In a sign that election season is approaching in Secaucus, one local resident has alleged that Mayor Michael Gonnelli and the Town Council have been working to suppress any Democrat challengers to their reign as Independents.
Gonnelli first led the “Take Back Secaucus” Independent slate to victory in the November 2009 election. Earlier that year, former Democrat Mayor Dennis Elwell resigned after federal officials charged him with corruption.
Strong accusations
Noting that the Secaucus Democratic Organization hasn’t run any candidates in this year’s primary, or the previous one, resident Tom Roarty referred to Nick Goldsack, the town’s current CFO, as chairman of the organization at the most recent council meeting.
He claimed that Goldsack “indicated to me that the Hudson County leaders want to avoid any conflict in Secaucus, thereby rendering all committee members irrelevant,” and called Goldsack’s role for the town, “a conflict of interest.”
“Nick’s not the chairman,” Gonnelli responded. “He hasn’t been the chairman for years.”
“Oh well, that’s not what I’m told, and that’s not what he told me,” Roarty said.
Goldsack responds
However, speaking with the Reporter days after the meeting, Goldsack countered Roarty’s claims and backed Gonnelli, noting he hasn’t had any involvement with the SDO since 2010. He also said that Roarty’s account of their meetings was inaccurate, and he has repeatedly told him he no longer works with the Democrats.
“I’ve spoken to him several times,” Goldsack said. “I had a conversation in my office with him, one on one, and I told him that,” Goldsack said. “I’ve told him several times that he has to talk to Assemblyman [Vincent] Prieto. All he wants to do is just blow smoke. He keeps putting up my name, and I have nothing to do with the Democratic committee.”
Roarty also claimed Gonnelli has control of the elected committee people, and that council members had tried to influence committee persons. Both Gonnelli and Goldsack sharply denied those charges.
“I’m not telling anybody to call anybody,” Gonnelli said to Roarty. “I’ve never called a committee person.”
“Mayor Gonnelli doesn’t choose people for the committee,” Goldsack confirmed. “The committee is chosen by the Democratic Chairman Vincent Prieto. Roarty’s been making that claim forever. He keeps talking about the Democratic process. If he wants to run, let him run.”
The words continue
After the meeting, Roarty and Gonnelli continued their back and forth, as Roarty spoke with the Reporter. Roarty repeated his claim that Nick told him he was the SDC chairman.
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“We run good government here. Nobody wants to run against it.” – Michael Gonnelli
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“Independents are Independents,” Gonnelli said. “We don’t control the committee people.”
“You were at the Committee meeting!” Roarty alleged.
“I wasn’t there!” a flustered Gonnelli said.
“You think that we do things that the old people you supported did, “Councilman Robert Costantino added. Gonnelli also claimed that Roarty wrote to Town Clerk Michael Marra, in response to a denied Open Public Records Act ( OPRA) request, “This is [expletive].”
“We run good government here,” Gonnelli told the Reporter. “Nobody wants to run against it. His claims are fictitious. Everything he said today was BS.”
Secaucus Patriot cheerleaders win state championships
On a much lighter note, the council honored the Secaucus Patriots cheerleading team, for winning the 2017 state and national championships in cheerleading. Each member received a trophy and jacket for their collective efforts. “My hats off to you guys,” Gonnelli told the talented girls. “Tremendous job. This is the first time I think this has ever happened.”
“People really don’t take cheerleading seriously, sometimes,” said Coach Kerry. “It’s not what you see on the football field. These girls are athletes. The work, the hard work and dedication and training that they put in, you look at these girls. Some of them are smaller than the others, but they’re all sixth, seventh, eighth grade. You have these girls literally holding other girls on their hands and doing tricks in the air. They made it look easy. That’s why they’re state national champions, and I couldn’t be prouder.”
Retiring police officer honored for service
Police Officer George Miller received an award for his 41 years on the force. He is being forced to retire because he has reached 65 years of age. “I just want to thank the mayor and council for this,” Miller said. “Without words, it’s unbelievable. And I just want to say that this mayor and council has finally bought the police department into the 21st Century by buying computers, a new radio system, new 911 system, new police cars. It just goes on and on and on. We really appreciate it.”
2017 $54.7 million budget adopted
The council voted to adopt the town’s 2017 budget at the May 23 meeting. The vote was previously scheduled for May 9, but was delayed due to the state delaying in approving it. No residents offered public comment on the budget. This year’s tax levy was $37.9 million, compared to $36.4 million last year. However, because more taxable property is contributing, the rate remains level. The budget also features a $3.5 million surplus and allows for $2.5 million in fully-funded road improvements
Other items
Football registration is now taking place for local first through eighth graders. Contact (201) 424-1635 for more information.
The town also recently finished planting 124 trees behind Secaucus High School. They paid for it via a $33,000 DOT grant, awarded in April, according to Gonnelli.
Hannington Dia can be reached at hd@hudsonreporter.com
