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Bayonne proposes creating Department of Planning, Zoning and Development

Daniel Israel, Staff Writer
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Bayonne proposes creating Department of Planning, Zoning and Development

Bayonne is contemplating establishing a new department at City Hall and reorganizing other divisions under that. The City Council introduced an ordinance proposing the creation of the Department of Planning, Zoning and Development at its December meeting.

The ordinance would move the Division of Community Development, the Division of Planning and Zoning and the Municipal Housing Liaison and RCA Administrator from under the Power and Duties of the Mayor to the new department. According to the ordinance, the department would exercise the powers of the city as an authorized local public agency for purposes of any federal urban renewal or redevelopment program with the approval of the City Council.

The Department would be the sixth, next to the following: the Department of Administration, Department of Public Safety, Department of Municipal Services, Department of Public Works and Parks and the Department of Law. Just like those departments, there will be a director known as the Director of Department of Planning, Zoning and Development appointed by Mayor James Davis, and per the ordinance, they must be “qualified by education, training and experience in the process of the development of housing, commercial and industrial improvements within large urban areas.”

According to the ordinance, the Director will direct and supervise the functions necessary to assist and encourage the timely and proper improvement to real property within the city. These functions will include the acquisition of real property; the development of maps and standards governing the development of the city; the management, maintenance and operation of property owned by the city but not needed for public use; the upkeep and improvement of the city’s infrastructure, including the water and sewer systems; and the sale or lease of such property and the operation and administration of such incentive programs that may be established by the city to assist and encourage the development of property.

Division of Planning, Division of Zoning and Municipal Housing Liaison and RCA Administrator

The Division of Planning will be headed by the City Planner, Suzanne Mack, or an Assistant Planner. They have the authority to perform all the planning functions of the Division, and to supervise the administration of the planning and implementation of such community services, housing preservation and conservation and other services. The division will also supervise the administration of planning process, regulations and enforcement.

The Division of Zoning will be headed by Zoning Officer Tracey Tuohy. It has administrative oversight of the personnel employed to perform zoning and land use functions. The division has authority, through the Zoning Officer, to perform all of the functions and duties of the Division.

The Municipal Housing Liaison and RCA Administrator is part of the administrative mechanisms established for the execution of Bayonne’s responsibility to assist in the provision of affordable housing in accordance with the Fair Housing Act of 1985. Duties include handling things like affirmative marketing, household certification, affordability controls, resale and rental, processing requests from unit owners and enforcement.

“This is reallocating the planning and zoning, and it adds development, commercial development and planning, and zoning maintenance,” City Council President Gary La Pelusa told the Bayonne Community News. “What’s happening is, these are currently under the mayor right now. What’s going to happen is, they’re going to be moved to a new Department of Planning Zoning and Development.”

In addition to moving the the Division of Community Development, the Division of Planning and Zoning and the Municipal Housing Liaison and RCA Administrator into the new department, there would be the creation of two new divisions. That would be the Division of Development and Housing and the Division of Real Property and Infrastructure.

“The Department of Planning, Zoning and Development will do five things,” La Pelusa said. “It will cover planning, zoning, development and housing, the Municipal Housing Liaison, and real property infrastructure. Those things are going to be in this new department.”

Division of Development and Housing

The Division of Development and Housing will focus on development, tax abatements and housing stock.

The development functions will include responsibility for the preparation, formulation and implementation of an overall economic development plan for the city; coordinate all program activities concerning the economic development of the city; formulate plans for attracting new business and industry into the city so that jobs are made available to alleviate or prevent conditions of unemployment, underemployment and economic dislocation; and develop and administer all programs established by the city to encourage the utilization, construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation of commercial and industrial property.

Other development functions included in the ordinance will involve public officials and private citizens in analyzing local economics, defining development goals, determining project opportunities and formulating and implementing development programs; provide such other assistance as is proper and necessary to permit and encourage the development of real property for commercial and industrial purposes in a manner that is consistent with general law and local ordinance; administer and direct urban conservation, rehabilitation and renewal activities of the city; exercise the powers of the city as an authorized local public agency for purposes of any federal urban renewal or redevelopment program approved by the City Council.

In addition, the ordinance grants the division to have other development powers to with the approval of the Director and the Business Administrator, appoint or contract with technical and professional advisers and assistance as may be required and approved for any federally or state-aided planning, renewal, development or redevelopment project, provided that they do not authorize the making of any contract in excess of $2,500 without the approval of the City Council; make recommendations, in conjunction with the Law Director and the Business Administrator, to standardize certain redevelopment agreement terminology and provisions and to propose any needed changes in state legislation; and coordinate and liaison, as needed, with the Mayor, the City Council, the Law Director and all city departments, in the redevelopment process.

Tax abatement and housing stock preservation functions

The division will also have tax abatement functions to maintain in one place and ensure the security of all of the records, papers and submissions that pertain to all tax abatement and exemption financial agreements; monitor and ensure compliance with the terms of all tax abatement and exemption financial agreements following approval by the City Council; along with the Finance Department, ensure the timely submission and payment of quarterly service charge bills with applicable arrearages and interest and ensure full compliance with the terms and conditions contained within the city’s tax abatement and exemption financial agreements by conducting periodic audits; and make recommendations, in conjunction with the Law Director and the Business Administrator, to standardize certain financial agreement terminology and provisions and to propose any needed changes in state legislation.

Other tax abatement functions will be to coordinate and liaison, as needed, with the Mayor, the City Council, the Law Director and all City departments, in the tax abatement and exemption process; act as a liaison with the Business Administrator and the City Council to review and analyze the financial ramifications of each tax abatement and exemption financial agreement; and assist in the preparation of the capital budget.

