North Bergen Housing Authority fires employees after internal investigation
The North Bergen Housing Authority (NBHA) terminated a number of employees recently, according to NBHA Spokesman Phil Swibinski.
“As a result of an internal investigation initiated by the North Bergen Housing Authority and being conducted by special counsel Mark Tabakin, a number of at-will employees were terminated for workplace misconduct,” Swibinski said. “Given that this matter involves personnel, we will have no further comment at this time.”
The terminations follow a series of mishaps for the authority in recent months. In March, after an internal investigation, the NBHA terminated Geoffrey Santini (who also holds private contracts as an animal control officer for several municipalities) as its security director, after an NBC News report alleged he misused a NBHA SUV for his business and low-showed at the federal housing job.
Earlier this month, a new NBC News report earlier this month alleged that NBHA units meant for lower-income tenants instead went to political supporters of the city administration.
A follow-up NBC report on the terminated employees claimed that none appeared to have anything to do with either of their recent investigative stories.
NBC said, “The U.S. Attorney for New Jersey and the HUD Inspector General have launched criminal investigations into alleged wrongdoing at the NBHA” after the NBC investigations, according to NBC. But William Skaggs, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark, said last week that he could not confirm or deny an investigation.
Pool open weekends now, weekdays beginning June 27
North Bergen residents are invited to join the municipal pool for a cool and refreshing summer. Membership prices remain the same as the past two years, after reducing prices in 2016 to offer savings of more than $100 per family.
The pool is currently open on Saturday and Sunday only, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Beginning June 27 the pool will open Monday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Weekend hours will remain 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Members must be North Bergen residents. Registration must be done in person at the pool, 2111 91st St., or the Recreation Center, 6300 Meadowview Ave. Applications will be accepted during the following hours: Monday to Friday from 2 to 9 p.m. at the Recreation Center, Monday to Friday from 4 to 9 p.m. at the pool, Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the pool.
Visit the township website at www.northbergen.org for an application and pricing. For more information contact the Recreation Center at (201) 861-9601 or the pool at (201) 758-2713 (weekends only).
Register kids ages 6-12 for summer camp
Boys and girls ages 6 to 12 are invited to participate in North Bergen’s Summer Fun program, running 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday to Friday from June 28 to Aug. 1. Summer Fun is a summer camp program held at various locations throughout the township. Registration is required to join, and participation is limited.
A birth certificate and proof of residency are required for registration, along with a $50 non-refundable fee. The registration fee includes a tee-shirt, lunch, field trip, and entertainment.
Registration is first-come, first-served, from 2 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, June 13 at the North Bergen Recreation Center, 6300 Meadowview Ave.
Police, firefighters, and EMS honored on Public Servants Appreciation Day
For the third year in a row, Dignity Memorial hosted a generous barbecue and picnic to honor the public servants of North Hudson.
All local police officers, firefighters, and EMS workers were invited to stop in on Wednesday, May 23 for freshly grilled burgers and hot dogs with all the trimmings, plus tasty side dishes, desserts, and beverages, all for free courtesy of Dignity.
Mayor Nicholas Sacco stopped by to meet with the public servants and offer his thanks for their dedicated service, along with Freeholder Anthony Vainieri, Public Safety Commissioner Allen Pascual, Finance and Revenue Commissioner Julio Marenco, Police Chief Robert Dowd, and numerous other township officials.
Held under a large tent on the lawn of Garden State Crematory, the event continues to grow in size every year. Hundreds of burgers and dogs were given out, along with free tee-shirts, pins, tote bags, and other giveaways.
Dignity Memorial is the parent company of Garden State Crematory and Leber Funeral Home in North Bergen, and Mack Memorial Home in Secaucus, all of whom contributed to the Public Servants Appreciation Day celebration.
Express POOL launches in New Jersey
Uber announces last week that its new shared rides product Express POOL launched May 17 in Hudson County, Newark, Elizabeth, and parts of Essex and Bergen counties.
In Express POOL, where riders wait a few minutes before their trips begin, and then walk a short distance to a nearby spot for pick up and dropoff. Walking and waiting help make more optimal matches and provide better, straighter, faster routes with fewer detours.
New Jersey residents will see Express POOL next to POOL in the app. Once requested, the app spends the next few minutes selecting the most compatible co-riders and a driver nearby, and the best spot for pickup within a few blocks of your location.
