"The Nightingale" was designed by North Bergen fashion students and teachers and is a Junk Kouture world finalist. Photo courtesy of Junk Kouture.
North Bergen students are heading overseas for the finals of an international environmentally-friendly fashion design competition.
On Tuesday, October 25, American up-and-coming eco-conscious creators and fashion designers competed at the first ever New York City final of Junk Kouture, a worldwide sustainable youth fashion competition. During the event, 30 haute-couture designs made from 100 percent recycled materials created and modeled by talented post-primary students took to the digital stage on Junk Kouture’s YouTube and TikTok channels.
Ten creations by young designers 13 to 18 years old from the city and nearby states were chosen by the Junk Kouture judges Ben Barry, Nicole McLaughlin and Emma McKee to represent the United States at the first-ever Junk Kouture World Final in the Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on January 11, 2023.
The final 10 designs from the United States will be up against 50 other designs, 10 from each of Junk Kouture’s other finals in the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Ireland, and the UAE. At the World Final, there will be six individual City Designer Awards for each location, plus the first-ever Junk Kouture World Designer of the Year.
Other prizes up for grabs include the Glamour Award, Wearable Art Award, Innovation Award, and Performance Award. Students will model and perform in haute-couture designs made entirely from recycled materials for celebrity judges, industry experts and an audience of cheering supporters flown into Abu Dhabi from around the world.
A night of creativity, performance, talent and live music from special guests awaits students in January. The event is billed as a celebration of young people and the circular engineers of tomorrow.
One of the ten designs selected to represent New York City in the World Final includes “The Nightingale” by Christopher King, Myles Perez, Jazzlynn Vargas, and Josselyn Garcia of North Bergen High School. The students were assisted by Fashion and Interior Design Teacher Marlene Sapoff and Sculpture Teacher and Art Director Steven Defendini.
The dress itself is made from blue wrap sourced from Hackensack University Medical Center, adorned with flowers made of the same material. Blue wrap is a surgical wrap and equates to 19 percent of the medical waste and pool insulation foam.
Also going into the construction of the gown were reams of discarded pool insulation. That material was fashioned into the angelic wings.
North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco congratulated the students on making it that far in the competition at a October 26 meeting of the Board of Commissioners. Sacco said that the students were among the ten designs selected nationwide as finalists.
“I was just notified that the high school students are the finalists in the fashion contest,” Sacco said amid the meeting. “They made an outfit from medical supplies. They’re going to Abu Dhabi. They won the local, and there’s only ten in the nation finalists.”
Sacco said he has seen the dress himself, and seemed impressed. He said he is especially so, now that the students are heading to the World Final.
“I went in one day and saw the dress, and it took a lot of work,” Sacco said. “I never thought we’d be on our way to the finals of an international contest. It’s very impressive. The kids are very talented.”
According to Sacco, Junk Kouture is allowing two teachers and two students to attend. He said that they are unsure if the township will need to raise money to support them, but will see what is necessary as January approaches.
“We don’t know what else this entails,” Sacco said. “We will give more notice out.”
Designs to compete in World Final in Abu Dhabi
Some of the nine designs selected include: “Junk Punk Denim” by Emily Humphreys and Olivia Volt of Clearview Regional High School, New Jersey, made from up-cycled denim used to create the patchwork, bottle caps, cans, and recycled rope; “Sugar Pink Rockstar” by Yanin Thammarangsri, Fatima Koita, and Sonia Domlan of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis High School, New York, made from metallic chrome balloons, pink straws, cardboard, yarn strings, up-cycled fabric, safety pins, staples, and paper plates; and “Junk Karnival” by Sarah Arriola and Chloe Davis of McIntosh High School, Georgia, made from coca-cola cans, plastic water bottles, metal wire, newspaper, yarn, dye, glue, cardboard, tape, old t-shirts, can tabs, thread, plastic grocery, and trash bags, ribbon, old bedding fabric, old heels, and an old bodysuit.
The others selected feature: “D’Fear” by Xiwen Mark of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts, New York made from plastic, paper, and up-cycled clothes; “Grandstar” by Natalia Monsale, Virginia Papasidero, and Astro Mejia of Glen Cove High School, New York, made from plastic water bottles, paper bags, paper clips, and recycled clothing; “Tree of Life” by Ísis de Farias Madeira of M600 The High School of Fashion Industries, New York, made from scraps and deadstock fabric for the base of the dress, to which the banana fibers were sewn with recycled polyester threads, and shoes thrifted and embellished with the same materials; “Mask Dress” by Naomi Carrion of Bronx International High School, New York made from masks, thread, and glue; “Record Breaker” by Lia Aldea-Lustig of Byram Hills High School, New York, made from up-cycled clothing, CDs, cassette tapes, shells and tape; and “Buttons” by Marykate Hanus and Jennifer Toler of North Kingstown High School, Rhode Island, made from buttons, fabric, glue, string, and wire.
“Get ready for the NYC designs taking to Abu Dhabi to fill you up with hope for the future of fashion and the survival of our planet. What the students created is truly exceptional — unbounded creativity, craft and consciousness will be on full display,” Junk Kouture judge and Dean of Fashion at Parsons School of Design Ben Barry said.
“I’m so excited for the world to be introduced to the finalists and their creations. Judging Junk Kouture New York has been a privilege. We’re cultivating a generation of high school fashion designers who don’t think that climate justice is an addition or afterthought to their design practice but instead it is the foundation – a creative opening for new fashion aesthetics, silhouettes, and form.”
Junk Kouture judge and fashion designer Nicole McLaughlin said: “I’ve been incredibly impressed by the calibre of design and execution of the projects I’ve seen from the designers. Junk Kouture is an important outlet for teenagers looking to explore their creativity in the sustainability world. They understand the importance of this message and look to nurture the future through imagination and empowerment via amazing opportunities. And all you want to do is continue to cheer them on. This is just the start of their journeys. I hope the designers who make it to Abu Dhabi remember to make some fantastic memories and enjoy themselves. Have fun!”
Supporting Junk Kouture as an events partner at the World Final is Miral, a creator of immersive destinations and experiences in Abu Dhabi. With the support of Miral and Etihad Airways, the official airline partner and global partner of Junk Kouture, all local and international participants and supporters travelling to the World Final of Junk Kouture will be immersed into the culture and entertainment Abu Dhabi has to offer.