Lastly, the Division will yield housing stock preservation functions to advise the director on policies to ensure the preservation and creation of housing; and maintain in one place and ensure the security of all of the records, papers and submissions that pertain to short-term rental permits.

Division of Real Property and Infrastructure

One of the new Divisions in the Department of Planning, Zoning and Development is the the Division of Real Property and Infrastructure. The Division shall manage and oversee all real property and infrastructure owned, leased and controlled by the city.

According to the ordinance, the Division of Real Property and Infrastructure will focus on the acquisition, maintenance and disposition of all real property and infrastructure. In the division, there will also be a Long Term Control Plan and Resiliency Coordinator, responsible for the creation and implementation of the city’s Long Term Control Plan and the recommendations of the Resilient New Jersey Program.

The position is being created as part of the administrative mechanisms needed for the execution of Bayonne’s responsibility to assist in creation and implementation of the Long Term Control Plan pursuant to the United States Clean Water Act and United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Combined Sewer Overflows Control Policy, issued on April 11, 1994.

The Long Term Control Plan and Resiliency Coordinator’s powers and duties include to be responsible for the development, oversight and administration of the city’s compliance with the federal and state laws concerning the Combined Sewer Overflows Controls. They will also be responsible for addressing flooding prevention and addressing climate change.

“Under the ordinance, there will be a separate Long Term Control Plan and Resiliency Coordinator,” La Pelusa said. “The mayor still would have to choose somebody who’s going to oversee that.”

According to the ordinance, The Long Term Control Plan and Resiliency Coordinator will also work toward accomplishing the goals of the Long Term Control Plan. The goals include characterization, monitoring and modeling activities as the basis for selection and design of effective Combined Sewer Overflow controls; a public participation process that actively involves the affected public in the decision-making to select long-term Combined Sewer Overflow controls; consideration of sensitive areas as the highest priority for controlling overflows; and evaluation of alternatives that will enable the permittee, in consultation with the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permitting authority, Water Quality Standards authority and the public, to select Combined Sewer Overflow controls that will meet Clean Water Act requirements.

Meeting goals of the Long Term Control Plan

The Long Term Control Plan’s goals also seek cost and performance considerations to demonstrate the relationships among a comprehensive set of reasonable control alternatives; operational plan revisions to include agreed-upon long-term Combined Sewer Overflow controls; maximization of treatment at the existing Publicly Owned Treatment Works treatment plant for wet weather flows; an implementation schedule for Combined Sewer Overflow controls; and post-construction compliance monitoring program adequate to verify compliance with water quality-based Clean Water Act requirements and ascertain the effectiveness of Combined Sewer Overflow controls.

Lastly, the plan’s goals seek to provide clear levels of control that would be presumed to meet appropriate health and environmental objectives; provide sufficient flexibility to municipalities, especially those that are financially disadvantaged, to consider the site-specific nature of Combined Sewer Overflows and to determine the most cost-effective means of reducing pollutants and meeting Clean Water Act objectives and requirements; allow a phased approach for implementation of Combined Sewer Overflow controls considering a community’s financial capability; review and revise, as appropriate, water quality standards, and their implementation procedures when developing long-term Combined Sewer Overflow control plans to reflect the site-specific wet weather impacts of Combined Sewer Overflows.

Similarly, the coordinator will also seek to abide by the goals of Resilient New Jersey. The program administered by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development aims to bring together resilience experts, local leaders, community organizations, residents and regional infrastructure entities to develop solutions to reduce flood risk and build resilience.

Preparing for the future, in terms of both resiliency and redevelopment 

The ordinance will create a Long Term Control Plan and Resiliency Coordinator, just 10 years after Hurricane Sandy underscored the need to develop such preventative practices. The Coordinator will play a vital role as the city has already asked for help from the state in financing its estimated over $300 million cost of implementing the plan, as well as the potential implementation of the regional Long Term Control Plan with other Passaic Valley Sewerage Authority municipalities.

“The Long Term Control Plan is something we’re all a little concerned over. It’s something we know is going to cost some money and it’s something that we are mandated to do,” La Pelusa said. “So we need somebody who can pick the right companies and that can help us save money while we still get the job done. You’ve got to capture that storm water and release it over time. There’s issues in the Long Term Control Plan about sterilizing water before you let it out in the waterway. All these things have to be addressed in that plan.”

Additionally, the move to create the Department of Planning, Zoning and Development comes as the city has completed its absorption rate study of recent redevelopment in the city. The study came at the request of Davis with the pause on most residential redevelopment until that study could be completed.

In November, La Pelusa announced the study was completed and that the study showed the newly constructed units were being occupied. While a formal presentation on the data will be brought to the council in the future, the news means that all residential redevelopment will likely move forward full steam ahead as well as the industrial redevelopment of the Constable Hook area of Bayonne that the city has been moving forward with in the meantime.

Residential redevelopment moving full steam ahead again soon?

This seems further backed by the City Council considering the reintroduction of financial agreements for project approved amid the pause, which officials previously defended could not be stopped due to prior planning approvals. This included the project that seemingly prompted the pause and study and was singled out by Davis at the time, amid the campaign for the May municipal election, which was for an 18-story and a 6-story building across the street from each other on Avenue E as part of the next phase of the Silk Lofts redevelopment and the long-term tax abatements that would support it.

The ordinance also follows the City Council contemplating this move back in October. However, La Pelusa told BCN at the time that some details of the ordinance were still being worked out. Those have since been remedied obviously as the ordinance has now been introduced.

The proposed ordinance will be up for a public hearing and vote at the City Council’s next meeting on Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall at 630 Avenue C. Read the full ordinance online at bayonnenj.org/_Content/pdf/ordinances/O-14-Chapter-2-Administration-Ordinance-INTRO.pdf or go to bayonnenj.org for more information.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.

