Bayonne Chapter of Unico announces award recipients

October 18, 2022

10bayunico27-01 — Dr. Brian Beebe, photos courtesy of Bayonne Chapter of Unico National

The Bayonne Chapter of Unico National has named long-time member Dr. Brian Beebe as our 2022 Man of the Year.

It is not often that we are given an opportunity to show our appreciation for those among us who make life a little better by touching the lives around them.

In addition to honoring our Man of the Year, the Bayonne Chapter of UNICO National will also be recognizing the following individuals for their outstanding service to our community: Joe Bolowski, Joseph P. Tagliareni Community Service Award; Rosemarie Martinez, Service Above Self Award and Steve Laszkow, Lifetime Achievement Award.

These prestigious honors will be bestowed upon our recipients at UNICO’s Awards Reception on Saturday, November 19 at the Chandelier Restaurant in Bayonne at six o’clock in the evening.

The Officers and Membership of the Bayonne Chapter of UNICO cordially invite you to express your congratulations to our distinguished honorees by placing an ad in the Souvenir Journal being prepared to accent this festive
evening.

Your donation is tax-deductible and will be remembered by all the officers and members as well as our honorees.

The proceeds of the souvenir journal will be administered by the Bayonne Chapter of UNICO National to help assist the many local charities which UNICO has supported for over 72 years.

The success of this souvenir journal will benefit so many in our community.

Please consider this when deciding on your level of support. For event tickets, sponsorship information or journal ads, please call Brian DellaBella at 973-493-7303.

Real estate investment company executives charged for alleged Ponzi scheme

Hudson Reporter

October 18, 2022

10secfraud27 — NRIA is a major redeveloper in the area, involved with projects including The Grand at 508 51 Street in West New York. Image via NRIA.net.

The president and a top officer of the Secaucus-based real estate investment company National Realty Investment Advisors LLC (NRIA) have been charged for their roles in a scheme to defraud more than 2,000 investors in a $650 million Ponzi scheme, and with conspiring to evade $26 million in tax liabilities, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger has announced.

Thomas Nicholas Salzano, aka “Nicholas Salzano,” a 64-year-old of Secaucus, and Rey E. Grabato II, a 43-year-old of Hoboken and the Republic of the Philippines, are charged in an 18-count indictment unsealed on October 12. Previously, in June the New Jersey Bureau of Securities issued a Summary Cease and Desist Order to NRIA.

Both men are charged with conspiracy to commit securities fraud, securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Salzano is also charged with two counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of tax evasion, and five counts of subscribing to false tax returns.

Salzano was arrested on October 12, and appeared by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre on October 13. Grabato remains at large.

Also on October 13, Arthur S. Scuttaro, a 62-year-old of Nutley, the former head of sales at NRIA, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud in the same scheme. His sentencing is scheduled for February 23, 2023.

‘Fraudulent marketing campaign aimed to hoodwink investors’

Officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) condemned the scheme and applauded the charges.

“As charged in the indictment, these defendants schemed to create a high-pressure, fraudulent marketing campaign to hoodwink investors into believing that their bogus real estate venture generated substantial profits,” Sellinger said.

“In reality, their criminal tactics were straight out of the Ponzi scheme playbook so that they could cheat their investors and line their own pockets. Our message from today’s charges is that we remain deeply committed to rooting out all types of financial fraud schemes. These schemes undermine our markets and erode the public’s trust in investing. Together with our enforcement partners, we will continue to prioritize investigating and prosecuting financial crime in all of its forms.”

“This case should serve as a cautionary tale to the consumer,” FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “Before you entrust your hard-earned savings to someone, do your research on the trustee and the product they are selling; become familiar with the red flags that can alert you to a fraud; don’t let dollar signs cloud your judgement; and remember the old adage that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

“Slick pamphlets, flashy commercials, and ads that feature celebrities do not add up to the most important element – credibility. The FBI works diligently to protect the American public, arrest lawbreakers, and recoup whatever stolen funds haven’t evaporated. The sad fact is the consumer is rarely made whole. Skepticism and analysis are still the best protection.”