Guttenberg Memorial Day BBQ is May 28
Guttenberg will honor Memorial Day with a ceremony at Monument Park on Monday, May 28. The ceremony will be followed a free barbecue in the park, open to all residents.
The event begins at 1 p.m. in Monument Park, at 70th Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard East. Mayor Wayne Zitt and the town council will host the annual Memorial Day tribute, commencing with a service commemorating those who died while serving in the United States armed forces.
The ceremony will be followed by Guttenberg’s second annual Memorial Day Barbecue, sponsored by the township and open to all residents. The barbecue will take place in and around Monument Park.
LYFT signs on as sponsor of Hudson Bike Share
Lyft is now an official sponsor of Hudson Bike Share, the two companies announced last week.
Hudson Bike Share launched in Hoboken in October 2015 and just last year expanded to Weehawken, West New York, Guttenberg, North Bergen, Bayonne and Port Imperial for a total of 560 bikes. The system currently has 22,436 registered members and has clocked over 390,000 rides since inception.
Said Ann Ferracane, general manager of Lyft New Jersey, “By supporting Hudson Bikeshare, we’re able to make it easier to combine modes of transportation. From taking a Lyft to Weehawken and exploring downtown by bike, or taking bike between towns and a Lyft complete the journey, this partnership makes easier to imagine living car-free in many areas of New Jersey.”
Existing Hudson Bike Share riders who try Lyft for the first time and download the app can use code NJBIKE18 for $15 in free ride credit.
Menendez rips into IRS ‘attack on New Jersey taxpayers’
U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez reacted to Wednesday’s announcement by the Internal Revenue Service that it intends to issue new rules about property taxes. Menendez said the rules would unfairly target statwide efforts to protect New Jersey taxpayers from being double-taxed by the Trump Administration’s plan limiting state and local tax deductions.
Republican federal tax law, passed last year, is expected to hurt New Jersey taxpayers who pay more than $10,000 in state and local property taxes. Estimates indicate that more than one in 10 New Jersey households will see an increase in their federal income taxes.
To mitigate the federal tax law, earlier this month, the senator – a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee that sets national tax policy and the leader in the U.S. Senate in the fight to preserve the state and local tax deduction – joined Gov. Phil Murphy as he signed state legislation that allows municipalities to establish charitable funds where taxpayers can donate in return for a property tax credit.
The state legislation, S-1893, allows taxpayers to donate to a charitable fund established by their municipality, county, or school district. In return for their donation, the taxpayer receives a credit on their property tax bill of up to 90 percent of the donation. Taxpayers would then be able to claim their donation as a charitable deduction on their federal income tax return.
The IRS has said it will try to limit these strategies, without giving any details.
“Despite these state efforts to circumvent the new statutory limitation on state and local tax deductions, taxpayers should be mindful that federal law controls the proper characterization of payments for federal income tax purposes,” the IRS wrote in its notice.
Menendez reacted angrily. “The concept of incentivizing charitable contributions with state tax benefits, including credits, has long been found by the IRS to be acceptable,” the senator said. “The only reasonable conclusion to draw is that the Trump Administration will stop at nothing to hurt New Jersey, and will always put petty partisan politics ahead of the people he has been sworn to serve.”
Menendez added, “As appalling as it was for President Trump and Congressional Republicans to use tax reform as a way to exact political revenge against so-called blue states by limiting the state and local tax deduction, it is absolutely unacceptable to use the IRS as a political weapon to target New Jerseyans. I will not stand for it, and will use every tool at my disposal to protect the taxpayers of New Jersey.”
Hudson County CASA is seeking volunteers
Learn how to become a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer and help foster children find safe and permanent homes. The next information session will be held at the Hudson County Courthouse, 595 Newark Ave. Rm. 901 on Tuesday, June 5 at 6:30 p.m.
Hudson County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is a non-profit organization committed to advocating for the best interests of abused and neglected children. CASA works through trained community volunteers to ensure that needed services and assistance are made available to children while helping to move them toward safe and permanent homes. Hudson County CASA volunteers are everyday people who make a direct impact in foster children’s lives. They are trusted, dedicated adults who seek to improve children’s well-being. CASA volunteers get to know their assigned child and his or her circumstances and provide valuable information to the court. Judges rely on the volunteers’ recommendations to make the best decisions about the children’s futures.
For further information, visit www.hudsoncountycasa.org.