UPDATE: North Bergen reviews emergency plans for COVID-19

Daniel Israel, Staff Writer
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UPDATE: North Bergen reviews emergency plans for COVID-19

(Updated Friday March 13 12:18 p.m.)

North Bergen is prepping for the novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, according to a statement by Mayor Nicholas Sacco.

Sacco shared an update on the Township of North Bergen’s emergency plans for responding to the COVID-19 through a video message on March 12.

According to Mayor Sacco, the township is taking all necessary precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among the community.

There are no cases of the virus in North Bergen as of March 13.

However, out of an abundance of caution, the township has decided to cancel a number of large public gatherings.

All Senior Citizens trips, except for food shopping and other Nutrition Center activities, have been postponed in addition to all Recreation activities including Free Roller Skating Night.

North Bergen has cancelled classes for public schools from March 16 to March 20. School officials will assess the situation after a week and make further decisions from there.

The Mayor added that North Bergen has been coordinating plans with township officials to respond appropriately during the COVID-19 public health crisis.

As required by the NJ Department of Health, all healthcare facilities and municipal emergency responders have developed Pandemic Preparedness Plans to ensure a continuum of care.

“Healthcare staff in our local hospitals and long-term care facilities are being trained and updated on a daily basis regarding this evolving situation,” Sacco said. “Vulnerable populations with compromised immune systems will be prioritized in case of an outbreak.”

The update on the town’s emergency preparations comes at a critical time for Hudson County residents.

COVID-19 has reached Hudson County.

Mayor Gabriel Rodriguez of West New York confirmed on March 8 that a resident of the town tested positive for the virus. According to Gov. Phil Murphy, there are 29 presumptive positive cases of COVID-19.

On March 13, Hudson County reported a second presumptive positive case of COVID-19. According to Mayor Steve Fulop, a 41-year-old female who lives in downtown Jersey City felt symptoms and initiated testing with her private physician before being diagnosed with the virus.

According to Sacco, residents are strongly advised to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) common-sense steps to prevent the spread of any respiratory virus.

Common-sense steps

These steps include avoiding close contact with people who are sick, staying home when you are sick, avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, among other measures that may seem common sense but are vital in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

The CDC guidelines also suggest covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and throw the tissue away after use. If a tissue isn’t available, cough or sneeze into your elbow, not your hands.

According to the CDC, the best way to combat COVID-19 is to wash your hands.

The CDC recommends that you wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol. The CDC recommends always washing hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

Practicing other good health habits is another way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food to help the body prevent the onset of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, according to the CDC.

Other preventative measures that can be taken to minimize the risk of infection include disinfecting doorknobs, switches, handles, computers, telephones, bedside tables, bathroom sinks, toilets, counters, toys, and other surfaces that are commonly touched around the home or workplace.

For regular updates on this or any other situation affecting the North Bergen community, residents are advised to follow the Township of North Bergen on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter for the best and most timely way to keep informed of news or updates from the township.

“The Township of North Bergen is prepared to handle this potential outbreak,” Sacco said in a statement.

Sacco and the Health Department are working with emergency responders to safeguard local families from the spread of the virus.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.

SISK, ANNETTE

Hudson Reporter
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SISK, ANNETTE

A funeral mass was offered Aug. 2 at St. Vincent’s Church, Bayonne, for Annette “Netzi” Sisk. She passed away suddenly July 29.  After devoting all of her time to raising her six children, she worked for 16 years at Maidenform followed by 17 years with City of Bayonne Police Department. Netzi loved to spend time with her family, whether it was playing cards, a weekend trip to Atlantic City or vacationing in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Disneyworld with her children, grandchildren, and extended family. She was a strong, independent woman known for her Sunday dinners, hearty laugh, and generous heart. Netzi is predeceased by her former husband James F. Sisk, her parents Angelina (Nee:Frank) and Frank Andrisano, and her siblings Patricia Stoop, Lucille Derise, Frances Saliski, Frank Andrisano Jr., and Louise Andrisano. Netzi leaves behind her children James III and his wife Joanne, Kenneth Sisk and his wife Kelly, Sherri Yannaccone and her husband Robert, Cindi Galvin and her husband Billy, Toni Ann Sisk, Tami Parsley and her husband Bill. Her grandchildren James IV (Crystle), Anthony and John Sisk, Kenneth Jr.(Caitriona) and Beau Sisk, Amanda (Corey), Robbie and Alyssa Yannaccone, Brianna (Brian) and Madison Galvin, Sydney, Billy and Lola Annette Parsley and Michael, Sarah and Megan Sisk. Her two great-grandchildren Corey Stokes Jr. and Conor James Sisk. Her siblings Damian Andrisano, Angelina Terracciano, Mary Cooper, Kathy Gounaropoulos and Anthony Andrisano. Her Borgata buddy and dear friend Eileen Sisk and also Sue Sisk. Services arranged by the G. Keenen O’Brien Funeral Home, Bayonne.

Bayonne officials defend redevelopment pause despite recent planning approvals

Daniel Israel, Staff Writer
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Bayonne officials defend redevelopment pause despite recent planning approvals

Bayonne officials are defending the current pause on most major residential redevelopment despite recent approvals by the Bayonne Planning Board.

The redevelopment pause was initiated by Mayor James Davis in February during his campaign for the 2022 municipal election. Although it was not necessarily a sentiment he expressed in the past, Davis paused most major residential redevelopment, excluding certain areas such as the former Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne (MOTBY) and commercial and industrial redevelopment, pending the completion of a study to determine the impact of the city’s nearly decade-long redevelopment boom.

The pause, which initially included “development projects currently in the pipeline,” also called for the council not to approve financial agreements to support these projects. In July, the City Council passed a resolution authorizing the study on all redevelopment in the city since 2015, although council officials noted that projects currently in the pipeline would be excluded from the halt on redevelopment.

