dozens of people and the HHA board in sight and a police officer standing not seven feet away. Read More...

Dear Hoboken Board of Education Parents and the Hoboken
Community, As you all have heard Dr. Mark Toback has accepted a
position as superintendent for the Wayne NJ school district.  I wish to share with you my personal thoughts on this matter.
Yes, as a Board Trustee I was aware of this potential
situation, however it would have been unethical for me or any of the other eight board trustees to discuss a personnel situation until it is no longer
confidential or we would have been exposing the district to possible litigation
if the information was misused. As soon as the board was informed that
this potential existed we began discussing as a full board what our next steps
would be not only to find a permanent superintendent but also to ensure that
the district continue to run smoothly during a possible interim period. 
In the state of NJ the average tenure for a superintendent
is less than 3 years.  Dr. Toback is currently here over 3 years and our last
permanent superintendent, Mr. Jack Raslowsky, was here about 2 years.  Our
community has watched most of the schools in our town, transition to new
leadership and also watched these parent groups feel anxiety during the
selection and transition process; inevitably, the interim period passes and the
new leader brings new ideas and new energy to the school.  
Dr. Toback will leave big shoes to fill, but I
am confident as we begin the search for a replacement, we will find a capable
committed individual who brings new ideas and energy to our schools. 
Parents, I want to address you directly and hopefully
relieve some of your anxiety, I know how you are feeling because my son is a 6^th
grader at Wallace on his way next year (and he is EXTREMELY excited) to the
Junior High School.  Remember, good leaders prepare an organization for every possibility.  An important part of leadership is ensuring that you empower your employees to perform their responsibilities independently.  A great leader insures that the organization can stand on its own even in their absence.  Your children remain in very capable hands.  Your principals are intact; they continue to report to the Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Miguel Hernandez, who personally works with all our school administrators to assist them when they need it.  This happens today and it will continue to happen when Dr. Toback moves on.  When I was elected to the board in 2009, I worked with the Raslowsky administration, Interim Carter/Rusak Administration and now the Toback administration.  I have complete faith in the organization that Dr. Toback has built.
This district has made tremendous progress under Dr. Toback, the latest being the 93% language arts proficiently on the HSPA at the High School and the turnaround of Connors elementary school.  An important criterion of our first search was documented proof of high school improvement/success.  Though I can only speak for myself, this will still be a priority for me as the progress and tremendous momentum in our High School must continue.  With our dedication to revitalizing classroom resources, textbooks, smartboards, science labs and professional development our K-12 teachers engage our “twenty-first century” children every day to succeed and will continue to as we end this year and come back in September.
We need to come together as a community to celebrate the progress
and success of our district and thank Dr. Toback for giving us three and a half
years of steadfast commitment to our children. 
I will miss him, as a colleague and a friend; however, I look forward to a new chapter in the Hoboken District Schools as they are re-energized by a new future leader.
Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become
better. —Bill Bradley


With
kind regards, Ruthy
Tyroler McAllister

Read More...

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After three plus years, Hoboken Superintendent Dr. Mark Toback will be moving on from the Mile Square City’s school district. He’s slated to take on a similar role with Wayne Township in August.

Toback’s tenure, a little more than several years is noted for the improvements in test scores of the students despite recent financial setbacks where funding reductions led to cuts mostly in what he described as outside the core function: academics.

The financial setbacks in funding was the latest challenge Toback and the school district face, marked by escalating funding concerns between competing areas of the school district. That issue of charter school growth added to the recent challenges in the district. Read More...

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Tonight’s Hoboken Housing Authority meeting at 220 Adams promises to see more of the escalating battle: the “power struggle” vs. the “racist” reformers and the upstanding looting of the agency.

Oops forgot, this isn’t the Hudson Distorter and calling people racists for performing their fiduciary duty won’t look good in the long run. The long run here being not years or months but counted in weeks or days. Best to focus on those political business deals like down the Peninsula, Bayonne way. Hat tip Grafix Avenger who noted the Queen of Transparent Mean, Beth Mason was celebrating the Mark Smith re-election HCDO old school style by hobnobbing with the new king, her new betrothed Mayor-elect Davis. Read More...

City of Hoboken announces:

=&0=& Mayor Dawn Zimmer is appointing Captain Edelmiro “Eddie” Garcia as Hoboken’s Provisional Chief of Police effective July 1, 2014. He is currently the Hoboken Police Division’s most senior captain, having served as captain since 1995. Hoboken’s current Police Chief Anthony Falco is retiring on June 30, 2014.

“I thank Chief Falco for his many years of service and dedication to our community and wish him a happy retirement,” said Mayor Zimmer. “During his time as Police Chief, crime in Hoboken has reached and remained at historic lows. I thank Captain Garcia for stepping up and taking on this new role as our Police Department undergoes this important transition.” Read More...

Hoboken Police Captain Eddie Garcia has been named to be Acting Hoboken Police Chief according to a reliable source outside the mayor’s office. The switch becomes effective with the upcoming retirement of current Police Chief Anthony Falco scheduled for the end of this month.

Captain Eddie Garcia will be stepping in to replace the outgoing Hoboken Police Chief Anthony Falco who was appointed chief back in 2009 effective July 1, 2014.

In 2009, Captain Eddie Garcia finished third on a state test and Chief Falco finished first and was later appointed into the position. Falco has served in the Hoboken Police Department for 43 years. Read More...

Mayor Dawn Zimmer appeared the other day on Steve Kornacki’s show to discuss the success of Hoboken winning the national Rebuild by Design $230 million award to aid in Hoboken’s new flood protection plan.

Part two of the interview is available here.

The Star Ledger also covered that story with the Jersey Journal mentioning the focus of the discussion avoided the strains with Governor Christie who did not invite the mayor to attend the announcement he made last week in Little Ferry. She showed up anyway. Read More...

The ramblings of a professional observer…

Every election has winners, losers, and consequences—and the June 3rd results were
no different.



Incumbent Freeholder, Anthony Romano, who was snubbed from the Democratic
“Line” by Mayor Zimmer, defeated Phil Cohen in the Democratic Party primary race
for the District 5 Freeholder seat. It’s been pretty quiet from reform since the results
came in, but not before we heard a lot of excuses—from the bad weather to the
complacency and lack of interest in primaries… yet Romano’s voting bloc had to deal
with the same weather and circumstances. If the margin of victory was less than the
Vote-By-Mail ballots, this would be a different narrative, but a decisive victory by
Romano takes the VBM out of play. Stop the presses!!! Old Guard may have paid for
votes…couldn’t have seen that one coming.


Read More...

Update: The Paypal button has been updated and now works.

Approaching five years, MSV is the go to place for Hoboken government, politics and corruption. It also happens to be the local website generating the most comments.

Free speech trumping totalitarian and cynical censorship in all its forms is the watchword here.

Choose one option. (Button has been fixed.) Thank you.

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Scores of exclusives, stories other local media refuse or won’t report have driven readership here past 4,000,000 sets of eyeballs. People come back knowing it’s not going to be long before another story is broken and maybe solely reported here for whatever reason: resources, editorial choice or yes – politics. Read More...