Standard ticket pricing for the show starts at AED 100, with attendees provided the option to create bespoke packages to include accommodation and other unique experiences on the island and across the capital. For more information, go online to junkkouture.com or follow social media @junkkouture.
For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].
A Bayonne child enjoys the new swings at Collins Park. Photos by Daniel Israel.
The Phase II improvements to Bayonne’s Dennis P. Collins Park was officially opened on Tuesday, November 1. Officials, residents, and even members of the Collins family were present for the ceremony at First Street and Avenue C. The ceremony is the second recent opening of a city park following renovations, including Dr. David Morris Park.
The park is named after former Mayor Dennis Collins, who was elected four times in 1974, 1978, 1982, and 1986. Prior to that, he served on the City Council from 1962 to 1974, being City Council President from 1966 to 1974. After serving as mayor, he worked as an aide to Sen. Robert Menendez Sr. when he was still a congressman before returning to Bayonne City Hall as an aide for Mayor Joseph Doria.
Collins Park, the largest municipal park in the city, has been renovated in phases, with the rest of the park open while this was under construction. The city completed Phase I of the park in 2018 and included: new playground and exercise equipment; renovated tennis courts; a new volleyball court; new dog runs; new trees and landscaping; and new benches; among other improvements.
The Phase II renovations saw the construction of new facilities including: a roller hockey rink; a multi-purpose elevated seating area; a playground for ages two to five; a playground for age five to 12, basketball courts; an exercise and training area; benches and tables; trees and landscaping; and a large gazebo.
The playgrounds are amusement park themed, an ode to the former Uncle Milty’s Playland that used to occupy the grounds back in the day, complete with a “Miltyville” ticket booth. The multi-purpose elevated seating area serves as a sort of an open amphitheater overlooking the Kill van Kull, that can be used as an outdoor classroom or performance space.
Gorman Field has received new sod, along with new fencing and a sprinkler system. The field is not yet ready for use, but will be opened in the spring, as the new sod requires time to develop roots. Additionally, the Gorman Field parking lot will be repaved, and another parking lot has been expanded.
Davis and other city officials touted the renovations at the park opening.
The renovations were done by Picerno-Giordano Construction of Kenilworth for $3,697,669, which was awarded the contract in May of 2021. The construction company has also been contracted to complete upgrades to Fitzpatrick Park, and 28th Street Park among other local parks.
Officials tout completion of this phase of Collins Park improvements
At the park reopening, Mayor James Davis touted getting the park complete after the renovations were ongoing for many years.
“I know this took a long time, but people have to realize a lot of the property had to be remediated before we could actually do what you see today,” he said.
Davis thanked the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) for ensuring that the park was built safely. He also expressed gratitude to the Picerno-Giordano family and their workers for constructing the park.
In addition, Davis thanked the CME engineers and other project professionals that worked on the project. He also gave a special shoutout to Department of Public Works Director Tom Cotter for his special attention to this for the past two years.
The new exercise and training area is next to the elevated multi-level seating area.
“My main focus since I became mayor was what I remembered being a kid,” Davis said. “I grew up just three blocks from here. This was Uncle Milton’s and Dennis Collins was our mayor. All I remember being a child was that every single park in Bayonne was slowly redone while he was in office.”
When Davis became mayor eight years ago, he said he promised himself and his family that he was going to emulate Collins and redo every single park in the city. These renovations are part of fulfilling that promise, he said.
“Over the last eight years, and Mr. Picerno can vouch for this, we are slowly doing it,” Davis said. “County money has helped us immensely with Hudson County Park. If you haven’t walked through the park lately, take a walk through it. It is gorgeous. But this one, I believe, is a crown jewel.”
Davis said he was blown away by the upgrades, especially this portion of the park that serves as an homage to the former amusement park that used to occupy the park known as Uncle Milty’s Playland. He said he walks through the park daily, still living a couple blocks away, and it overjoyed.
“It far exceeds all my expectations, and it is an honor for me because it is Dennis Collins Park, that this will always be remembered as I will always remember him as a mayor that really, really took care of the city of Bayonne,” Davis said. “This is a crown jewel to Mayor Collins.”
The playground for ages two to five year olds is rollercoaster-themed, an ode to the former Uncle Milty’s Playland.
Remediation of chromium from the soil and other toxic fill
Court Appointed Site Administrator Ronald Riccio for the clean up of Collins Park oversees a number of remediation sites throughout Hudson County. But he said this was the most important to him among the 20 sites.
“The most important to me has been making sure this park got remediated and restored safely and efficiently that it could become the beautiful park that it is today,” he said.
Riccio touted it as a collaboration between the public sector, the regulatory sector, and the private sector. He congratulated PPG, the company which remediated the site, for the successful cleanup, and the NJDEP for their diligence.
“In today’s day and age, it’s very difficult sometimes too see a connection between public, private, and regulatory actually impacting people ina positive way,” Riccio said. “It doesn’t happen often enough, but today is one of those special day when everything worked out the right way and people worked together to produce for their kids and their parents the same memories that were produced years ago.”
Two new basketball courts are already being put to good use by the youth at Collins Park.
In addition, Riccio thanked Davis and other involved city officials. He specifically shouted out Business Administrator Donna Russo, with whom he worked closely with on the project at all hours of the day.
According to Riccio, the remediation was only thought to be small when they first began. However, that was not the case, and eventually 20,000 tons of contaminated land was removed.
“When I started with this, we thought the only area that needed remediation was a tree surrounded by a picket fence near the restrooms,” Riccio said. “We never imagined that the contamination extended throughout the park, but that was soon discovered and addressed so much so that throughout the excavation period there, we removed 20,000 tons of contaminated impacted material which was then transported for disposal at a licensed facility.”
The contaminated land was replaced with 39,000 tons of clean fill as a cap on the park. The revetment against the Kill van Kull was redone with new stones installed to last for generations.
Riccio also touted the homage to Uncle Milty’s Playland. He said that he used to come to the amusement park as a kid, and used to think of the Kill van Kull as the Atlantic Ocean.
“It was a place to come for young kids during a hot summer to get a cool breeze, to ride the rides, and to create some memories,” Riccio said. “Those memories stay with me today as vividly as it were 60 to 70 years ago.”