Despite the pause, after months of postponement the Planning Board approved 18-story and six-story buildings as part of the next phase of the Silk Lofts redevelopment with a total of 286 units, as well as the next phase of the Woodmont Bay Club redevelopment for a four-story residential building with 85 units.

Davis had singled out the Silk Lofts project in his pause announcement, however, the project still moved forward without the completion of the much-anticipated redevelopment study.

Members of the City Council defended the pause at its August 25 meeting amid the latest residential planning approvals.

Residents speak out on supposed redevelopment pause

The council also approved resolutions furthering two redevelopments, and beginning the process of another.

One of the resolutions designated Adam Enterprises, LLC as the developer at 1207-1211 Kennedy Boulevard for a seven-story residential building with 42 units to be constructed on two vacant lots, and another resolution designated the Gamal Group, LLC as the developer of the eastern lots of the former Caschem site at 35 Avenue A per the Gamal Group East redevelopment plan.

The other resolution authorized the Planning Board to conduct a preliminary investigation into whether 235 West 1st Street, the current site of White Glove Moving and Storage, constitutes a non-condemnation area in need of redevelopment. Former city employee and outspoken resident Gail Godesky questioned how this resolution and the others could be approved amid the pause.

“None of these projects have started as far as I know,” Godesky said. “Even the Silk Lofts. There’s not even a groundbreaking. So I think you need to take these all off… You passed a resolution… There was a study that was supposed to take place. You were halting all development that didn’t get started until the study took place… You’re actually rescinding what you told the people… You were going to count the vacancies, the rents, and everything was going to be halted.. Don’t go back on your word. A recall can be done July 2nd. And I’ll start it.”

“We’ll vote you out, the whole lot of you,” resident Joe Matousek shouted from the audience.

Council addresses redevelopment pause inconsistencies 

In response, Second Ward City Councilwoman Jacqueline Weimmer made a statement claiming that the residential projects were approved by a “prior administration,” an odd reference to the City Council under former City Council President Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski. 

“These are projects that were previously approved by the prior administration,” Weimmer said. “These projects are not being introduced for the first time now. This was a commitment the city made and approved by the prior administration… I am very anxious as Miss Godesky to receive that study, I do want to see the impact that this development is having on our city. But if it was previously approved, I don’t know… if we have the ability to rescind that. And if that would financially be a good move for the city.” 

Godesky pointed out that one of the aforementioned resolutions was a preliminary study to determine if the White Glove property was a non-condemnation area in need of redevelopment, the first step in the redevelopment process. 

Weimmer responded, “If we have committed or if our prior administration has committed to a project, whether we agree, right or wrong or indifferent, that was a decision that somebody else made.” 

Weimmer then called out Ashe-Nadrowski directly, who was in attendance at the council meeting, telling Godesky: “Perhaps you should be having a conversation with the person sitting next to you.” 

Ashe-Nadrowski responds to Weimmer’s digs

After the meeting, Ashe-Nadrowski told the Bayonne Community News that Weimmer’s comments about the prior administration were interesting given that the majority of the current council or administration was part of the prior administration.

Only Ashe-Nadrowski and former Second Ward City Councilman Sal Gullace are no longer on the council, and Davis is still mayor, making the use of the term “prior administration,” usually reserved for different mayoral administrations, somewhat of a cop out.

“She referred to commitments made by the prior administration, which is funny because three people sitting up on that dais with her are part of the prior administration,” Ashe-Nadrowski said. “So if she had questions, I guess she could direct it towards them.”

Ashe-Nadrowski also refused to take the blame for the redevelopments, noting she voted no on them since the pause was announced by then-electoral foe Davis.

“Once there was a halt on redevelopment until the study was done, I continuously voted no with the explanation that the study had not been done yet,” Ashe-Nadrowski said. “So for a number of those that she referred to, I actually voted no. It’s in the minutes, they can go back and check.” 

Commenting on the new resolutions passed by the council in August, Ashe-Nadrowski noted that while some followed previous approvals, one of them was for the first step in the redevelopment process. And regarding prior commitments, Ashe-Nadrowski said that “there’s no such thing as a prior commitment” and “everything is conditional upon approval. If you’re saying it’s pre-decided, then what was the purpose of the public meeting?” 

Ashe-Nadrowski concluded: “I wish them well. Good luck to her… If she wants to learn how to do the job, she can call anytime. Because apparently they’re not telling her how the development process works.”

La Pelusa says pause in effect, study not in motion yet

In response to the questions and confusion, La Pelusa told the Bayonne Community News that the redevelopment pause is in fact in effect and that the study of all redevelopment is in the process of being set up. Once it gets going, the study is estimated to take 60 to 90 days to complete.

“We would have to hire the company, so right now we’re getting that done,” La Pelusa said. “Then the company would have to come back to us with the results. And of course we want to let the public know as well what the results are and everything.” 

When asked if there would need to be a contract for the study and if it would go out to bid or not, La Pelusa said that depends on the amount of the contract. The council recently raised the minimum threshold of how much a contract needs exceed before being sent out to bid with a Request for Proposals (RFP) to $44,000. 

Addressing the Silk Lofts 18-story tower, La Pelusa said the as-of-right application was recently approved by the Planning Board but that the City Council had already voted for the redevelopment plan back in 2021. Now, the discussion pertains to the a payments-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) agreement supporting the project.

“Now it’s just the financial agreement that will be voted on,” La Pelusa said. “I voted no on this project back when. I was not a fan of the height of this. It changes a lot of different things… But there are good points to these buildings. They fulfill obviously a need for housing, they help the city financially… So there’s good points and bad points to these projects. I thought the bad points would outweigh the good points for the people in that area.”