“This was a brazen scheme of staggering proportions,” Tammy Tomlins, IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Newark Field Office, said. “These defendants prioritized their own greed, stealing $650 million from investors, while conspiring to evade $26 million in tax liabilities. The indictment sends a clear message that the IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our law enforcement partners, remain vigilant and will vigorously pursue those who attempt to enrich themselves through fraudulent means.”

Alleged $650 million Ponzi scheme busted by authorities

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Grabato was president of NRIA and Salzano was the firm’s shadow chief executive officer.

From February 2018 through January 2022, Salzano and Grabato defrauded investors and potential investors of NRIA Partners Portfolio Fund I LLC, a real estate fund operated by NRIA, of $650 million through lies, deception, misleading statements, and material omissions.

These included false representations about NRIA’s financial position, how the defendants and their conspirators used fund investor money, and Salzano’s managerial role at NRIA and his history of fraud.

They executed their scheme through an aggressive multi-year, nationwide marketing campaign that involved thousands of emails to investors; advertisements on billboards, television, and radio; and meetings and presentations to investors.

Salzano led and directed the marketing campaign, which employed deception, material misrepresentations and omissions, and falsified documents to manipulate investors.

The marketing campaign was intended to mislead investors into believing that NRIA was a solvent business that generated significant profits. In reality, NRIA generated little to no profits and operated as a Ponzi scheme, which was kept afloat by new investors.

Despite investing almost none of their own capital into the business, the defendants misappropriated millions of dollars of investor money.

Salzano concealed his true managerial role at NRIA while using Grabato as a stand-in CEO in an effort to avoid scrutiny by investors of Salzano’s prior guilty plea to defrauding small businesses in Louisiana through a large telecommunications company.

Salzano and Grabato also orchestrated a separate conspiracy to defraud the IRS in its effort to collect $26 million in outstanding taxes Salzano owed to the U.S. Treasury. Salzano and Grabato are alleged to have lied to the IRS, used a web of nominees, opened bank accounts in the names of phony entities, and used false and fraudulent company documents.

Defendants facing large fines and many years in prison

The conspiracy to commit securities fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States counts charged in the indictment both carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The securities fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine. The wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud counts are both punishable by a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The tax evasion counts both carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $100,000 fine. The subscribing to false tax return counts each carry a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $100,000 fine. The aggravated identity theft counts carry a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed.

In a separate civil action, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a complaint on October 13 in the District of New Jersey against Salzano, Grabato, Scuttaro, and others based on the allegations underlying the Ponzi scheme alleged in the indictment and information.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark, with the investigation. He also thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission, New York Regional Office, for its cooperation and assistance during the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Fayer, of the Economic Crimes Unit, and Lauren E. Repole, Chief of the General Crimes Unit.

The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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].

North Bergen adopts redevelopment plan for area along Tonnelle Avenue

Hudson Reporter

October 14, 2022

10nbboc20 — An aerial rendering of the existing site looking south, via Google Maps.

North Bergen is considering allowing redevelopment in a large area along Tonnelle Avenue. Mayor Nicholas Sacco and the Board of Commissioners adopted an ordinance approving a redevelopment plan for the area at its October 12 meeting after it was introduced in September.

The ordinance authorizes North Bergen to establish a redevelopment plan and designate the township the redevelopment entity for a number of properties on Tonnelle Avenue. The ordinance also amends the zoning ordinance of the township to establish specific development regulations in this area.

Redevelopment plan approved by board

The total redevelopment area is approximately 7.164 acres in the central portion of the township on the western side of Tonnelle Avenue also known as Routes 1 and 9. The area forms a row along the western side of the street between 51st Street to the south and Hudson Bread to the north at 5601-5711 Tonnelle Avenue.

The redevelopment area is bordered within 200 feet on the south by the Tonnelle Avenue Station of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and associated parking lot, and bordered by an active rail yard to the west. To the east, on the other side of the street, there is a gas station, residential dwellings ranging from one and two-family homes to a garden apartment development, heavy commercial and industrial uses, a house of worship, and the historic Hoboken Cemetery. Hudson Bread borders the redevelopment area to the north.