Riccio echoed Davis that the renovated park is a “crown jewel” for the city of Bayonne.
The larger playground for five to 12 year olds keeps up the Uncle Milty’s Playland theme of this portion of the park.
DPW Director reflects on years of work
Cotter said that he proud to finally be able to rededicate Collins Park for residents to enjoy after the renovations have been completed. He thanked the people whose “help, dedication, guidance, blood, sweat, and tears” made the project possible, including Davis, the City Council, city professionals including Rob Russo and Andrew Raichle among others, and city lawyers including Law Director Jay Coffey and now-Business Adminsitrator Donna Russo.
Cotter praised “the time they put in, the attention to detail, to keep me pushing forward to get this project done… You all gave me hope when I thought it would take way too long and the job was faltering and it wasn’t going to come to fruition. But you guided me through it from the beginning and now we’re here today.”
He also specifcially jokingly praised Coffey and Russo for making sure he “didn’t get locked up through the process.” He added: “I came in with ideas and suggestions and they keep me on track.”
In addition, Cotter thanked Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Jablonski for the Court Appointed Site Administrator. He said without Riccio, the project wouldn’t have moved along and thanked Riccio for ensuring PPG was doing the remediation correctly.
The 50-foot wide gazebo offers a relaxing shady area in the active park.
Cotter also thanked others including Alan Miller of the NJDEP, Jeff Worden from PPG, environmental professionals, and anyone else who worked to make this phase of the park improvements a reality, especially Tony Picerno and Nina Giordano who collaborated with Cotter on the design.
“Design after design, I would shoot you guys down,” Cotter said. “Then you came in with that presentation and took the vision that I wanted and pulled it out of the back of my head. And now this is the way the park turned out. I couldn’t have done it without you guys.”
Cotter also praised the Uncle Milty’s Playland references in the park. He said he used to go there often and remembered when the amusement park closed.
“i never met him, but his vision is still alive here in the park,” Cotter said. “So it’s good to see that it’s not forgotten.”
Cotter also thanked residents for pushing and keeping him in check. Although a pain at times, he thanked them for following through with city officials.
“To those who called and complained millions of times that it was taking too long and asking when its going to open, I love you too,” Cotter said. “It’s part of our job as public officials, we have to take the good with the bad. If they’re not keeping us in check, no one else well.”
Cotter ended by thanking the Collins family. He said that Collins’ intention for the park remained: “His vision for this park years ago is still alive today and will still be alive for the next generation.”
The roller hockey rink and associated bleachers provides opportunities for many sporting events.
Park already put to good use
First Ward City Councilman Neill Carroll III echoed thanks to all involved. He also thanked the Bayonne Police Department, who attended the event with their mobile command center.
“It’s not just about recreating ourselves and being in this park and relaxing and enjoying life, but that we can do it safely,” Carroll said.
Carroll, much like Davis and other Bayonne residents, has been a fan of the park since he was young. He said it will continue to serve as a hub for youth with the new renovations.
“When I was growing up, this was one of the biggest things I looked forward to,” Caroll said. “The biggest thing I looked forward to was being able to walk by myself from 2nd Steet and Trask Avenue down to First Street Park. That was major. Then to be able to radiate outwards throughout the entirety of First Street Park. At one point, this was my whole world. This was my friends’ whole world. We came down here for everything, our pick up games, football in the back end of Gorman Field.”
Carroll praised the renovations that younger him would have been ecstatic about. He was happy to play a part of it being on the council.
Officials and Collins family members cut the ribbon for the re-opening in front of the elevated multi-level seating.
“To look at it now, I could go on for an hour,” Carroll said. “But I’m so filled with joy and gratitude, that even to have a small part of this with my colleagues on the council and to watch it grow out of the ground and flat earth when they took it down to the nubs, it was magic. It was like watching a miracle happen and now knowing that this is going to be another kid’s whole world one day or for the first part of their lives means the world to me and to the Collins family.”
Caroll shared how he used to get out of school at St. Andrew’s School and his grandfather Neil Carroll I would take him to the park. He said there his grandfather and Collins would “talk about the problems” facing Bayonne and the world sat at a bench while he played.
“When I walk though here, and I hope I can do it every day of my life, it just raises my heart up,” he said. Concluding his remarks, Carroll exclaimed: “The park is open.”
Davis added: “When you think about Uncle Milty’s we also have to try to preserve our past. Last week we just had the bell tower put up at Fitzpatrick park, which has the three bells from St. Joesphen’s Church which was sold off. I’m always going to try to keep our past a part of our future. That’s what we need to do so that we can never forget everything and where we came from.
Amid the ceremony, the park was already being put to good use on the sunny evening. Children’s laughs could be heard as they played on nearby equipment. Runners and people walking their dogs passed behind the speakers at the podium as they used the walking path. The bounce of basketballs on the court echoed. And the Collins Park experience wouldn’t be complete without a large vessel passing through the Kill van Kull and under the Bayonne Bridge in the background.
Before the opening ceremony was even finished, dozens of children enjoyed the newly refurbished areas of Collins Park.
For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].
Running on the slate, from left to right is: Trustee Hector Gonzalez, former Trustee Mary Jane Desmond, Miriam Bechay, and William Young.
Under the slogan “Together We Can,” four candidates are seeking seats up for grabs on the Bayonne Board of Education. The slate consists of incumbent Trustee Hector Gonzalez, Mary Jane Desmond, William Young, and Miriam Bechay, at 1I, 2I, 3I, and 8I on the ballot, respectively.
Three seats are available for a term of three years each. The terms of Trustees Lisa Burke, Jan Patrick Egan, and Denis Wilbeck are expiring and none are running for re-election.
Along with those three seats, there is another board seat available for a term of one year. Trustee Hector Gonzalez, Jr.’s term is expiring after he was appointed in January of this year.
In an interview with the Bayonne Community News, the “Together We Can” ticket described who they are, what platform they are running on, and other pertinent questions related to the election. This included Gonzalez, Desmond and Young, but not Bechay, who did not respond to requests for an interview.