In response to the resolution authorizing a preliminary study to see if the White Glove property qualifies as areas in need of redevelopment, La Pelusa said this does not mean redevelopment will happen but will just study it to see if it is in need of redevelopment. 

A number of industrial redevelopments approved

Amid the residential redevelopment pause, the city is also seeing a slew of industrial redevelopment approvals in recent months. According to City Planner Suzanne Mack, residential redevelopment plans are on pause but some projects that were already before the Planning Board when the pause was enacted are hard to put on hold since the planning process already started and a redevelopment plan approved. This includes the Silk Lofts buildings, which were on the board’s agenda when the pause was announced.

Given that planning officials have said that residential redevelopment plans are on pause, the resolution approved for the White Glove site may be for industrial redevelopment. Regardless, officials swear the redevelopment pause is in effect and the study is in the process of being set up.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.

Hoboken prepares for Coronavirus

Marilyn Baer, Staff Writer
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Hoboken prepares for Coronavirus

Mayor Ravi Bhalla has released an update on Hoboken’s preparations for the Coronavirus, or COVID-19, to the community via a Nixle alert.

“While there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our city at this time, we are taking all necessary precautionary measures to ensure the safety and well-being of our residents,” said Bhalla on Tuesday, March 3, noting that the administration has been in close contact with Gov. Phil Murphy’s office and the New Jersey Department of Health, along with local hospitals.

According to the Center for Disease Control, there are 60 presumptive and confirmed cases in 12 states across the country including New York, and a total of six people have died from the disease.

Bhalla said that according to the state, the immediate health risk from the Coronavirus to the public is considered low at this time.

“In an effort to maintain a healthy environment, our city employees have increased the frequency of cleanings and sanitizing procedures in municipal buildings in accordance with CDC guidelines,” said Bhalla.

Bhalla encouraged residents to follow steps recommended by the NJ Department of Health to prevent the spread of the flu and the common cold, which he said can also help prevent the Coronavirus.

Preventative steps include washing hands with soap and water; to avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands; to avoid contact with people who are sick; to stay home while you are sick and avoid contact with others; to cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing; to review and follow all CDC travel advisories when planning travel and if you return home sick to call your healthcare provider before going to a doctor’s office or ER; and to get the flu vaccine even though the vaccine can’t prevent the Coronavirus, because it can minimize the number of residents with flu-like symptoms.

According to recommendations from the CDC, people who are well should not wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.

Face masks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings.

“My administration will continue to work closely with the Hoboken Health Department, the Office of Emergency Management and all first responders to appropriately plan for the event of a localized impact,” said Bhalla. “As updates come from the state, we will continue to provide necessary communication to the public about the Coronavirus.”

School closings?

On March 2, Superintendent of Hoboken’s Public School District Dr. Christine Johnson provided an update to district families in the district newsletter regarding the Coronavirus.

She said the district recently took part in a phone conference hosted by the Hudson County Office of Education, during which the schools discussed school closures, quarantined students, sound facilities and hygiene practices, and related bullying.

“First, the NJ Department of Health does not recommend school closure for outbreaks of infectious disease,” she wrote. “The decision to close a school is a local decision and one that is to be made only after consultation with public health officials and the district medical personnel. Our schools will work with local health departments to ensure that recommended control measures (e.g., exclusions, increased cleaning) are being followed. In addition, the local health department in conjunction with NJ Department of Health may recommend enhanced protocols be conducted to monitor the progression and ultimate decline of an outbreak.”

According to Johnson, there is no recommendation to close schools, but if necessary school closures should be utilized on a limited basis to prevent the spread of infection when infections are expected to affect a large number of susceptible people, recommended control measures are inadequate, the facility is unable to function due to increased illness affecting students and staff, or the health department declares an epidemic or cause of ill health to be hazardous.

On the conference call, districts were asked to develop plans in the event that a student was to be quarantined. Across the state, if a child were to be quarantined in another country or state and out of school for more than 10 days, districts were told that that student should be dropped from the rolls but should then be re-registered when he/she returns to school.

If a student is quarantined in New Jersey, districts are responsible for developing a plan to educate the student via technology-based tools.

“In the Hoboken Public School District, we are prepared to educate in this manner on both a small or large scale,” said Johnson. “All principals have been informed that plans for remote learning must be developed and ready for any/all students who are in this situation.”

According to Johnson, school principals and PreK Providers were instructed to have all soap and hand sanitizing dispensers full at all times. Custodians were also informed that doorknobs, handles, desks, and tabletops must be wiped down continuously.

She also asked parents to review practices to prevent the spread of respiratory diseases and to keep children home from school if he or she has a fever.

Johnson also said that the district will be vigilant about bullying against students whose ethnic origin is of a nation identified by the CDC as subject to travel restrictions, and that nurses and guidance counselors are prepared to help assist children who exhibit any anxiety or fear regarding COVID-19.

For additional information on safe practices and prevention, visit the New Jersey Department of Health or The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Residents with questions about the Coronavirus can also call the NJ Department of Health COVID-19 hotline at 800-222-1222.

Between the lines

Al Sullivan, Senior Staff Writer
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Between the lines

Roque needs a life preserver

Many political observers see Mayor Felix Roque’s re-election bid in the upcoming West New York election as akin to the maiden voyage of The Titanic – after it has already struck the iceberg.

The question is not whether the mayor’s ship will sink, but whether he is smart enough to bail out before it does

This has very little to do with his record as mayor.

Despite the political rhetoric coming at him in the runup to the May election, Roque has a fairly good record to run on – crime is down, the streets have been paved, taxes have been held steady.

While there are areas that need improvement, such as programs and facilities for after school, and the need to rebuild Miller Stadium where some baseball greats have played in the past, Roque’s potential demise would be purely political.

