Amid widespread press coverage, a former employee of the City of Bayonne who previously worked on Mayor James Davis’s mayoral campaign publicly accused Mayor Davis of allegedly sending her sexually explicit text messages both during the campaign and while she worked for the city, between 2013 and 2015. The alleged victim, Stacie Percella, who worked in the city’s public works department until she was terminated in December of 2016, called for the mayor’s resignation at a city council meeting on May 17. Mayor James Davis, through his spokesperson, Amit Jani of Vision Media, has not denied the claims, but said the messages were “harmless, playful banter between two adults,” that Percella’s allegations are “part of an orchestrated campaign to make millions of dollars off of Bayonne taxpayers and destroy [his] reputation,” and that their friendship, which dates back decades, has “never been physical in nature.” Percella, however, argued that the messages amount to sexual harassment. Click here for more.
City officials want Bayonne to bloom, especially the restaurant industry. The city council passed a Bring Your Own Bottle (BYOB) ordinance on Wednesday, May 17, much to the displeasure of some restaurant and bar owners who argue that the ordinance will devalue their liquor licenses. The ordinance will allow any restaurant with a wait staff and 10 or more dining tables to apply for a permit with the city clerk to allow patrons to bring their own beer or wine between the hours of noon and midnight. City Council President Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski said the ordinance is meant to “spur new business,” and that the idea came from constituents who were interested in BYOB establishments. “By no means was this ordinance introduced to hurt any business in town or to undercut them,” Nadrowski said. “Just regular people in town came up to us and asked. They go to all these places who have it, and they co-exist with bars.” After hearing comments from several local bar owners, the council amended the ordinance to require another vote in a year to renew it. This year will test the city’s strategy to attract more restaurant business. Click here for more.
The Bayonne City Council passed a redevelopment plan for South Cove Commons plaza on Lafante Way at a meeting on May 17. The developer, the Alessi Development Company, would clear the way for a hotel, an 80-unit residential building, and office space. The developer is in talks with Hilton Garden, but a deal has not been finalized. The hotel would be Bayonne’s first. The project is expected to take 18 months to complete. South Cove Commons currently is home to Frank Movie Theatres, Stop & Shop, Otaiko Hibachi, Sushi Lounge, and T.J. Maxx. A hotel would be situated to the northeast of the site, overlooking Bayonne Golf Club, while an office building will be situated adjacent to Houlihan’s. Council President Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski said Alessi will be “changing the look of everything in there. It’s going to be more walkable, like malls without walls.” The multiple-phase project includes re-routing traffic through the shopping center, adding and extending walkways, and changing the façade of some of the buildings from concrete to a sleek wood. Click here for more.