The properties consist of ten parcels of land including: 5401 Tonnelle Avenue; 5409 Tonnelle Avenue; 5419 Tonnelle Avenue; the rear lot of 5419 Tonnelle Avenue; 5013 Tonnelle Avenue; 5117 Tonnelle Avenue; 5211 Tonnelle Avenue; 5319 Tonnelle Avenue; 5501 Tonnelle Avenue; and the rear lot of 5013 Tonnelle Avenue.

On September 6, the Planning Board reviewed the redevelopment plan, recommending it to the Board of Commissioners. This paved the way for the board to introduce the ordinance in September, and held a public hearing and voted on the matter in October, although no township official or member of the public spoke on the topic.

When the ordinance was introduced, Township Administrator Janet Castro said: “This is ten parcels. This ordinance is just designating us as the redevelopment agency and accepting the Planning Board’s recommendations and those land uses. We have not received any formal plans yet.”

Inside the redevelopment area on Tonnelle Avenue

Some of the buildings in the redevelopment area located in the I Industrial Zone are in better condition than others.

5117 Tonnelle Avenue is currently home to a one-story bagel restaurant with seven parking spaces known as 51 Bagel. Constructed in 1967, the building was recently renovated.

5013 Tonnelle Avenue is presently outdoor storage for masonry building materials which are stacked high on pallets. Various forklifts, mid-sized and large trucks, vans, and other miscellaneous vehicles traverse the property, which is devoid of any permanent structures.

5211 Tonnelle Avenue is currently home to a one-story commercial building for the sales and display of masonry, building materials, and related merchandise known as Reuther Material Co. There are several angled parking spaces in front of the building and several rows of parking to the northeast of the building on the site.

5319 Tonnelle Avenue is presently utilized by a building materials company for the indoor and outdoor storage of masonry materials and it was formerly used for the manufacture of concrete block and other products. The property consists of a large materials storage building centrally located, and a collection of attached storage buildings and overhangs at the north of the property. A new small office building is under construction, east of the central storage building.

5419 Tonnelle Avenue is currently a vehicle towing establishment with a one-story building in the front of the property, known as Tumino’s Towing. An auto repair garage is attached to the rear of the office building. A front fence restricts access to the parking area, with several parking spaces in a single row in front of the building.

Some properties better off than others

5401 Tonnelle Avenue presently consists of five small adjoining one-story buildings in the southern property line and a large auto repair building on the western end. A driveway and parked vehicles are located on the northeastern end of the property.

The easternmost building has the design of an old retail building but is utilized for storage of tires, known as Good Deal Tires. The adjacent building is a garage also used for tire storage. The remaining three buildings are also garages with space for one to two vehicles at a time, all leased to individual tenants.

5501 Tonnelle Avenue is currently a centrally located one-story building, an attached metal garage to the west, detached metal garage to the northwest and parking areas to the north and south.

In the north parking lot, the township observed several mid and large sized trucks parking along the north side of the building, and a heap of rubble, garbage, and building materials at the northwest corner of the property. In the south parking lot, school buses, jitney vans, recreational vehicles, mid-sized trucks, truck cabs, and personal vehicles ranging in condition from aesthetically acceptable to damaged were observed.

5013 Tonnelle Avenue is presently a narrow dirt lot used for the parking of trucks, personal vehicles, and shipping containers. There are no permanent structures on the property, with the property having been vacant since June of 2021.

Details of the redevelopment plan

According to the ordinance, the redevelopment plan allows for permitted uses including: multifamily residential; shopping centers; hotels; wholesale business, storage and distribution warehousing; the storage of trucks, buses, passenger and commercial vans, taxis, cabs, and limousines; light manufacturing, employing a process free from objectionable odors, fumes, dust, vibrations, or noise; motor vehicles repair uses; and any uses in existence at the time of the adoption of the redevelopment plan. The redevelopment plan, however, forbids automobile body repair shops.

The redevelopment plan permits buildings up to 60 feet in height above the elevation of Tonnelle Avenue abutting the property for multi-family residential buildings, shopping centers, and hotels. For wholesale, storage, distribution, warehousing, and light manufacturing uses, the maximum building height is 60 feet from above the elevation of Tonnelle Avenue abutting the property, but will not to exceed 75 feet above the average grade surrounding the building.

For storage of trucks, buses, passenger commercial vans, taxis, cabs, and limousines, the maximum building height is 35 feet. For motor vehicle repair uses, the maximum building height is 30 feet. For these uses, the minimum buffer from adjoining residential uses is 25 feet.