Hector Gonzalez
Gonzalez is a special education high school teacher for the Jersey City Board of Education and serves as a Crisis Intervention specialist, SSLD-Specific Language Learners Disabled students, and volleyball coach. He said he has a passion for education and brings valuable educational input and insight to the board there.
Gonzalez lives in Bayonne with his wife Susan and has one daughter in high school. He is running for school board to: ensure every student maintains a path to graduate and is educationally and socially equipped for life; provide highly competitive pay for classroom teachers; ensure the board and community provides the resources to protect and enrich students when they are not on campus; ensure the board maintains and implements a strong response to bullying; pursue financial policies which provide an outstanding return on the communities investment in their schools; and maintain high district morale.
Gonzalez considers himself an independent thinker on the board. He said that he shares values with his fellow slate members but also has his own opinions.
“I don’t consider myself a bobble head that everything is a yes,” Gonzalez said.
Mary Jane Desmond
Desmond was born and raised in Bayonne, and has been a single mom since her children were two, three and four years old. She is grateful for the education her three daughters received in Bayonne’s public school system.
Desmond has a professional background in management and finance in the corporate, government, non-profit and healthcare sectors. A long time community activist, she has served as City Councilwoman At-Large, Deputy County Clerk, and a former Trustee for the board. Desmond was appointed in the ’90s, selected to fill a term in the ’00s, re-elected to the seat, but ultimately lost re-election and is now seeking a seat on the board again.
Desmond is running to do her part to ensure current and future students are afforded every opportunity to succeed emotionally and academically. She believes that teachers should be supported with every resource to provide a first rate education for them.
According to Desmond, funding, school safety, aging buildings, over-crowded classrooms and a growing student population all impact how the district is able to provide a quality education for our children.
Prudent handling of financial resources is important in addressing these issues, she said. Desmond touts a reputation of getting the job done and is eager to work with the other members of the “Together We Can” team to do so.
“The reason I do this is because the children are so important to my life and I’m motivated to do what I can to prepare them for life,” Desmond said.
William Young
“I’ve lived in Bayonne for 30 years,” Young said. “The day after I graduated junior high school in 1992, I moved to Bayonne and started in Bayonne High School that following fall. Honestly, the city embraced me as a young man from out of town.”
After falling in love with Bayonne while in high school while playing football and basketball, he remained in the city, and 30 years later, he is married to his wife Julie and a homeowner with four kids in the district.
Young is a Financial Services and Registered Representative with the New York Life Insurance Company. He is involved with Bayonne Cal Ripken Baseball, now known as Bayonne Youth Baseball and Softball, New Jersey Together, and is a trustee with his church.
Young is running for school board because he wants to increase after-school and summer educational and enrichment opportunities for all students. Young believes that education does not stop at 3 p.m. and is an all year round process.
“All four of my children are in the public school system,” Young said. “I see what they go through in high school.”
Young has also seen the influence of City Hall on the school board in Jersey City through advocacy work there. He wants Bayonne to avoid the same fate, so he’s running for the board here.
Miriam Bechay
Bechay was born and raised in Bayonne. She went to Nicholas Oresko school for the Gifted and Talented Program and Bayonne High School.
Bechay was a part of the Bayonne Basketball Girls Varsity Team for two years, and also the Bayonne Swimming Team and Softball Team for one year. She is currently enrolled at New Jersey Institute of Technology studying Biomedical Engineering.
Throughout high school and through her college years, Bechay has helped campaign and canvass for several city officials and was then given the opportunity to become a fieldwork manager. She hopes to contribute in making important decisions for the Bayonne Board of Education.
“It’s my time to give back to the community that has already given me so many opportunities,” Bechay said. “I hope to do the same for the younger generations.”
Running on platform to address needs and challenges of the district
According to Desmond, the school district needs to address a number of issues in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the emotional well-being of students after the isolation they just went through.
Desmond said, “I feel the way to reach children who feel isolated is to allow them that creative expression, which just boils over into academics automatically. Critical reading, writing, it expands upon those skills tremendously.”
The slate wants to make safety a top priority for all students and staff, ensure every student has equal access to a high quality education, consistently work to improve communication and transparency with parents, staff and, taxpayers so every stakeholder has a seat at the table. They believe that every child matters and that they are independent voices with shared values.
New policies to propose?
Desmond says she wants the board to advocate for students, staff, and administrators. As a board member, she would promote more interaction with teachers to know their needs and advocate for them.
In Bayonne, post-COVID-19, priorities include renovating heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems and determining which students need extra attention after virtual learning. Gonzalez, with an eye to improving shared services, took issue with the shared services agreement with the city for garbage and recycling collection by A + L Disposal LLC.
“I think it was the mayor who was the one who negotiated that contract,” Gonzalez said. “It was $125,000. Now it’s $325,00 for garbage collection days in the schools. It’s a lot of money.”
Gonzalez also wants to increase transparency on the board and communication with parents. He proposes holding the board meetings at a different school every time to give more people opportunities to attend. Gonzales added the school district needs to be upfront about the tax rate.
Gonzalez also wants to hold weekly meetings with parent teacher organizations at each school to gauge how the board can help meet needs as they arise. Young said one policy he would change would involve increased parental participation, echoing Gonzalez’s proposal for frequent meetings with parent teacher organizations.
“There are some things, being a parent, that are concerning to me,” Young said. “I think the parents need definitely need to be more involved in in what’s going on.”
The slate attends a football game with current Bayonne Board of Education Vice President Christopher Munoz (far left).
‘Integrity, honesty, commitment, and dedication’
Desmond said the slate is running on integrity, honesty, commitment, and dedication. She said they all share the same energy in advocating for the children of the district.
Gonzalez said this iteration of the “Together We Can” slate aims to continue building on the progress the others have accomplished. Most board members on the board now have ran on the “Together We Can” ticket, but Gonzalez said they are all independent voices with shared values with their own way of thinking.
For Gonzalez, keeping teachers in the district is another major issue. He said they are a hot commodity right now, and the district needs to look for ways to maintain them, pay them more, and keep them in Bayonne.
According to Gonzalez, other priorities for the ticket include upgrading the bullying policy, and working on infrastructure such as the funding needed for new boilers by December 6. Under a new state mandate, all boilers in schools must be electric by the deadline, which will cost $250,000 per school in Bayonne he said, noting everything comes down to funding.