He has angered the big political bosses, he has refused to genuflect, and now he must pay the price.

Along with two other Hudson mayors, Roque was on the wrong side of last year’s failed political coup against the Hudson County Democratic Organization and County Executive Tom DeGise. Because he can’t generate 10,000 to 12,000 votes the way his ally Union City Mayor Brian Stack can, and he has failed to make statewide alliances the way Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla did, Roque is out in the middle of the political ocean without a life raft.

Some political observers, however, believe that Stack might have made a deal with the HCDO ahead of the critical committee vote last spring in West New York.

In last June’s primary, Roque was in a political fight to get 50 of his committee people elected in West New York ahead of a county committee vote that ultimately selected the executive’s daughter Amy DeGise as chairperson over Stack.

Stack was supposed to send in an army of political workers to help Roque. While Stack’s workers showed up, they did nothing to help the campaign.

This suggested Stack may have made some kind of deal with state Senator and North Bergen Nicholas Sacco, a supporter of Tom and Amy DeGise, to tank the Roque effort.

In early January, a state Senate Transportation Committee overseen by Sacco awarded a $9 million grant to Union City.

Had Stack backed Roque’s committee people as promised, Roque would have been in much better shape going into the May municipal election than he is now.

HCDO planned Roque overthrow for years

Still, most people believe Roque’s doom actually took place at the height of his success when his ticket won in 2015.  But it really wasn’t his ticket.  Rep. Albio Sires and Sacco inserted their own people into the West New York Board of Commissioners, leaving Roque a figurehead.

Roque’s first term that started in 2011 so scared the political establishment, the party bosses needed to take control over West New York government – and did – leaving Roque in power, but without real clout.

Now, some of these commissioners, that include Cosmos Cirillo, Margarita Guzman, Garbriel Rodriguez, Yoleisy Yanez and Victory Barrera, will run on a ticket opposing Roque.

While Roque has made some miraculous political recoveries in the past, this would take open intervention from the Heavenly Father, or perhaps a deal with a demon.

Roque claims he intends to run anyway, and has the money to run a significant campaign. But it is such a losing cause, he may well resemble a boy with a bucket trying to bail out the water from the sinking Titanic – a noble, but pointless effort, when there may still be room in one of the lifeboats for him to escape unscathed.

The last scene of `The Godfather?’

Not well known to the general public, the Jersey City Council was apparently poised to hold a vote of no-confidence against City Council President Rolando Lavarro in early January. This would have forced a vote to select someone else as council president.

Lavarro, however, somehow managed to convince a majority of the council members not to hold the vote.

But this raises questions about a massive power struggle ongoing inside the Fulop Administration.

While Fulop – like Michael Corleone at the end of “The Godfather” – appears to be taking the high road, hosting a number of positive events, his henchmen appear to be removing political enemies such as Schools Superintendent Dr. Marcia Lyles and former Gov. Jim McGreevey.

The removal of Lavarro would have been one more in the series.

Political observers claim all of these moves are largely about patronage. Fulop’s support of the failed plot to remove County Executive Tom DeGise may have created a problem for Fulop – who needs to get key supporters jobs.

The county takeover would have given Fulop access to hundreds of county jobs. Now he appears to have to find these jobs elsewhere. One place he is looking appears to be the Jersey City school district.

But Fulop critics claim the mayor must operate as if he is not the orchestrator of these moves, and so these critics claim, Fulop may be operating through surrogates.

While critics are also concerned about the city’s recent move to become its own master developer over a 95 acre site called Bayfront, Fulop may not be free to handpick developers.

“JC Together is a very effective watchdog,” said one Fulop critic. “The organization is keeping a very close eye on Bayfront and how developers are being picked there.”

Bayfront – along Route 440 on the west side of the city – would become the largest development since Newport on the eastern side of the city.

A master stroke

In the wake of the shooting at Newport Mall earlier this month, city officials are scrambling to portray the mall in a positive light. In a brilliant move, Jersey City and the owners of Newport managed to offset negative press by holding a press conference that announced that New York Road Runner club will take over the Newport 5K run in the spring.

To comment on this story on-line, go to our website, www.hudsonreporter.com. Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com

 

 

 

Pride is back

Daniel Israel, Staff Writer
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Pride is back

The rainbow stripes of the LGBTQ+ Pride flag were raised above Bayonne City Hall on June 7 to celebrate Pride Month.

The June celebrations commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall riots in 1969, which kickstarted the movement for LGBTQ+ equality.

Bayonne typically celebrates LGBTQ+ Pride in August, in conjunction with Jersey City’s Pride Festival as well as other events in Hoboken and across Hudson County.

Last year, the city was looking into holding its annual raising of the Pride flag in August, but did not due to pandemic complications. Since 2018, the city has held a Pride flag raising at City Hall in conjunction with the Hudson Pride Center.

This year, the flag raising ceremony was held again. Those in attendance included Hudson County Democratic Chair Amy DeGise, Mayor James Davis, First Ward Council Member Neil Carroll III, Second Ward Council Member Sal Gullace, Third Ward Council Member Gary La Pelusa, Councilman At-Large Juan Perez, Public Works employee Carmen Cannarozzo, and Cindy Sisk-Galvin and Ryan Blake from BCB Community Bank.

Al together now!

All 12 Hudson County municipalities will raise the LGBTQ+ Pride Flag during the month of June. According to a press release, the effort, spearheaded by the Hudson County Democratic Organization and the LGBTQ+ Caucus, will display Hudson County as a welcoming and accepting community.

“As our nation continues to rebuild after four years of hateful and divisive rhetoric, the Hudson County Democratic Organization has remained committed to building an organization that embraces the differences that make our county so special,” said HCDO Chairwoman Amy DeGise. “We are looking forward to making this an annual tradition where we come together to show our support for the LGBTQ+ community and push for a more inclusive society.”