For more information on the ordinance, read past reporting at: hudsonreporter.com/2022/09/22/north-bergen-considers-redevelopment-plan-for-10-parcels-on-tonnelle-avenue. The ordinance only authorized the adoption of the redevelopment plan, meaning final site plans must still be submitted to the township by any redeveloper looking to build on the site.

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].

West New York adopts PILOT ordinance to support waterfront redevelopment

Hudson Reporter

October 14, 2022

10wnyPILOT20 — Architectural plans for the residential redevelopment the financial agreement supports.

West New York has approved another financial agreement to support waterfront redevelopment.

Mayor Gabriel Rodriguez and the Board of Commissioners adopted an ordinance at their September 28 meeting authorizing the payments-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) agreement with Toll Parcel H Urban Renewal, LLC.

The site is located at 8 Avenue at Port Imperial, on the eastern side of Port Imperial Boulevard, in the town’s Controlled Waterfront Development Zone. The redevelopment area is currently vacant and surrounded by fencing, with plans for a multi-story residential redevelopment.

Site changed hands from redevelopers many times

Pursuant to the redevelopment plan for the site, Roseland/Port Imperial, LLC and the town entered into a redevelopment agreement in 1996 for the site.

In 1998, the rights and obligations of Roseland/Port Imperial, LLC under the Redevelopment Agreement were assigned to and assumed by Roseland/Port Imperial Partners, L.P., an affiliate of the redeveloper which acquired the title to lands comprising the redevelopment area.

By 2006, the site was owned by K. Hovnanian at Port Imperial Urban Renewal VIII, LLC, which had assumed the outstanding obligations of Roseland/Port Imperial Partners, L.P. under the redevelopment agreement.

On June 7, 2017, Toll Bros., Inc. entered into a contract to acquire the project site and subsequently assigned its interest in the agreement to its affiliate Toll Port Imperial, LLC. West New York consented to the transfer on September 21, 2017, by adopting a resolution authorizing it.

Through an assumption agreement on February 1, 2018, Toll Port Imperial LLC assumed the outstanding obligations of K. Hovnanian at Port Imperial Urban Renewal VIII, LLC under the redevelopment agreement for the site.

On July 8, 2021, the West New York Planning Board granted Toll Port Imperial LLC amended final major site plan approval with variance relief for redevelopment of the project site with an approximately 73-unit residential redevelopment, with 133 off-street parking spaces and eight on-street parking spaces, as well as other amenities and site improvements.

Previously approved as a six-story condominium building back in August of 2018, the applicant was granted permission to construct a 10-story building with the same number of units. The building has a larger footprint at the base that shifts to a smaller shape after the fourth floor, becoming a mid-rise tower. Amenities include a pool, private terraces, a common terrace on the roof, and green roofs, among other unspecified amenity spaces.

The application for the changes was heard in May of 2021 and approved by the board, with a resolution adopted later in July. Through an assumption agreement to be entered into between the parties, Toll Parcel H Urban Renewal, LLC took on the outstanding obligations of its affiliate, Toll Port Imperial, LLC, under the redevelopment agreement for the project site and will redevelop the site consistent with the terms and conditions in the redevelopment agreement and the site plan approval.

Financial agreement necessary to support the project

Toll Parcel H Urban Renewal, LLC has expressed to West New York that the project would not be feasible in its intended scope without financial assistance by the town, according to the ordinance. In order to improve the feasibility of the project, Toll Parcel H Urban Renewal, LLC filed an application with the town for approval of a long term tax exemption and financial agreement from West New York.

According to the ordinance, in addition to the profit limitations in the Long Term Tax Exemption Law, the nature of the project will entail an “inherent profit limitation” for Toll Parcel H Urban Renewal, LLC through the extra costs, issues, and responsibilities associated with the project “that are not present outside of the redevelopment context.” The ordinance states that there is a need recognized by the town to provide incentives to make redevelopment feasible.

After review of the request with the town attorney, redevelopment counsel and the town’s financial advisor, Mayor Rodriguez recommended that the application for the financial agreement be approved. In order to enhance the economic viability of and opportunity for a successful project, the town will enter into a financial agreement with the entity governing payments made to the town in lieu of real estate taxes on the project pursuant to the Long-Term Tax Exemption Law.