Young emphasized that while they are running on the same slate they are independent voices with shared values, echoing a common theme for the ticket. He also wants to create more after-school programs other than sports. Young said such career-oriented programs he experienced growing up in the New York school system impacted him greatly, and he wants the same for Bayonne.
New facility is necessity in Bayonne school district
As the city grows, so does its population of school-age children. Desmond believes that a new facility is necessary to ease overburdened classrooms.
“It’s not even a choice, it’s a must-do,” Desmond said. “Nobody wants to burden the taxpayers more, but not doing something periodically creates this ‘uh-oh’ scenario that we’re in. These are school buildings that are over 100 years old, with the average age I believe is 80 or 90 years now. You can play around with the brick and mortar, but your heating and air conditioning, those are health and safety issues.”
Gonzalez agreed with Desmond that even with the acquisition of the former St. Andrew’s School, a new school needs to be built. He said that state and federal funding can help foot the bill.
“People come in and they have children, so then the district is even more crowded,” Gonzalez said. “We need to have a new school.”
Young also concurred. He said that building new schools is just as important as upgrading existing aged facilities.
Desmond targeted tax abatements for new residential development don’t contribute funds to the school district. She said that the district needs to coordinate more funding with the state and federal government to renovate aging existing facilities and to build new ones.
“The state does not fund the district well enough for us to be able to do that on our own,” Desmond said. “Taxpayers are overburdened already. The recent rash of abatements hasn’t helped. So we have to be defining ways to respond to the need for very safe and sound school buildings.”
Young and Gonzalez agreed that tax abatements being granted to redevelopers that don’t contribute funds to the school system are a major issue.
“In advocacy work that I’ve done in Jersey City, I’ve seen what abatements have done to to the school system there,” Young said. “I want to make sure that same thing doesn’t happen in Bayonne.”
New sex education standards in health curriculum
Recently, the state has implemented new sex education standards in health curriculum at the local level. While there exists the choice to opt out of the lesson in Bayonne, some parents had advocated against the material being taught in schools at all.
Desmond call it somewhat of a government overreach, and wants the state legislators to revisit the issue with child psychologists and therapists and the like. However, she approves of the choice to opt out.
“I do appreciate that there should be in health education, a component, age appropriate, for some of those topics,” Desmond said.
Gonzalez said that the district has to implement the state’s health education curriculum per the mandate. He praised the choice for parents to opt out, noting that they can choose what they think is best for their kids.
“It’s a state law,” Gonzalez said. “The state education department that wrote that. We cant say no to the state or risk losing funding. But you have the option to opt out from anything that you think as a parent if you believe daughter should or shouldn’t be learning that.” Young believes that this is also a parents choice.
“This is something that is a personal choice in terms of what parents want,” Young said. “I love the fact that Bayonne has that opt out provision.”
While some parents want the option to learn the curriculum completely removed, Young suggests they opt their child out and take the protest to the state level. He said the district can’t risk losing funding from the state by not enacting it.
The “Together We Can” ticket had a booth at the Bergen Point Fall Festival.
Davis endorses competing slate
Mayor James Davis endorsed the slate on September 21, the first time he had backed candidates in a school board race since 2020 and a departure from backing the “Together We Can” slate as he had in consecutive years past. Davis said he considers electing the “Voices for Progress” ticket among his top priorities for his third term. Desmond criticized the mayor’s endorsement as politicizing the race, but was ultimately uninterested in it and more on having the voters’ backing.
“Make up your mind, is it an elected or appointed board?” Desmond said. “We are starting to look like every other city in Hudson County with the politicking. I really ultimately don’t care.”
Gonzalez said there are good people on other slate, well respected. He didn’t take issue with them, but with the mayor’s involvement in the race, calling for a separation from the board and the city.
Young expressed a similar sentiment. From experience in the advocacy work that he does in Jersey City, he said he has seen how influence from City Hall can affect the board.
“I think City Hall needs to stay away from the Board of Education, there needs to be a separation,” Young said.
The “Together We Can” slate has gotten support from other incumbent Trustees including Jodi Casais, Vice President Christopher Munoz, and President Maria Valado. Also backed by former City Council President and mayoral candidate Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski, it appears the election is somewhat of a proxy war between factions remaining from the May municipal election.
On the campaign trail
The campaign has been relatively quiet until September. The “Together We Can” slate began making appearances at local events that month, such as the Bayonne Arts Festival. That continued with their first meet and greet at Bake N Brew on September 22, the Bayonne Bike Club’s annual Night Ride, and knocking on doors.
The meet and greets continued, with a livestream featuring a question and answer with parent and teacher organizations, and on October 19 at Kuhl’s Tavern. The “Together We Can” slate had a booth at the Bergen Point Fall Festival to meet voters, followed by the most recent meet and greet on October 26 at The Rock Pub.
As Election Day approached, the slate was looking forward to more events, such as the candidate forum at Bayonne High School’s Alexander X. O’Connor Auditorium on November 2 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. moderated by TAPinto Bayonne’s Al Sullivan. However, she noted it would be akin to a question and answer event as opposed to a debate.
Desmond added that while the slate was interviewed by the BEA, they endorsed “Voices for Progress” last week. She questioned how the event could be unbiased considering the timing of the endorsement, but said the slate will still attend since the commitment was from months prior.
More recently after the interviews, the “Together We Can” slate has also criticized recent flyers by the “Voices for Progress” slate. The complaints stem that the flyers feature the slate members next to Democratic candidates running for office also on November 8, despite the non-partisan nature of the election.
“So, Voices for Progress is handing out literature with their ballot positions and on the other side there are Democratic candidates for office,” they wrote on social media. “We at ‘Together We Can’ believe that the school board election is a non-partisan race and no influence from Democrats or Republicans should be Introduced.”
For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].
Do you have a great idea to help reduce the amount of single-use plastics in New Jersey? If so, the New Jersey Clean Communities Council (NJCCC) wants to hear from you.
The NJCCC, a statewide non-profit litter abatement organization serving 21 counties and 558 municipalities, is rolling out a small grant program for New Jersey-based non-profit organizations to support education and outreach focused on reducing the public’s consumption of single-use plastics. Program scope can include (but is not limited to) behavioral change, “Skip the Straw” campaign support – urging residents to forgo plastic straws – litter analytics and other litter reduction initiatives.
