This statement just went out to the media from the Mayor and City Council President:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: =&1=& Mayor Zimmer & City Council President Respond to Fiscal Monitor’s Actions City of Hoboken, February 10, 2010– We have learned, by reading Mile Square View, that the State Fiscal Monitor, Judy Tripodi, has unilaterally reversed an action by the City Council at its last meeting that eliminated $1.5 million dollars in emergency appropriations. Ms. Tripodi’s rationale in reversing this cost-saving measure by the City Council was the “potential” ratification of labor contracts with one of the police unions.
Hoboken Mom is back with a guest submission. As usual, we print it in its entirety:
Related: Hoboken.patch.com covered the story last night. Some comments have come in and it’s worth a very close look. Maureen Sullivan, one of the two dissenting votes and a member of Kids First has logged in with a comment there. (And so has Da Horsey.)
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In our linked story over the weekend, Frank Romano was mentioned as a potential winner among the two finalists for Hoboken’s new school superintendent. MSV has learned that both sides of the Hoboken school board have been investigating his background extensively with dozens of reference checks. Does this mean he will get the nod? It’s unclear based on the public statements by School Board President Rose Marie Markle but negotiations have begun with an unnamed candidate.
City Hall announced two items: the =&0=& tomorrow. Also:
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for our area of New Jersey. The alert will remain in effect until 6 A.M. on Thursday (February 11th). The alert means significant amounts of snow, sleet and ice are expected.
The City of Hoboken has made all the necessary preparations for this potential storm. Please be advised that as soon as City streets are covered with a layer of snow, cars must be removed from all emergency snow routes. These routes are clearly identified on street signs. They include: Name of Street Location
Hoboken’s newest full time website, Hoboken.patch.com posted an update on the fire on Super Bowl Sunday and its origin on lower Park. Looks like a simple butt of a cigarette tossed between the buildings was the ignition. Hard to believe but that’s what the story is showing.
Smokey the Bear was not happy about this and said dun do dat.
Commenter khoboken thinks Hoboken411 has stepped in it yet again and this time may be facing a legal action. Now there’s a story we’d like to be first on. We’re eagerly awaiting more on the latest Hoboken411 follies. Earlier someone reported on Hoboken411’s illegal use of Accuweather weather graphic data and the copyright violation on the NJ.com Hoboken forum and sent us a copy which were exactly alike. But that’s old hat over there. Hoboken411 is still using the hospital photo from the Hoboken Journal last we heard. And get this, he’s now doing gadget reviews, most recently a walking meter. But walking to the hospital and taking his own photo is simply beyond him.
Litigation against the Hoboken Zoning Board regarding the destruction of the Neumann Leather building was dropped apparently in a legal filing earlier last week. The litigation apparently wasn’t going to be successful with the plaintiff seeking to call two Hoboken Zoning Board members on a claimed conflict of interest. When that fell through, the lawsuit was deemed kaput. Residents of the building fought against the building’s removal as it would force them to be evicted.
Tony Soares, Hoboken Zoning Board President made a statement indicating this is an all around victory for the town, “This is a not just a justification of the Zoning Board’s actions, it is a victory for the entire city of Hoboken, our professional representation led by Attorney Doug Bern and Planner Elizabeth Vandor , the nearby residents and above all the Arts and Industry Community which has long been essential to the fabric and success Hoboken has been for 156 Years.”
Related: The background story on the building as reported in NJ.com.
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In an email shared with MSV minutes ago, Judy Tripodi, the fiscal state monitor reversed the City Council’s deletion of $2MM at the City Council meeting last Wednesday. During the meeting a heated moment occurred when the Council protested the funds being inserted in an emergency appropriation. In a reversal not seen in earlier appearances on emergency appropriations, Finance Director Nick Trasente agreed to withdraw the $2MM before the Council vote that later passed.
The fiscal state monitor has previously adopted similar budget measures the day after the City Council has failed to pass emergency resolutions. In this instance, Judy Tripodi reinserted monies for potential retroactive police raises. She explains her decision thusly: