News

Hoboken Housing Authority cleared in investigation of $100,000 federal stimulus expenditures

by SmartyJones2 Min Reading

The odd trumpeting of HUD’s Office of Investigation unit’s examination into three areas related to expenditures on the federal stimulus has been the subject of some extracurricular spin in recent days. MSV obtained the report.  Here’s the three items related to the investigation in the May report:
No one is arrested on the HUD investigations of $100,000 in federal stimulus fund expenditures.
Based on the political operative commenting here and crowing elsewhere, you’d think it’s akin to earning a medal.
Tonight a definite round of law breaking is on tap when HHA counsel Charles Daglian will see a vote if
Director Carmelo Garcia has his way with five attempts to ram him down his boss’ re: the HHA board’s throats.
=&0=&: It’s unclear what prompted the investigation unit of HUD to look into how stimulus funds were spent. This clearly goes back several years when the almost trillion dollar package was passed in 2009 and has nothing to do with the controversy over spending more than $300,000 on elevator floors.  Or the documentation-less Vision 20/20 project. After celebrating there’s no convictions on expenditures from the federal stimulus program (it’s unclear how much employment stimulus the expenditures created) let’s move on to an illegal appointment again of the HHA Director’s personal consiglieri – =&1=&.

How is a contractor in the form of Director Carmelo Garcia respecting the wishes of his employers by attempting to circumvent the obvious will of that body which has repeatedly rejected his insistence Charles Daglian remain as the HHA counsel? Read More...

News

Mayor Zimmer to Assemblyman Ramos: Help Hoboken protect its waterfront from construction piers development

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

Office of the Mayor announces:

Today the Assembly Environment & Solid Waste Committee is considering A-3933/S-2680 which would enable urban coastal communities to build residential and commercial development on existing piers in coastal high hazard areas. The attached letter is being read to the Committee today by Mayor Zimmer’s Chief of Staff in order to convey Hoboken’s position with respect to this legislation and opposing Hoboken’s inclusion in the legislation. Mayor Zimmer letter to Assemblyman Ruben Ramos 6-12-13

Talking Ed Note: MSV as a matter of policy doesn’t comment on official government releases but will here to the extent of emphasizing the important intervention the mayor is taking to protect Hoboken.

Mayor Zimmer became aware of this statewide legislation barreling ahead and is seeking assistance from Assemblyman Ruben Ramos to adopt an amendment and stop Hoboken’s waterfront from being targeted for further development re: the Monarch.

Hobokenites will look toward cooperation in seeing this exemption here through as it is already flying out of the station with passage in the State Senate and Assembly assured. Read More...

News

Battle anticipated on HHA legal counsel contract Thursday – for fifth time!

by SmartyJones2 Min Reading
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The Hoboken Housing Authority Agenda yesterday reveals its legal counsel contract is up for consideration this Thursday night.  Again, as in for the fifth time the past year.  After the resolution to rename Charlie Daglian failed in the prior meeting on a 3-3 vote,  it was thought a public bidding process would again start as required by state law. The four prior votes failed to produce a legal vote for a HHA counsel and months long holdover Charles Daglian saw his participation on the board leading to a vote for his own contract questioned by a HUD review of the vote reappointing him held last March, calling it legally flawed.   The scathing indictment of the counsel contract by HUD under HHA Executive Director Carmelo Garcia has seen no compromise candidate/law firm emerge since.  A critical memo requested by then Chairman Stuiver of the City’s Corporation Counsel last February was met with derision by the Garcia faction of HHA commissioners who voted it not be released to the public.  The memo deemed the vote in March to reappoint Charles Dagalian invalid. The HHA finds itself deadlocked as the Hoboken City Council on an appointment with Garcia refusing to allow a replacement to Daglian to move forward in the procurement process with a vote.   The vote planned Thursday night with no restarted procurement process since the last meeting is sure to cause more strife in the struggle between the Executive Director Carmelo Garcia who is again challenging commissioners for questioning the “sole appointing” powers in his contract.  The controversial contract was thought to be subject to renegotiation when a questions on the contract’s status was raised in a meeting earlier this year.  A vote on his termination was withheld with the agreement of updating the terms more to the current board’s liking.  