“We are looking for creative ways to use these grant dollars to fight litter across the state,” said NJCCC Executive Director JoAnn Gemenden. “We are eager to review the proposals and invest in the type of innovative programs that can be replicated across New Jersey and beyond.”
The NJCCC, which also runs the state’s Adopt a Beach and Adopt a Highway programs, is offering grants at the $5,000, $7,500, or $10,000 level to non-profit groups in New Jersey. A total of $50,000 is available for the program.
Examples of desired programs:
Conducting litter surveys / collection of litter data with analytics
Creating youth education programs
Promoting education and implementation of the state’s single-use plastics law in overburdened communities
Enhancing municipal litter prevention ordinances
Engaging business to enhance compliance of the single-use plastics law
Promoting eco-conscious items and practices, efforts to Skip the Straw, or other programs to decrease overall litter and plastic use
Note that grants will not be provided for programs related to recycling, beautification or projects that have already been completed. Applicants will be prioritized based on greatest need, measurable impact and the ability to replicate the project in other areas of the state.
The application deadline is November 22, with grant awards to be announced in December. All projects must be completed by the end of June 2023, with required documentation provided to the NJCCC by July 31, 2023.
To learn more about the grant program and download an application, visit NJclean.org.
Two new Bayonne Fire Department battalion chiefs pose with colleagues. Pictured left to right: Battalion Chief Thomas Obiedzinski, Fire Chief Keith Weaver, Battalion Chief John Andreychak, and Battalion Chief Robert Seeburger.
Recently, the Bayonne Fire Department held a promotional ceremony for two new battalion chiefs and nine fire captains. The promotions were necessitated by recent retirements of senior superior officers in the Fire Department.
The new battalion chiefs are John Andreychak and Thomas Obiedzinski. The new fire captains are Robert Baran, Jr., Sean Boyle, David Korzun, Ryan Lucas, Michael Pelliccio, William Rabbitt, Edward Skowronski III, Leo Smith III, and James Stendardo.
Speaking at the start of the ceremony, Mayor James Davis said to the new fire captains that their promotion is “the first step moving up the ladder.” He said it would be the fire captains’ responsibility to teach the younger firefighters.
Addressing the new battalion chiefs, Davis said that they are “stepping up” to a rank with greater responsibilities. He referred to Bayonne’s emergency services as “a great Fire Department,” “a great Police Department,” and an ambulance service that is “one of the best in the state.” Davis added that his job is to make sure that the emergency services “have everything they need,” and to make sure that “they get home to their families.”
Public Safety Director Robert Kubert said that the promoted fire superior officers “have excelled out on the street” and on their competitive tests. He observed that they “have demonstrated themselves as leaders in the Fire Department.” He explained that they would be training new firefighters to replace recent retirees.
Director Kubert said that all of Bayonne’s emergency services “have had a tough couple of years” during the pandemic, often dealing with infected people. He referred to the Bayonne Fire Department as “a very service-oriented organization” that performs many duties in addition to firefighting. The director thanked Mayor Davis and the City Council for their support of personnel and equipment for the Fire Department.
Two new battalion chiefs and nine new fire captains
Council Member At-Large Loyad Booker, a former police officer, said that he worked with several off the promoted fire superior officers. He commended their abilities and thanked their families for their sacrifices. Council Member At-Large Juan Perez, a former state trooper, congratulated the firefighters for their “well-deserved” promotions and sacrifices of their time.
Fire Chief Keith Weaver thanked Mayor Davis, the Council Members, and Director Kubert for supporting the promotions. Weaver said, “This Administration is an ardent supporter of the Fire Department.” Referring to the new battalion chiefs, Weaver added that they competed with “the most qualified in the department during the testing process.” He cited their careers of more than twenty-five years in the department.
Weaver said that the new fire captains were also “very competitive” with their exam preparation classes, books, and sacrifices. Speaking from experience, Chief Weaver said that the promoted firefighters would have to make “split-second decisions during emergencies.” He predicted that they would have the “knowledge, fairness, and ability to make sound decisions” and “to effect change for the better.”
Nine Bayonne firefighters were promoted to the rank of fire captain. Pictured left to right: Fire Captains Ryan Lucas, Leo Smith III, Michael Pelliccio, Robert Baran Jr., David Korzun, William Rabbitt, Sean Boyle, Edward Skowronski III, and James Stendardo. Shown to the right of the promoted officers is City Clerk Madelene Medina, who administered oaths of office.
At the ceremony, the Police Pipes and Drums provided the music. The Fire Department Honor Guard commenced the ceremony and led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Deputy Chief William Bartos, Battalion Chief Robert Seeburger, and Battalion Chief Frank Pawlowski, Jr. read out the biographies of the promoted firefighters.
Former Fire Chief Patrick Boyle read the biography of his son, Fire Captain Sean Boyle. City Clerk Madelene Medina administered most of the oaths of office for the new battalion chiefs and fire captains. Battalion Chief Andreychak’s oath was administered by his sister, Ann Marie McCarthy. The invocation was offered by Rev. John Fencik of St. Mary’s Orthodox Church. The final prayer was offered by Rev. Dorothy Patterson of the Wallace Temple AME Zion Church.
For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].
Construction work in North Bergen is now limited to certain hours during the week, and explicitly banned on Sunday. Photo of unrelated construction in Bayonne by Daniel Israel.
North Bergen has revised its work hours regulations for construction and other types of work that may be noisy or intrusive.
Mayor Nicholas Sacco and the Board of Commissioners adopted an amended ordinance regulating hours during which certain work may be done. The commissioners present voted unanimously to do so at the October 26 meeting, after it was introduced on October 12.
Previously, the commissioners adopted an ordinance in April of 2006 regulating construction work hours. The township has since determined that it was necessary to repeal and replace that ordinance.
The new ordinance prohibits “any person, firm, or corporation to make, continue, or cause to be made or continued any excessive, unnecessary or unusually loud noise or any noise which either annoys, disturbs, injures, or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace, or safety of others within the limits of the township.”
Regulating hours for construction and motor vehicle repairs
Operating any tools or equipment used in construction, drilling, repair, alteration, or demolition work is considered a violation other than between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday. The ordinance applies to demolition as well as construction, including any site preparation, assembly, erection, repair, alteration or similar action.