The PILOT will be for a 20-year term with an annual service charge based on 12.5 percent of annual gross revenues for years one to five; 13.5 percent for years six to 10; 14.5 percent for years 11 to 15; and 15 percent for years 16 to 20.

According to the ordinance, the town has found that the projected Annual Service Charge over the 20-year term will generate an average annual revenue for West New York of approximately $2,127,295 for the property. The ordinance states that the relative stability and predictability of the Annual Service Charge will make the project more attractive to investors and lenders needed to finance the project.

It is also estimated that the project will create jobs during construction and permanent jobs. According to the ordinance, West New York has determined that the benefits of the project significantly outweigh the costs to the town.

The board voted unanimously to adopt the ordinance. While this PILOT is for a portion of the site referred to as “Parcel H,” which consist of the eastern half of the site, this is just Phase 1. Phase 2 entails the redevelopment of the western half of the site known as Parcel F, with a seven-story residential redevelopment.

Officials have failed to respond to multiple requests for comment by the Hudson Reporter since the meeting in September. The next Board of Commissioners meeting is October 19 at 7 p.m. For more information, go to westnewyorknj.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 [email protected].

Secaucus ordinance would lower speed limit on Riverside Station Boulevard

Hudson Reporter

October 12, 2022

10seccouncil20 — Speed limit signs are already in place on Riverside Station Boulevard, but now the town is introducing an ordinance to back them up. Image via Google Maps.

Secaucus is seeking to lower the speed limit on Riverside Station Road, the main thoroughfare through the Xchange residential development in Secaucus.

Mayor Michael Gonnelli and the Town Council have introduced an ordinance that would amend 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.

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 Secaucus 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.

After the meeting, Town Administrator Gary Jeffas the ordinance would bring 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 be the 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.”

Updating fees for after hours building inspections

Another ordinance introduced by the council would update the fees for after hours inspections.

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 would be altered under the proposed ordinance. Building Code Inspections and Habitability Inspections conducted after regular business hours, and the rate of per diem Construction Code Inspectors would be increased to $50 per hour.

The rate is presently $37 an hour. And currently, this only applied to dwellings consisting of four or more units. Otherwise, there are no other changes to that chapter of the Town Code.

While there is another council meeting on October 12, this ordinance and the other will be up for a public hearing and final passage at a meeting later in the month. The next meeting the ordinances may be heard it is on October 25 at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at the Municipal Complex at 1203 Paterson Plank Road.

Go online to secaucusnj.gov for more information. Or go to secaucusnj.gov/government/meeting-documents/2022-mayor-council-meeting-documents/2022-agendas-mayor-council/1035-10-12-2022-mayor-council-meeting-agenda/file to read both ordinances in full.

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].

Mobile MVC coming to Secaucus on October 21

Hudson Reporter

October 11, 2022

10secMVC20 — The mobile MVC has been making its rounds across Hudson County since 2021. Photo courtesy of the town of Guttenberg.

Instead of having to wait in line at the Motor Vehicle Commission, the town of Secaucus is bringing the MVC to residents.

On Friday, October 21, the mobile MVC will be at the Secaucus Recreation Center Parking Lot at 1200 Koelle Boulevard. The MVC will be on site to assist residents from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The services available will include registration renewals, handicap placards and permits, non-driver IDs, with license plate drop-offs with no registration required. Customers will need six points of ID and must bring their social security card as well.

The services are available by appointment only. Register online at Secaucusnj.gov/DMV.

A total of 35 available times will be provided. The event is courtesy of the Secaucus Police Department, Mayor Michael Gonnelli, and the Town Council.

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].

Union City will retain part of former bus garage property

Hudson Reporter

October 4, 2022

The old New Jersey Transit bus garage, currently used by the Department of Public Works (DPW), is set to be demolished. However, the city will keep a portion of the property for municipal purposes, according to Union City Mayor Brian Stack.

Decommissioned for more than a decade

In August, the Federal Transit Administration previously announced that NJ TRANSIT will receive $44,677,500 in funding to renovate its Union City bus garage, allowing the agency to create a public bus terminal, house administrative services, and charge and deploy battery electric buses. The funding will help cover the nearly $68.9 million the project is estimated to cost by NJ Transit.