Bayonne, Guttenberg, Harrison, Secaucus, Weehawken, West New York, and Union City held flag raising ceremonies on Monday, June 8. North Bergen raised its Pride Flag on Friday, June 4, and Hoboken raised the flag on Saturday, June 5. The remaining municipalities have events scheduled for later this month.

Hudson County, which was the first county in New Jersey to raise the Pride Flag in 2003, raised its flag on Monday afternoon with Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise, Chairwoman Amy DeGise, and LGBTQ Caucus Co-Chairs Mike DeFusco and Dan DeSalvo.

Pride during COVID

Amid the height of the pandemic in 2020, there were no Pride celebrations in Bayonne. But the city did its best to show its stripes for the LGBTQ+ community.

Pride flags flew over Broadway throughout the summer of 2020.

Between Pride Month in June and the celebrations in August, streetlamps were decked out with Pride flags. Flags were installed beneath American flags along portions of Broadway from around 30th Street to around 17th Street.

It is not clear if the flags, which aimed to celebrate Pride during the difficult situation presented by COVID-19, will return in 2021.

While there were some Pride events held at local establishments in 2019, COVID-19 precluded those events in 2020. In the past, such Pride events included an open mic night Shorty’s held in conjunction with Hudson Pride and Bayonne Medical Center.

According to Public Information Officer Joe Ryan, there are no plans yet for similar events in 2021.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.

Davis pauses most major residential redevelopment in Bayonne; Ashe-Nadrowski claims victory

Daniel Israel, Staff Writer
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Davis pauses most major residential redevelopment in Bayonne; Ashe-Nadrowski claims victory

Mayor James Davis has announced that his administration is pausing the approval of new large-scale residential developments within existing neighborhoods in Bayonne. In response, City Council President Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski, who is running against Davis for mayor in the May 10 municipal election, said the move was a “victory” ahead of a planned protest against redevelopment at the February meeting of the Bayonne City Council.

Major redevelopment on hold

“It is undeniable that Bayonne needed to act boldly and aggressively to attract new tax revenue when my administration took office, and I am very proud of the steps we have taken to secure our city’s financial future,” said Davis. “Now with a sufficient new revenue stream in place to protect our taxpayers and prevent major tax increases, we have the opportunity to take a step back and measure both the benefits and the costs of further development and to listen to the residents of our community to hear what they truly want for the future of Bayonne.”

According to Davis, the pause will allow the city to assess the long-term impacts that further construction will have on the community. Over the last eight years, the Davis administration has presided over a redevelopment boom in the city, helping Bayonne address and mitigate long term financial challenges that crippled the city’s budget. With nearly $80 million in new recurring revenues secured due to redevelopment, Davis now believes that the city’s financial health has improved to the point where further high-density residential development may not be necessary outside of specific areas such as the former Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne (MOTBY).

Under Davis’ new policy, any new projects that would add significant density to residential neighborhoods would be paused and financial incentives for projects such projects would not be submitted to the city council. Commercial development, projects that include direct job creation for Bayonne residents, and projects located at the MOTBY site would be exempt from this new directive and would continue to be submitted to the council for review and consideration.

No more PILOTs

No new long-term Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreement applications will be presented for approval by the council until the Davis Administration has completed its review of the impact of the last eight years of redevelopment. As part of the new policy, the city will undergo a comprehensive evaluation of redevelopment projects currently in the pipeline as well as a study of developable land in the community, rental occupancy rates, demand for new housing and other factors.

According to Davis, the review will consider how additional redevelopments would cause disruptions to residents’ quality of life due to noise, increased traffic, loss of parking and other problems, as well as how new development will provide benefits such as job creation and tax revenue generation. He said his administration will also look for ways to ensure that any further new developments include major community givebacks such as affordable housing, infrastructure improvements, parks, new schools and more, and is also committed to ensuring that new developments are built with union labor whenever possible.

Additionally, Davis is calling on the council to oppose PILOT agreements, including one for a project that is scheduled to be voted on at the Feb. 16 council meeting, the proposed 18-story Silk Lofts high rise on Avenue E.

Davis’ slate on board

Third Ward City Councilman Gary La Pelusa and First Ward Councilman Neil Carroll, who are running on Davis’ council slate, applauded the measure.

“I have been an opponent of long-term PILOTs since I’ve served on the City Council, and I’m thrilled to see Mayor Davis announce that the city will be pausing these kinds of agreements that I believe give away too much of our tax revenue potential to developers,” said La Pelusa. “Mayor Davis was correct that Bayonne needed to change eight years ago to solve our financial crisis, but now that we’ve reached this point we can take an honest look at what’s best for our residents. I’m glad that Mayor Davis sees the need to study the impact of the current PILOTs and protect taxpayers from these long-term agreements that may not benefit our residents.”

“We have had tremendous, much-needed growth in Bayonne over the past eight years,” said Carroll. “Many months ago, however, I pointed out that there was a need for an absorption study in connection with the large-scale residential development in town. I am absolutely thrilled that we are now at the point where we can take a step back, analyze what we have and accurately examine what we need to do going forward.”

Jaqueline Weimmer, Second Ward City Council candidate on Davis’s slate, also approved of the policy which pauses the proposed 18-story Silk Lofts redevelopment located in the Second Ward.

“As a resident of the Second Ward I’m ecstatic to see Mayor Davis stand up for our quality of life by taking this important step back to properly examine and understand the impact that this high-rise development will have on our neighborhood and to allow the residents to have a fair chance to study the issue and provide their feedback and concerns,” said Weimmer. “Growth and development can be wonderful, but they must be done with care and consideration for the surrounding neighborhood. Bayonne residents need leaders who will put their interests first and that may mean making tough decisions to protect our city. This decision further demonstrates Mayor Davis’ commitment to the people and the community. I’m not certain every candidate in this race would have done the same.”