There is no construction allowed on Sundays or legal holidays. The only exceptions are for emergency work for public service utilities or by permit.
The ordinance also regulates when motor vehicle work can be done. Repairing, rebuilding, modifying, or testing any motor vehicle is considered a violation except between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday.
The only exception is for work on private residential property on a motor vehicle or motorboat for the personal use of the resident. The ordinance applies to motor vehicles including: passenger cars, trucks, motorcycles, trailers, semi-trailers, campers, go-carts, snowmobiles, motorboats, and amphibious craft.
The penalty for violating this ordinance is a fine up to $1,000 for each violation. Each day a violation occurs is considered a separate offense.
Town attorney explains changes in ordinance
Town Attorney Tom Kobin explained the ordinance at the October 26 meeting, at the request of Sacco. He said that the new ordinance specifically bans construction work on Sundays.
“It makes it a little more explicit when construction work may occur, explicitly barring it on Sundays,” Kobin said. “If you’re doing construction outside the permitted times, then it would be defined as a violation.”
Kobin also noted that the language of the ordinance was changed to mean that working during those hours was banned, as opposed to previously only being loud construction work.
“Whereas, the other one I think it had to be construction in a loud way in order to trigger the ordinance,” Kobin said. “It’s hard to describe what’s loud, unless you have something to measure the noise like a decibel meter.”
Kobin added that the ordinance also prohibits the time during which vehicle repairs can be done. This has some exemptions, such as local homeowners making repairs to their vehicles.
“Then this also adds vehicle repairs,” Kobin said. “It prohibits those on Sundays. It does say explicitly in there when you can do it. And it exempts out the local resident just working on their personal car. That can still happen on a Sunday. But as far as the other vehicle repairs, they’re not allowed on Sundays.”
For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].
Mayor Michael Gonnelli and the Secaucus Town Council met in the council chambers at Town Hall on Tuesday, October 25. Photo by Daniel Israel.
Secaucus has updated fees for after hours building inspections, as well as part-time inspectors.
Mayor Michael Gonnelli and the Secaucus Town Council have adopted an ordinance that does so at its October 25 meeting after it was introduced in September. The council voted unanimously in favor of the measure, except for Second Ward Councilman Mark Denhert who was absent for family reasons.
According to the ordinance, the mayor and council recognizes that the safety of all residents and the protection of human life, buildings and structures is of great concern. Secaucus addresses inspections and Certificates of Continued Occupancy through the town’s Construction Department in the Town Code, Chapter 64.
Secaucus’ Construction Department conducts Building Code and Certificate of Occupancy inspections in multi-family dwellings in conformance with the state standards in the public interest. Sometimes, the department performs said inspections after regular business hours as needed, and the fees for said inspections are recommended to be updated to cover said costs, according to the ordinance.
Fees for after regular business hour inspections and per diem Construction Code Inspectors are updated under the adopted ordinance. Building Code Inspections and Habitability Inspections conducted after regular business hours, and the rate of per diem Construction Code Inspectors are increased to $50 per hour.
The rate was previously $37 an hour, and it used to only apply to dwellings consisting of four or more units. Otherwise, there are no other changes to that chapter of the Town Code.
There was no discussion of the ordinance when it was introduced nor when it was adopted. After the October 25 meeting, Town Administrator Gary Jeffas told the Hudson Reporter that the ordinance aimed to primarily benefit part-time inspectors.
“We have, associated with our Health and Construction Departments, part-time inspectors,” Jeffas said. “The plumbing, the electric, and the building inspectors, there’s some part-timers that work there. Our prior ordinance said that their maximum rate was a maximum of $37 an hour for that kind of work. We upped it to $50 an hour.”
Jeffas said the rate change was bringing Secaucus up to speed with rates offered by surrounding municipalities.
“All the going rates in all the towns around us are higher,” Jeffas said. “So it just made it problem for us when part-timers retire or leave us. So the ordinance updates that the fee structure would be different and allow us to offer a higher hourly rate.”
The next Town Council meeting will be held on November 9 at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at Town Hall at 1203 Paterson Plank Road. For more information, go to secaucusnj.gov.
For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].
The speed limit signs were already in place on Riverside Station Boulevard, but the Town Code needed to be updated to reflect that. Photo by Mark Koosau.
Secaucus has lowered the speed limit on Riverside Station Road, the main thoroughfare through the Xchange residential development.
Mayor Michael Gonnelli and the Town Council have adopted an ordinance that amends the Code of the Town of Secaucus, Chapter 127 “Vehicles and Traffic” to lower the speed limit on that road to 15 miles per hour. The council voted unanimously to do so, except for Second Ward Councilman Mark Denhert who was absent for family reasons.
According to the ordinance, the mayor and council recognize that the safety of all motorists, passengers, pedestrians, children, residents and visitors is of utmost importance. The town previously enacted an ordinance to assist in alleviating dangerous situations on the town’s streets, promote safe passage, address traffic flow, and specify penalties for violations
Upon the review and recommendation of the Police Department’s Traffic Division, modification of the speed limit on Riverside Station Boulevard Drive to 15 miles per hour is recommended in the interest of public safety in light of the roadway’s purpose, use and traffic volume.
The council did not discuss the ordinance at the September 27 meeting when it was introduced, nor when it was adopted at the October 25 meeting.
After it was introduced, Town Administrator Gary Jeffas said the ordinance brings everything into compliance for the proper speed limit on that block. Residents may know that there are already 15 miles per hour speed limit signs on Riverside Station Boulevard, but this ordinance was necessary to make it official.
“The speed limit signs were up, but in our formal ordinance, it didn’t say 15 miles per hour,” Jeffas said. “Most residential streets are automatically 25 miles per hour under our ordinance. It was always the intent to have that speed limit, but we had to put in our ordinance so that if anyone was ticketed or anything, then our ordinance matches the street signage.”
Other ordinance amends residential parking
Meanwhile, the town is also looking to add another street to its residential parking program. At its October 25 meeting, the council introduced an ordinance that would amend Chapter 127A of the Code of the Town of Secaucus entitled “Residential Parking.”