In 2011, NJ TRANSIT ceased operations at its Union City bus garage located between 27th and 29th Streets and Bergenline Avenue and New York Avenue. Since then, a portion of the facility at the north end of the property has been leased to the Union City Department of Public Works for storage of various vehicles, equipment, and road salt stockpiling.

The remaining unused main facility is in a state of severe distress from disuse and age. Recent inspection of the facility found the building to be unsafe, and the public and all personnel are currently barred from entry.

The roof structure, which is integral to the larger building structure, has widespread structural failures, and various internal structural components are heavily deteriorated or fallen. A variety of internal components have been subjected to severe corrosion with rotten timbers throughout, making the entire interior of the structure unsafe.

Continued deterioration of the building cannot be permitted without risking the overall structural stability of the facility up to and including the potential for a partial or complete collapse. As the structure is both functionally obsolete and far too deteriorated to attempt its salvage, the only practicable recourse is to immediately demolish it in its entirety.

In July, the NJ TRANSIT board voted to award a $6,015,763.40 contract, plus 25 percent for contingencies, to DMR Construction Services, Inc. to demolish the structure. The existing Union City Bus Garage will be rebuilt as a 40-bus storage facility to support maintenance and storage of articulated and zero emission buses.

Union City to retain two blocks for municipal purposes

In late September, Stack said the city of Union City will retain 27th to 28th Streets from New York Avenue to Bergenline Avenue for unspecified municipal purposes. Meanwhile, NJ TRANSIT will utilize 28th to 29th Street from New York Avenue to Bergenline Avenue to establish the state-of-the-art garage for electric buses with service all over Northern NJ and New York City.

Although NJ TRANSIT was only recently awarded a $44.6 million grant to build this facility, Stack said his administration has worked alongside them for over 20 years on the long-awaited project. He added: “This will be an incredible addition that our city will greatly benefit from.”

In addition to this grant, additional funds have also been secured for Union City and its residents for much needed improvements throughout the community, Stack announced.

He said this included $27 million in state funding for Union City’s municipal budget; $3 million towards the Union City DPW facility; $2 million for the beautification of Bergenline Avenue from 30th to 49th Street, including streetscape improvements, lighting, planters, and more; $3 million to renovate Central Avenue from 21st Street to 35th Street with new sidewalks, decorative lights, trees, and more; $1.7 million to enhance the municipal parking lot between 8th Street and 10th Street, and the construction of an 100-unit senior citizen housing project; and $970,000 for a city-wide police radio system.

“As always, the efforts the Commissioners and I make are with the best interests of our community in mind,” Stack said. “We will continue to work so that you, your loved ones, and all of the residents of Union City can enjoy a high standard of living and quality of life. Please feel free to call me, seven days a week, should you ever need any assistance.”

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].

Weehawken Township Council tackles long To Do list

Hudson Reporter

October 4, 2022

12weebudget16 — The next council meeting will be held at Weehawken Town Hall on October 12. Image via Google Maps.

In addition to holding a moment of silence to honor the county’s first female police officer and an old councilman who passed away, there were a number of other resolutions approved on a variety of topics at the Weehawken Township Council meeting on September 28.

Mayor Richard Turner explained the crux of each measure up for a vote at the meeting. One resolution authorized the application for a grant for a portion of a pedestrian walkway connecting Lincoln Harbor Park to the Weehawken Waterfront Park and Recreation Center.

“We are applying for a grant to complete the pedestrian bridge connecting the North Park with Lincoln Harbor,” Turner said.

Another resolution of note authorized the purchase of new scoreboards for over $40,000 through a purchasing co-op by Middlesex County. The township is currently completing construction on its waterfront recreation complex, which includes a baseball field, a multi-use football and soccer field, and track.

“We’re doing a purchase of two scoreboards for the waterfront for a total of $41,097,” Turner said. “That’s through a co-op.”

Budget to be introduced soon

On top of that, the council approved a resolution reappointing local firefighters. The North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue provides fire coverage for Weehawken, as well as Union City, North Bergen, West New York, and Guttenberg.

“That’s reappointing members of the North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue,” Turner said of the resolution.

