Office of the Mayor announces:

=&0=& =&1=& It has been a long road in our fight for a Southwest Park.  Back in 2006 I was one of several community members for the original Southwest Parks Coalition Steering Committee. I remember being petrified to speak at my first Council meeting. My commitment to a Southwest park ultimately led me to run for 4th Ward Council.  Since that time, the City Council has repeatedly expressed its unanimous support for the creation of a Southwest Park. Now it is time for all of us to put our money where our mouth is.  It is time for us to show we mean what we say by finally delivering on the first part of what ultimately could become a large park in Southwest Hoboken. This could finally be the start of a park that benefits all Hoboken residents and especially the underserved 4th Ward residents. Expressing support in an election time mailer is easy, but when we make those promises we have an obligation to deliver more than just words— We have an obligation to deliver the park that we promised.  I’ve heard several justifications from Council members planning to vote no against tonight’s ordinance. I would like to directly respond to those concerns: First some Council members may feel that the redevelopment or rehab process is somehow the less expensive way of creating park space because instead of writing a check we can get the park land for free. Let’s be clear:  Nothing is for free.  A giveback for park land will come with larger densities much generally much more valuable than the direct cost of acquisition.  Some Council members have said that this land is too small for a park, so why bother acquiring it.  First, if the City Council designates the area in need of rehab or redevelopment, then you will be in a position to expand the size of the park. I will work to create a larger park space, but ask you to recognize that even a 1-acre park would benefit the community. Just as the one-acre parks of 1500 Park and Maxwell Place serve Northwest residents, so too would a one-acre park in Southwest Hoboken.  Finally, 4th Ward residents are just as entitled to adequate park space as residents in other neighborhoods.  The closest dog run is a full 15-20 minute walk away in Church Square Park.  For those who think Church Square Park is too crowded, enabling Hoboken residents to use a park in their neighborhood would be a huge benefit, and help alleviate the overcrowding. Finally, some of you have expressed concern with regard to eminent domain.  While I strongly oppose the use of so-called Kelo eminent domain which involves taking property from one owner to another for development purposes, I believe eminent domain for park space truly represents an important public purpose.   As elected officials we must use the City’s resources as wisely as possible while working to improve the quality of life for all Hoboken residents. If we are truly committed to providing more parks in Hoboken, then the only way to responsibly do this is to use all the tools legally available to the City including eminent domain for park space. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, this Council needs to fully understand that a no vote means risking $3 million in county grant money. For the last year my Administration has worked with you, and been guided by your votes. Most recently the Council voted 9-0 on March 7th for the City to send offer letters to Block 12 property owners.  Turning around and asking us to consider completely different properties at the last minute is a mirage the public will see right through. You may want to look like you support a park in the Southwest, but in reality you will be failing to support the first real concrete steps taken to acquire land for a Southwest park. If you are committed to a Southwest park, if you want to make certain that the City does not lose $3 million in grant money, then I urge you to vote yes. Thank you. 

Mayor Dawn Zimmer on her way to urge the City Council to support a plan to deliver on a Southwest Park. That objective is a deeply held, signature issue which brought her into Hoboken’s political arena.

Fourth ward residents seeking a park of their own in the Southwest came one step closer to seeing it become reality after a big step forward in the City Council’s approval on first reading.  Mayor Dawn Zimmer delivered her prepared remarks (above) leading into the introduction of the ordinance on the Southwest Park.  She urged the City Council to support the measure giving the City the tool of eminent domain in obtaining just about an acre of Block 12.  The mayor emphasized this was not the version as in the unpopular “Kelo” Supreme Court case – handing over private property from one owner to another. Read More...

Years of effort, hopes and dreams all come down to the Southwest Park ordinance tonight.  Of ultimate interest is how one Tim Occhipinti votes on introduction of the one and only viable option for a Southwest Park.  Let there be no doubts about it, people can talk about this or that and what their druthers is for a Southwest Park but there is no better option than the plan on the table for Block 12 tonight.

The City has made A GOOD FAITH FAIR OFFER for land and others believe they can hold out for prices that crashed long ago back in 2008.  In the end, any appraisal will be made on 2012 prices and any application of eminent domain to convert the land into a park will be impartially determined by a CURRENT APPRAISAL. Read More...

Here’s a communication from last year by Tim Occhipinti.  No matter what happens at the City Council meeting you can be sure if Tim votes down the park ordinance tonight, he has a perfectly suitable reason why agreeing with the mayor on his demand for a Southwest Park is just not up to his standards.

Here’s what he originally sold Hoboken:

