At 4:00 PM, the US Mens National Team takes the field in a Round of 16 elimination match in the World Cup. Recent viewership topped the final San Antonio – Miami NBA final.

That’s saying something. Here’s a pregame video saying a bit more. The US will need to “flip the script” a bit to move ahead. It may not have the experience but it has something unique and that special ingredient is what can carry them into the Quarterfinals.

This World Cup has been like no other. Defending World Champion Spain saw its several years domination unravel as it was summarily sent home on the first day any team was eliminated. Mighty Italy befell a bizarre bite leading to its ouster. Favored host Brazil barely scrapped by with a game Chile and Germany looked stiff and flat on defense against an engaging speedy Algeria before converting twice in overtime. Read More...

The saying “elections have consequences” applies and a spring election for an office too many voters don’t know or understand with the title of Freeholder delivered a disaster for Hoboken taxpayers as the county legislative body last night approved a half a billion plus budget with a 14.5% tax hike for the Mile Square City.

This makes your HudCo tax bill the largest of the three two years running. At this rate, it will continue to pull away and within some undetermined years time exceed your local municipal and school taxes combined. Read More...

Downtown Hoboken is littered with US fans who saw a 1-0 defeat to Germany but a resilient US national team fought and came close late to equalizing in a gallant effort.

As one person said passing on the street to a thumbs up, “We’re through!”

Trending now on twitter: “I believe” that we will win.

On Sunday, a fever took over America. If you were at any public venue with a TV, the cheers, the groans told you something important was going on. Over 24 million people in these United States stopped and looked to Brazil watching the US Mens National Team take a major step toward getting out of the Group of Death.

In the final seconds of injury time, the party ended when a goal was surrendered yielding a tie. So today the US faces perennial power Germany, most likely needing a win or tie to advance into the Round of 16. Read More...

Did I get your attention?  I said I have a flair for the dramatic.  “Haters gonna hate”.  If I’m not pissing someone off, I’m not doing
it right.  I found it astonishing that as
the theme of my first column was about Reform not respecting other viewpoints
within reform, most if not all of the negative comments were exactly that.  Where did I represent myself as being an
“insider?  My observations were exactly
that, my observations.  You have a right
to disagree. And things may present themselves, in which I am flat out wrong,
but opinions and observations belong to individuals and these are simply mine.  I again thank the Horsey for allowing me to
express mine in this forum.  I do feel
bad about the way it came across that I was bashing Phil Cohen.  Phil is not a loser.  He was listed on my loser column in regards
to the election he lost.  I also said
Phil is a pioneer for reform, but those words did not resonate with the readers
as much as the negative.  Phil, if you
are reading this, I apologize if my words came across too negative.  You constantly stick your neck out for reform
and spent time campaigning that took time away from being with your
family.  I commend you on your
efforts.  Don’t stop fighting the good
fight. 

HHA ED Carmelo Garcia to attempt another power grab to use HHA Board’s check signing authority at special meeting

Chairwoman Dana Wefer commented on the recent issue of checks issued in the HHA and the problems created by HHA Executive Director Carmelo Garcia. It’s been moved here to a more prominent position for the public.

I know there is a lot of confusion and misinformation about what is going on with the checks at the HHA, so I hope that this comment will clarify what is going on and the steps the Board is taking, and has taken, to rectify this situation. 


When the Board reorganized in May and I was elected Chair, we should have been presented with a resolution to change the signatories on the HHA’s accounts. However, the Executive Director did not present such a resolution to us in May. 


In June, the Director put a resolution on our agenda concerning the signatories on the accounts. However, that resolution provided that the bank would honor all checks “regardless of by whom or by what means the above facsimile signature(s) thereon may have been affixed thereto.” There was no dollar limit on the checks that could use facsimile signatures. In addition, the entire resolution concerned only facsimile signatures. Commissioner Mello and I were uncomfortable giving carte blanche to the Director to affix our signatures to any and all checks. At the meeting, we asked Mr. Wenzel, the attorney, if we could amend the Resolution to get rid of the troubling language. He advised that the resolution was so riddled with the word “facsimile” that the best route would be to vote on an entirely new resolution. The Director had left the meeting early, so the Board was not able to ask him questions about the resolution. Accordingly, the Board tabled the Resolu tion. 


The very next morning, June 13th, I emailed the Director and asked him for: 1) prior HHA resolutions concerning bank signatories and 2) for the contact information of our account executive at PNC. He did not respond with that information. I followed up on this request in writing on June 17th and again on June 19th. On June 20th, I drafted an email to the Director, and copied the entire Board, concerning the fact that he had failed to respond to any my requests for information so that we could move forward and that we needed to call a Special Meeting to deal with this issue. 


At that point, he finally responded with the PNC bank rep’s information, but he still has not provided any prior resolutions. Requests to the Director to forward the email where PNC originally sent the Resolution and all other correspondence with PNC has gone unanswered. The Director informed the Board that all of his contact with PNC has been over the phone. PNC has refused to discuss the matter with me thus far because I am not part of the “business structure.” 


Late Friday I received a phone call from the Hoboken Reporter saying that they had received a press release issued by Teamsters Local 97. The press release apparently stated that the Director had told them that I was holding the checks. I don’t know if the bank accounts have been frozen. If that is the case, the Board has not been informed. It is difficult to imagine why the bank accounts would be frozen for nonpayment just a week after the Board had approved payment. 


I am in possession of the checks. In my capacity as a volunteer Board member, I analyzed and signed several hundred checks in 6 days. Last Thursday I emailed the Director and told him that the checks were ready to be picked up and asking for clarifications on a few checks. I emailed the Director again on Friday telling him the checks were ready for pick up. He has not even acknowledged that I said the checks are ready. 


I’m flabbergasted at what is happening with the check and bills at the HHA. I reached out to the Director all last week so we could work towards resolving this situation and I have gone above and beyond trying to reach out to the Bank and get a template resolution so we can move forward. Though the Director is now on vacation, we are working to put together a Special Meeting so we can change the bank signatories. Unfortunately, the Director has written to the Board and informed them that he will present the same resolution at the Special Meeting, which would give him carte blanche to use my and Commissioner Mello’s signatures on checks. I have asked Mr. Daglian to draft a resolution that would not authorize the Director to use our facsimile signatures on all checks. 


That is where we stand now. I and other members of the Board are working hard on getting this situation resolved, but it’s been difficult. We will endeavor to keep the public, HHA employees, and HHA vendors apprised of what’s going on as it unfolds. 


Read More...

Another day and more criminal acts against Jessica Coco is the word in the HHA with the latest attacks coming simultaneously on both her home and car.

Last Thursday, a break-in and robbery at Coco’s lower Jackson Street apartment in the HHA left her more upset than similar incidents previous as items of sentimental value were taken.

Coco is an activist within the HHA who voiced skepticism then opposition to the controversial undocumented massive redevelopment plan downtown proposed by HHA Executive Developer Carmelo Garcia called Vision 20/20. No Master Plan has ever been presented to the public. Read More...