Other resolutions on the agenda involved granting a disabled veterans tax exemption pursuant to state law, a tax lien redemption, and some temporary budget appropriations. The financial measures come as the township is preparing next year’s budget.

“The Chief Financial Officer is working on the budget,” Turner said. “Hopefully that will be done in the next couple of weeks.”

Following the end of the council’s agenda, it convened as the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board. It granted two license renewals, one for consumption and one for distribution.

After that, the council adjourned as the ABC Board and reconvened as the Township Council. After the aforementioned moment of silence for Debby McGorty and Steven Weil, the council then went into executive session to discuss personnel issues for several minutes.

Other pertinent announcements

When they returned, Turner made some township announcements. He started by discussing ongoing road repaving projects.

“We’re finishing our road paving work on Shippen Street,” Turner said. “They’re probably going to move to Jane Street next.”

In addition to Shippen Street, Jane Street is likely among the streets to be repaved next. The township wants to get everything done before fall ends.

“It’s a little bit up in the air, but we’re going to try to get El Dorado, Clfiton, and Shippen, and maybe Jane paved before winter,” Turner said. “But it’s hard scheduling this.”

At the same time the streets are being repaved, residents with lead lines will have them replaced. Turner said this is being done by Veolia, the water system operator that recently took over from Suez after a merger.

“Veolia has a list of anybody that has not updated their lead lines,” Turner said. “As we do the work, they pay for the conversion to regular lines.”

Second Ward Councilwoman Rosemary Lavagnino noted she herself had lead lines. Turner noted Lavagnino would be among residents to have them replaced when Veolia gets to her residence eventually.

“The lead lines will be changed when they get to you,” Turner said. “They’re going around periodically changing lead lines at no expense to the homeowner. So they will get to you… Veolia is a water company. They change your lines from lead to non lead.”

Municipal pool usage rules for next year?

Turner also noted the municipal pool at the Waterfront Recreation Center is no longer open. He said the township will figure out how the pool, which was completed in August of 2021, will operate next year after construction on the complex will largely be complete.

“The pool has closed for the season as fall is among us,” Turner said. “We’ll figure out next winter or spring the full operation of the pool and how we handle it.”

Earlier in the year, Hoboken residents caused a stir after the pool was limited to Weehawken residents only due to COVID-19 restrictions and minimal parking amid construction, the township argued. However, the New Jersey Department of Environmental’s Green Acres helped build the park, leading to DEP officials alerting the township that it must allow all residents to use the pool, which Weehawken eventually obliged.

After some further discussion of things like Weehawken Day and Hurricane Ian, the council adjourned. The Township Council will meet next on October 12 at 7 p.m. For more information, go to weehawken-nj.us.

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].

Weehawken honors retiring deputy police chief after 28-year career

Hudson Reporter

October 3, 2022

10weechief13-01 — Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner (left) shakes retiring Deputy Police Chief Jason Czornomor's hand. Photos courtesy of the township.

Weehawken Deputy Police Chief Jason Czornomor has retired after 28 years of service. Recently, the township held a ceremony to congratulate Czornomor on his law enforcement career.

Czornomor began his career In July 1994, when he joined the Weehawken Police Department as a patrol officer. He was eventually moved to the “Juvenile Bureau,” remaining there until being promoted to Sergeant in May 2003.

The remainder of Czornomor’s career was spent working for the Quality-of-Life Squad, which is the unit of policing that focuses on community-oriented policing. He then attained the ranks of Lieutenant in March 2009, Captain in May 2016, and Deputy Chief in October 2021.

Following Czornomor’s promotion to the position of Deputy Chief, he was given the added responsibility of Patrol Commander. With that, he managed the patrol division, which also included all Traffic Control Officers, and the Motorcycle Squad, of which he was a member throughout his entire career.

Weehawken police officers salute their outgoing deputy chief.

In a joint statement on October 1 by Mayor Richard Turner, Councilman At-Large Robert Sosa, First Ward Councilwoman Carmela Silvestri-Ehret, Second Ward Councilwoman Rosemary Lavagnino, Third Ward Councilman David Curtis, and Township Manager Giovanni Ahmad, they acknowledged that Czornomor served the Weehawken Police Department with dedication for 28 years and they thanked him for that.