Ashe-Nadrowski claims victory

In response to Davis’ announcement, Ashe-Nadrowski called the new policy a win and said the move was a reaction to a planned protest at the upcoming council meeting regarding redevelopment.

“My campaign has won its first victory by forcing Jimmy Davis to understand that he can no longer govern by the back room deals and ignoring the residents of Bayonne,” Ashe-Nadrowski said. “Clearly the Davis Administration heard that a crowd of opposition was forming for tomorrow night’s council meeting and decided to pull the plug instead of being embarrassed.”

According to Ashe-Nadrowski, the pause is too late and conveniently comes amid an election.

“Unfortunately this is too little too late from the Davis administration,” Ashe-Nadrowski said. “Now that it’s an election year Jimmy has finally seen the light. The reality is that every PILOT that was ever approved was signed off by the mayor before it even made it to the council for a vote. Every redevelopment plan was written and promoted and supported by Jimmy Davis. As a result too many neighborhoods have already been negatively impacted by over development by out-of-town developers who benefited from the Davis PILOT tax program.”

She continued: “The one thing I can assure you is that from day one my administration will have a plan that will include community input from the beginning of a project to its completion.”

In a later statement, Davis campaign spokesperson Phil Swibinski said it was “laughable” that Ashe-Nadrowski is opposing PILOTs now after having voted for them in the past. He added: “Sharon Nadrowski has voted yes on every PILOT agreement that crossed her desk in the last eight years, including one for this very same project just a few weeks ago.”

The Bayonne City Council will meet at 7 p.m. on Feb. 16 in the council chambers at City Hall at 630 Avenue C. The public can attend in person or virtually via Tetherview. For more information, go to bayonnenj.org and click on the link on the calendar webpage.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com. 

Bayonne cancels Ultimate Sports Day Camp

Daniel Israel, Staff Writer
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Bayonne cancels Ultimate Sports Day Camp

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Bayonne has been holding Summer Day Camps for the city’s youth with appropriate guidelines and restrictions. However, a sports-themed day camp was cancelled on Monday due to virus concerns.

On Monday, Aug.17, the city cancelled its Ultimate Sports Day Camp at Veteran’s Stadium because the Division of Recreation has been advised of a possible exposure to COVID-19.

Not taking chances

“While the risk of exposure to campers and staff members is low due to social distancing guidelines employed by our staff, city officials have taken a very cautious approach to the COVID-19 crisis, and this precautionary closure is consistent with that approach,” according to a statement by the City of Bayonne on Aug. 16. “We look forward to seeing everyone back at camp on Tuesday.”

But, out of an abundance of caution, the decision was made to end the sports-themed day camp for the season, Public Information Officer Joe Ryan told the Bayonne Community News on Aug. 18.

No other Division of Recreation summer day camps are affected by the closure.

Parents of campers said they were notified by telephone on Aug. 17 that the COVID-19 test results for the potentially sick camper were not back and that camp had been cancelled.

The city will keep residents informed of any additional camp closures. They should check the city’s social media for official updates.

For additional information, call the Division of Recreation at 201-858-6129 or the Bayonne Department of Health at 201-858-6355 or email at moreilly@baynj.org.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.

Bayonne Board of Education decides on layoffs, demotions, and interim superintendent

Submitted Content
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Bayonne Board of Education decides on layoffs, demotions, and interim superintendent

BAYONNE – In a meeting on January 25, the Bayonne Board of Education laid off 16 district employees and demoted six others amid a $2 million budget deficit facing the district. It also appointed Michael A. Wanko, PhD, as Interim Superintendent, effective July 1, to take over when Dr. Patricia McGeehan’s contract expires.
“Due to reasons of economy,” read Board Secretary Gary Maita before citing each name and position that would be either cut or transferred. Before he cast his vote to fire 14 secretaries and a teacher’s aide, Board President Joseph Broderick called the evening, “one of the toughest nights I’ve ever had being on this board.” After the board voted on each individual “transfer,” or demotion, Alan D’Angelo, President of the Bayonne Teachers Association, asked Business Administrator Leo Smith to follow up with a cost savings figure.
Laura Craig was transferred from her position of Director of Special Programs to Coordinator of Academy of Fine Arts and Academics, saving the district $71,461 annually.
Alaina Desjardin was transferred from her position of Director of Planning, Research, Evaluation, Assessment and Accountability to Data Analysis Coordinator, saving the district $68,311.
Lyndia Hayes was transferred from her position as Assistant Principal to Special Education Teacher at Horace Mann Community School, saving the district $27,002 annually.
Christopher Romano was transferred from his position as Assistant Principal to Social Studies Teacher at Midtown Community School, saving the district $61,914 annually.
Melissa Sisk was transferred from her position of Assistant Supervisor of Technology to Technology Facilitator, saving the district $23,275 annually.
Heather Zalis was transferred from her position as Assistant Principal to 5th Grade Teacher at Nicholas Oresko Community School, saving the district $63,014 annually.
“All these people that we’re talking about in my estimate are doing a terrific job, which makes it that much more difficult to make these positions,” said Broderick, adding that all decisions made during the meeting are of “a strictly financial matter.”
Apart from the 14 classroom aides and one librarian aide, the Board laid off the district’s risk manager, Chris Patella, in order to clear his $85,000 salary. There was much discussion about his value to the district, with some on the board arguing that he saves the district much more money than he makes by informing important financial decisions.
“Other districts in this county that are more well-funded than us do not have this position,” said Trustee Chris Munoz. “This position should fall under the role of the business administrator.”

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