Garcia’s contract hidden from public view and the full HHA board of commissioners was first published on MSV in early February Read More...

News

Mason implosion incomplete without final Russo push in the back

by SmartyJones2 Min Reading
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Beth Mason’s 24 hour Senate campaign has made her the butt of jokes but she’s not out of trouble if the simmering embers of recall are carried out by the Old Guard with the new HudCo powers entering the fray.  While there’s been no evidence to date a real on the ground effort is underway, it won’t be a secret for long if they throw down.  


Nothing happens however until there’s a decision in the Jim Doyle case.  Can’t act against the lead weight in Mason unless the fool’s money bags have been completely emptied.  With a 2-1 decision either way the most likely outcome in the NJ Appellate Court, an appeal to the NJ Supreme Court will follow and more legal fees all around. Since the Mason family underwrites suing the people of Hoboken, Beth Mason is safe from any backstabbing bloodletting from the Russo clan.  (Michael Russo supported Steve Fulop and will stick with a rising star not a loser drowning in the spiraling toilet water in Beth Mason.)


Councilwoman Terry Castellano along with the other MORTe members have no problem ringing up legal bills suing the people of Hoboken well into the tens of thousands and counting. After all, it’s power their after and they’ve neutralized an at-large vote they never won at the polls in 2009. Read More...

News

Carmelo Garcia endorses Gov. Chris Christie for re-election

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading
Carmelo Garcia, second from right joined in endorsing Gov. Chris Christie for re-election today with
State Senator and Union City Mayor Brian Stack.  Here’s the photo op in Vision 20/20 in Union City today.

PolitickerNJ covered the endorsements for Gov. Christie today writing:

“Today, Stack, a renegade Democrat, his 33rd District ticketmates, Assembly candidates Carmelo Garcia and Raj Mukherji and the Union City commissioners, declared their support for the incumbent Republican governor.”



photo courtesy Facebook NSAjacked

News

State Senator Brian Stack and assembly pick Carmelo Garcia to endorse Gov. Chris Christie for re-election

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

According to PolitickerNJ, State Senator and Union City Mayor Brian Stack will endorse Gov. Chris Christie today for re-election this November.  The endorsement is not a surprise considering the positive relationship between the State Senator and Governor such as state pension reform.

Of interest though is Brian Stack’s handpicked selections for Assembly who are expected to also join in endorsing Gov. Chris Christie.  Hoboken’s Carmelo Garcia who holds multiple paid positions in the public sector should be on hand when the announcement is made. He’s expected to deliver his Hoboken Housing Authority followers vote for the popular Governor. Read More...

News

Horse Sense: the week that was in Vision 20/20 and ode to a pony

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

Every week that passes is momentous as Hoboken is in full election mode with the countdown to November. You can tell when the Hoboken Sopranos go all out in utterly shameless fashion and this week they got down and dirty with the Carmelo Garcia crew for oodles of Vision 20/20 loot dancing in their eyes.

If intimidation into voting for a scam project with no discernible documentation was the objective, they certainly failed. If their goal was to gin up the mob and inspire the $40 per vote crowd, well they are sufficiently fired up to come after the Hoboken taxpayers. Come and get it! Read More...

News

BREAKING NON-NEWS: Beth Mason officially admits – no run for NJ Senate

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading
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In something of a laugh-a-rama torture test, Beth Mason has come out from behind her political operation planted Thursday on NJ.com and admitted she isn’t going to be a candidate to replace the late Senator Lautenberg after all.

Rather than say that, here’s her stilted language as quoted on NJ.com:

“Over the past several days several Democratic leaders and Democratic strategists reached out to me to encourage me to consider running for United States Senate.”

What this means to those of you in the real world is Beth Mason and her political operatives called every person the Mason family has given money to and demanded they give her support to run for US Senate. Read More...