“His leadership of the Weehawken Police Department and the Township has benefited our department and the residents of Weehawken,” the statement said. “On behalf of the residents of Weehawken, we appreciate your service and wish you well in your retirement; we shall miss your service to the community.”

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].

Secaucus honors long-time civil servant and former newspaper editor

Hudson Reporter

September 30, 2022

10seccouncil06 — Mayor Michael Gonnelli and Louise Rittberg. Photo by Daniel Israel.

Secaucus has recognized a long-time municipal employee and former media woman for her service over the years.

At the September 27 meeting, Mayor Michael Gonnelli and the Town Council presented a proclamation to Louise Rittberg. Prior to reading the proclamation to Rittberg, Gonnelli remarked she was a “very special” person in Secaucus.

“You’ve done so much for this town,” Gonnelli said. “I could never explain how much you did. And you did so much for me.”

Gonnelli wanted to do something for her to thank her, thus the proclamation and a pocketbook with other gifts of gratitude inside. Gonnelli told Rittberg his heart was pounding because she makes him nervous, also noting they share the same birthday.

“We have a proclamation,” Gonnelli said. “And this is a goodie bag for you… Everything in there is true, so listen.”

Third Ward Councilwoman Orietta Tringali read the proclamation out loud before presenting it to Rittberg.

The town recognizes Rittberg for her “tremendous contributions to our community and for touching th elives of residents in a myriad of ways.”

A life of dedication to Secaucus

Rittberg was born in Hoboken, then spent the first few years of her life near Boston. There, she “unknowingly learned the lessons of tolerance, diversity, and the importance of sharing the same values with which she enriched the lives of Secaucus residents,” according to the proclamation.

A graduate of Jersey City State College, Rittberg served the town in several paid and volunteer positions. The proclamation states he was a “commendable resource and guide for residents,” many of whom she did not know personally.

Rittberg made “immense contributions” at several milestone town events. She co-chaired the month-long 500th Columbus Day Anniversary celebrations in October of 1992 and the town’s Secaucus Centennial celebrations in 2000.

In addition to that, Rittberg was a key member of the Secaucus Home News team prior to its closure in 2017 after 107 years. She contributed articles and photos to “advance the local paper to greater heights.”

Rittberg was a feature writer and advertising manager from 1980 to 1982, a reporter and advertising manager from 1982 to 1984, and an associate editor and reporter from 1985 to 2001. According to the town, she used her “writing talent and social networking skills effectively to document events with award-winning flair.”

On top of all that, Rittberg also served as publicity officer for the Huber Street School Parent Teacher Association (PTA), Public Information Officer at the Office of Emergency Management, and Public Relations Coordinator at the Secaucus Public Library. She has been a lifetime member of the Friends of Secaucus Public Library, making further contributions to the town as a Literacy Coordinator, Tutor, and Teacher Trainer, she helped many residents improve English language skills and through the citizenship test program.

The proclamation concluded Rittberg was an “involved, generous citizen of Secaucus.” It thanked her for “her dedicate service and measurable contributions” to the community.

Rittberg speechless by the town’s gesture

After Rittberg was presented with the plaque, she said a few words. She was joined by one of her daughters.

“It’s difficult for me to be speechless, those who know me know that, but I’m about speechless right now,” Rittberg said. “I have to say, this is true, I enjoyed every minute of. I got involved in this, I got involved in that. I helped this one and helped that. I made friends and so that’s all that matters. It meant a lot.

Gonnelli noted that many people were present at the council meeting to support Rittberg, including the Friends of the Secaucus Public Library as well as her friends and neighbors, and of course her family. Following the passing of her husband Ed in 2013, Rittberg found solace in helping people as part of her job with the town.

“When Eddie passed away, it gave me so much to do,” Rittberg said. “Do you believe this Eddie?”

Gonnelli comforted Rittberg, who began to get emotional, alluding that her late husband was proud of her: “Eddie’s looking down, believe me.” The town honored him, a local sports legend, in 2017.

“I think so,” Rittberg said. “I can’t say anymore. This is remarkable that I should be speechless. There’s people here that don’t believe there hearing me say that.”

Rittberg concluded by thanking the council for the honor.

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].