News

Hoboken City Council approves action to acquire BASF six acres in historic action

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

In a major decision by the City of Hoboken’s legislative body, in a 6-3 vote; the Hoboken City Council moved to acquire the six acre BASF site in the northwest deploying the tool of eminent domain.

Once again, as two weeks back, the decisive and required sixth vote was provided by Councilman Tim Occhipinti.

In a vote for eminent domain to allow the City to purchase the last six contiguous acres in Hoboken, voting in favor: Councilmembers: Jen Giattino, Peter Cunningham, Dave Mello, Jim Doyle, Tim Occhipinti and Council President Ravi Bhalla. Read More...

News

6 acres and a new park for Hoboken? For all the marbles: City Council @ 7:00

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

Tonight’s City Council meeting is for all the marbles. Eminent domain is on the table for the possible purchase of the six acre BASF site in northwest Hoboken.

The Hoboken City Council requires six votes for passage to move ahead with the City using all means available in negotiations including the power of eminent domain to obtain the six contiguous acres for a large park and possible municipal parking garage.

On first reading the measure passed 6-3 with Councilman Tim Occhipinti making what could be the critical, required sixth vote. Read More...

News

Rumor mills and BoE Trustee Peter Biancamano asked to step down

by SmartyJones2 Min Reading
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It’s not only election season but silly season in Hoboken and while the Mile Square is not at the level of an epicenter striking like a Donald Trump, campaigns have a way of issuing fodder to create similar richter scale output.

First things first; on the Board of Education front, former and current rival (by marriage) Brian Murray laid down the gauntlet to BoE Trustee Peter Biancamano at the last district meeting.  In public portion, Murray hammered Biancamano for repeatedly running for a seat on the Hoboken City Council in recent years while moving his lips saying he was committed to serving out his term as trustee and asking voters only last year to re-elect him to the school board (which they narrowly did). Murray left out his personal rivalry with Biancamano and most would not say he’s obligated to do so except the numero uno reason Murray failed in his attempt last year to get on the BoE himself was one Peter Biancamano. 100 votes give or take for Murray would have gotten him the third seat. Some might color it further by pointing to a sizable pile of paper ballots for Biancamano and the Vote by mail number 466.
Twice failed BoE candidate Brian Murray asked BoE trustee and City Council
candidate Peter Biancamano to resign so someone else could
give their full commitment to serving the children as a BoE trustee.
This election cycle, it’s Murray’s wife who is Biancamano’s opponent,
but this time it’s for second ward City Council.

Murray as a parent conlcuded his remarks saying, “While it is election season… here not a year later (after re-election to the BoE)… Mr. Biancamano chooses then again to run for City Council… If he wants to be on the City Council, how is he best serving this board and the children and my child… (how about) someone give their full commitment… Asking Mr. Biancamano to step down tonight if he wants to be on the City Council.” (Scroll ahead two-thirds in public portion for his comments.) Read More...

News

Mister Carmelo

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading
Mister Carmelo busts a move for another public gig: Sixth ward council!=&1=&=&1=&=&3=&=&1=&


An exclusive comprehensive feature on the recent dare doings of Mister Carmelo

Hoboken’s Carmelo Garcia, counted by many as among the most controversial of Mile Square City residents is mounting a campaign to take on sixth ward councilwoman Jen Giattino in the sixth ward.

Before continuing on, a word of warning. Hoboken election politics are not for the faint of heart. When one walks the Mile Square thinking of how the gilded bird sings so lovely, underneath is a rusted “On the Waterfront” ruin exploited at every turn by an at-the-ready Old Guard. Read More...

News

Carmelo Garcia’s demons come back to roost

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

Carmelo Garcia, no stranger to controversy is seeing some of his problematic associations sprung out of the sewer of the fourth ward show up in the sixth ward council race.

Garcia who is currently suing both the Hoboken Housing Authority and the City of Hoboken for the former’s terminating an at-will contract in his infamous “ethnic cleaning” lawsuit is attempting to unseat Councilwoman Jen Giattino in the sixth ward of midtown Hoboken.

A recent Facebook entry to announce a Happy Rosh Hashanah saw questions raised about his paid Assembly staff and racial remarks cited in detail by a user called Hoboken Onion. Read More...

News

BoE slate “Reach Higher” Kickoff Sunday

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

BoE Slate Reach Higher announces:

Join Us for the Reach Higher Hoboken Campaign Kickoff Party!

Dear friends and neighbors,

Please join us on Sunday, September 20th, to kick off the Reach Higher Hoboken school board election campaign!

Date: Sunday, September 20
Time: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Location: The Hoboken Hothouse, 200 Monroe Street, Hoboken

Current board member Tom Kluepfel is running for re-election. He is joined by Sheillah Dallara and Addys Velez, two energetic and committed district parents.

They seek your support to continue the steady progress made over the past several years. Strong public schools improve the quality of life in our city, and spending wisely and investing our tax dollars in the classroom provides priceless opportunities to Hoboken’s students.

We look forward to seeing you at the kickoff!

Follow the campaign to get the latest news by “Liking” our campaign page on Facebook and Twitter.

Read More...

News

Michael DeFusco on the Municipal Garage: let’s work together to find a solution

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

At the last City Council meeting, first ward council candidate Michael DeFusco decried the lack of progress in identifying a new home for the Hoboken Municipal Garage.

Taking dead aim at his election opponent, Councilwoman Terry Castellano, his criticism noted she was incapable of working with the administration to find a workable solution. Castellano has been a vehement critic and opponent of all things Hoboken’s Mayor Dawn Zimmer and came within an eyelash of seeing Hoboken University Medical Center shut crippling the City’s finances and losing more than a thousand jobs in Hoboken. Read More...

News

HHA names new Executive Director

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

This report comes courtesy of the Hudson County View:

The Hoboken Housing Authority unanimously approved a $157,000 contract for a new, full time executive director from out of state, tentatively set to start on October 28.

After a roughtly 45-minute closed session, the HHA board unanimously approved (4-0) the hire of Marc Recko, the current CEO at Washington and Mid-East Regional Housing Authority in North Carolina.

See the complete Hudosn County View report at the link:
http://hudsoncountyview.com/hoboken-housing-authority-approves-157k-contract-for-new-exec-director/ Read More...

News

Council candidate Eduardo Gonzalez, ‘Do the developer deal’

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading
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‘Do the developer deal!’ Where has Hoboken heard that one before?

In the decades leading up to its current popularity as a developer destination, Mile Square development – through the mid-eighties arson induced murders killing dozens of residents, mostly women and children – to the broken promises to build a swimming pool or tennis and parking at the site of the litigated Monarch Project site; Hoboken has seen more than its share of broken developer promises and tears.

In Hoboken however, selling out the community is a time honored political “tradition.” Whether its broken promises, broken lives or scams like the Carmelo Garcia brochured flimflam Vision 20/20, development deals promise riches and political support from the usual corners. Read More...