Occhipinti calls on Zimmer to Redirect Unused Grant Money  Councilman renews call to create new open space and establish the Southwest Park. Friends and Neighbors, I wanted to share with you the following press release issued today. We need to fight for this money to be redirected to land acquisition for the Southwest Park! (HOBOKEN) – 4th Ward Councilman Tim Occhipinti called on Mayor Zimmer and Councilman Mello to consider rerouting $3 million in unused grant money from the Hudson County Open Space Trust Fund. The application deadline to reprogram funding is Wednesday, July 20th, 2011 and the actual grant expires on August 13, 2011. “The Southwest Park can become a reality and over the past few months the City has made progress towards the creation of the park,” said Occhipinti. “We have a golden opportunity to put unused money towards a much-needed project in the often-neglected 4th Ward and I’m afraid we are going to lose out.” This year Hudson County is giving municipalities a “one-time” chance to re-program unused funding from the Open Space Trust Fund for eligible projects. The City of Hoboken is currently seeking to redirect this funding and can seek an extension for this grant, only if the City has demonstrated progress towards a project. “We need to double our efforts to create a park in the 4th Ward and the Administration has no plans or intentions to move this project forward. That’s $3 million that could be redirected for land acquisition purposes for the Southwest Park,” said Occhipinti. “I’m urging Mayor Zimmer and Councilman Mello, both 4th Ward residents, to make this park a priority. This has the potential to be a missed opportunity to create new open space. Zimmer and Mello should be tireless advocates for this project and I urge them to uphold their commitment to creating open space and improving the quality of life for our residents.” Best, Tim Occhipinti 4th Ward Councilman occhipintiforcouncil.com  Talking Ed Note: Tonight we’ll have to await what Occhipinti does on the park ordinance. The surface parking lot in the City’s sights as part of the lots of Block 12 sought for a park is also the desired location for the bar business’ plan to park cars via valet service. Read More... News Hey, who has been ringing our bell? 05/15/201201/22/2021 by SmartyJones1 Min Reading Just so our colleague Grafix Avenger who lives down yonder Hoboken way doesn’t feel too special as in Special Agent FBI special, there’s some special visitors who have come visiting our way too ringing the bell at the stable.  Ding, dong… Mason, what about Beth Mason? Da Horsey was actually first to officially Welcome the Boys of Summer at a City Council meeting last year and even if it’s not quite summer weather just yet, the heroes of our Republic should always feel welcome when they visit the stable or any of our neighbors in Hoboken. Read More... News How will Tim Occhipinti vote on the Southwest Park Wednesday? 05/15/201201/22/2021 by SmartyJones1 Min Reading The Southwest Park is a longstanding issue with many grassroots activist hoping over years for an opportunity to add some park space to that area of Hoboken. Now the the opportunity is finally before the Hoboken City Council on Wednesday. The ordinance regarding lots of Block 12 requests the powers of eminent domain so the mayor can push through in stalled negotiations on land that is primarily a surface parking lot is before the Hoboken City Council this Wednesday. That evening the ordinance will be presented and requires five votes for passage to go on to the next step after introduction.  If the earlier vote on the question stands, there are four likely votes in support: council members Cunningham, Marsh, Mello and the Council President Ravi Bhalla. Read More... News Sharks look to eat their own, a James Barracato cautionary shark tale 05/14/201201/22/2021 by SmartyJones1 Min Reading If you want to swim in the deep end of the pool with the big fish, the first rule you might want to follow as a self-proclaimed big time political operative in service to your counte$$ is not get caught red handed providing defamatory information to the local paper on Reform writers. James Barracato, aka FinBoy left the telltale marks in a document obtained by Grafix Avenger submitted to the Hudson Reporter.  So as Hoboken awaits to see how the embarrassing details are handled on their end which in and of itself is disturbing on many levels not only journalistic ones, the real question is how one Grafix Avenger is taking the “news.” Read More... News Original charges against Hoboken PEO as presented by HPD spokesman 05/14/201201/22/2021 by SmartyJones1 Min Reading Here’s video from a CBS story against the Hoboken PEO in November 2010:  The original story is here: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2010/11/05/hoboken-meter-reader-accused-of-sandwich-shakedown/ Talking Ed Note: Was there someone else getting parking tickets by this Hoboken PEO who was offended by his doing so?  Sgt. Williams is welcome to offer more insights at his convenience. News Hoboken PEO reinstated after criminal charges dismissed 05/14/201201/22/2021 by SmartyJones1 Min Reading City of Hoboken announces: =&0=& Parking Enforcement Officer Kleber Vera has been reinstated on the job after being suspended in November, 2010. Vera was hired by the Parking Utility in February, 2010. He was suspended without pay pending the disposition of the criminal court case against him which touched upon his office. Ultimately all charges were dismissed. “Mr. Vera and his family went through a very difficult and very public process, and now that the charges against him have been dismissed, I welcome him back as an employee of the City of Hoboken,” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer. “Kleber Vera had a good work record prior to these events, and I’m happy to hear that his charges were dropped,” added Transportation and Parking Director Ian Sacs. News Southwest Park dream at stake with Tim Occhipinti vote front and center 05/13/201201/22/2021 by SmartyJones2 Min Reading =&0=& =&1=& Mayor Dawn Zimmer’s crowning achievement to date – saving the Hoboken University Medical Center against longs odds – is past glory but her foremost reason for entering the political arena looms with an ordinance on the table at the City Council meeting Wednesday night – the long held hopes for the creation of a Southwest Park. Negotiations for the centerpiece of that dream in an area built around Block 12 are falling short and Mayor Zimmer is following through on a previous request to the City Council to approve an ordinance to provide the authority to use the powers of eminent domain to make a Southwest Park a reality. The ordinance for the Southwest park is on the table Wednesday night and requires five votes.  Previously, a resolution on eminent domain last July (see page 4 in attachment below) came down to one critical vote and put a defining issue before Councilman Tim Occhipinti.  With Councilwoman Jen Giattino, an ally of Reform but voting no in only her third council meeting, the pressure on Tim Occhipinti to deliver for the fourth ward was front and center. Block 12 is the City’s central objective for building a contiguous Southwest Park. Occhipinti provided the fifth vote for the tool to pursue a southwest park but not property specific.  The resolution gave the mayor the authority to pursue a southwest park vision with previously approved county funds.  This time the stakes are real with actual lots from Block 12 designated as targets for a park. MORTe as a whole is expected to vote against the plan the mayor is presenting for a Southwest Park; this with a one year deadline looming on a  $3 million county grant set to expire this year. Read More...