According to the ordinance, Gonnelli and the council recognize that the safe parking of vehicles for all residents, visitors, and motorists, is of utmost concern. The town has a residential parking program that was developed to alleviate unfavorable parking conditions and address conditions created on residential streets.
The mayor and council have determined based on resident needs and review by the Police Traffic Division that updates are need to add locations and correctly reflect the zones areas. There was no discussion of the ordinance by the council when it was introduced, but after the meeting Jeffas explained that this would add Gary Terrace to the residential parking program.
Gary Terrace will now be codified as a residential parking only road. Image via Google Maps.
“Everything on that list was already on our residential parking, except Gary Terrace,” Jeffas said of the list of streets that are part of the residential parking program. “So that was added to it.”
According to Jeffas, in addition to contemplating making Gary Terrace a residential parking only road, the ordinance would also remove all references to older ordinances in the residential parking program. They have not been updated in some time, he said.
“The main reason that was redone was because of the ordinance it was referencing,” Jeffas said. “Some of them are referencing older ordinances that haven’t been updated since that time. So we crossed out all the older ordinances and readopted it in the ordinances that have all our street parking and permitting and stuff in there.”
The next Town Council meeting will be held on November 9 at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at Town Hall at 1203 Paterson Plank Road. For more information, go to secaucusnj.gov.
For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].
Over 21 Hispanic countries were represented in the parade in 2022. Photos courtesy of North Bergen.
Bergenline Avenue was host to a massive Hispanic State Parade on Sunday, October 16. The event was postponed from two weeks earlier.
The parade is one of the many ways that North Bergen and the other North Hudson municipalities celebrate Latin culture and history during Hispanic Heritage Month.
This year was the 47th Hispanic State Parade of New Jersey, having been a tradition since at least 1976.
On that sunny Sunday, thousands of people were estimated to be in attendance. The parade saw participants from across the state represent 21 Hispanic countries.
Crowds thronged both sides of the avenue as dozens of floats and countless dancers, singers, performers, and others passed by.
The parade marched down Bergenline Avenue beginning at 79th Street in North Bergen, proceeding through both Guttenberg and West New York, and culminating at 43rd Street in Union City.
Among the honored guests leading the festivities were North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco, Union City Mayor Brian Stack, West New York Mayor Gabriel Rodriguez, and Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner.
From left to right: West New York Mayor Gabriel Rodriguez, Union City Mayor Brian Stack, Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner, and North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco
Also leading the parade were Commissioners Hugo Cabrera, Julio Marenco, and Allen Pascual, Township Administrator Janet Castro, Police Chief Peter Fasilis, Hudson County Sheriff Frank Schillari, Assemblypersons Angelica Jimenez and Pedro Mejia, 8th Congressional District candidate Robert Menendez Jr., and many other local and state officials.
After the parade, Sacco said: “Had a wonderful time at the 2022 Hispanic American parade of New Jersey. North Bergen and Hudson County is so diverse and we are proud to celebrate all of the nationalities and cultures that make us who we are!”
A helicopter performed a flyover of the parade.
“It was an incredible honor to march in this year’s Hispanic State Parade as the Hombre del Año,” Menendez added. “The parade spectacularly celebrates our diverse, civically-engaged, and successful Hispanic community in the 8th Congressional District, which I am so proud to be a part of. And I am especially glad that we were able to stand alongside our friends from across the county, Union City, Mayor Stack, North Bergen Mayor Sacco, West New York Mayor Rodriguez, Weehawken Mayor Turner, officials from Guttenberg and their teams and my great friend Assemblyman Mukherji.”
For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].
Thousands of people were estimated to be in attendance for the proud display of different Hispanic cultures.
The surface parking lot off of Park Avenue between 66th Street and 67th Street. Image via Google Maps.
West New York is moving forward with plans for a fourth parking garage in town.
A mailer was sent out by the town in September touting the parking spaces that would be created by the garages. The town had already outlined plans for parking garages on existing parking lots at 51st Street, 54th Street, and 57th Street.
The 51st Street Parking Garage will be eight stories with 495 parking spaces at 51st Street to 52nd Street between Bergenline Avenue and Kennedy Avenue. The structure is expected to be fully completed by December of 2022, opening shortly thereafter in January of 2023.
The 57th Street Parking Garage will be three stories and provide 270 parking spaces at the surface lot between 57th Street to 58th Street behind the old Modell’s off of Bergenline Avenue. The town plans to break ground on this garage after the 51st Street garage is open to the public in January of 2023.
The 54th Street Parking Garage is still in the design phase, but will provide 235 parking spaces at the surface lot on the corner of Park Avenue and 54th Street.The town also announced that a new three-story parking garage at the surface lot between 66th Street to 67th Street and Park Avenue is in the design phase that will provide 270 parking spaces.
In total, the town will add 1,000 parking spaces, according to Mayor Gabriel Rodriguez. This includes not only the garages but other parking projects in town.
“Parking has been a challenge for many years in West New York and my administration has been committed to greatly increasing the number of available parking spaces by maximizing our existing spaces in creative new ways, partnering with private entities, and heavily investing in new parking infrastructure,” Rodriguez said in the mailer.
“I am thrilled to announce that when completed, our parking plan will have created over a thousand new parking spaces for residents and visitors of West New York!”
West New York also touted angled parking the town has completed and plans to implement. In December 2021, it completed the transition to angled parking on Broadway from 50th to 52nd Street.
The town is continuing to explore locations where it can transition existing parking into angled parking. West New York already has designs from Park Avenue from 62nd Street to 66th Street, Park Avenue from 52nd Street to 54th Street, Dewey Avenue from 62nd Street to 63rd Street, 60th Street from Broadway to Hudson Avenue, and Hudson Avenue from 50th Street to 59th Street.
The move comes as West New York was already implementing angled parking in town. It also followed calls for more angled parking at the August meeting of the Board of Commissioners by resident Frank Miqueli.
Miqueli is behind a petition seeking for more angled parking in town, also including Anthony Valdes, Anthony DeFino, Doeinne Auriemma, and Vipul Parekh. Both Auriemma and Parekh recently unsuccessfully ran for the school board, and Parekh is a frequent critic of the current administration at Board of Commissioners meetings.
West New York officials failed to respond to Hudson Reporter requests for comment on the matter.
For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].
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