Secaucus is considering a multi-million dollar bond ordinance for various improvements across town, which will include more funds for the new senior center.

The $6,535,000 ordinance was introduced at a Town Council meeting in late July, with an upcoming hearing this month. Mayor Michael Gonnelli was absent at the July 26 meeting, so Third Ward Councilman Bill McKeever chaired the meeting.

The ordinance includes funds for the completion of various public improvements, and the acquisition of new or replacement equipment or machinery, new information and technology equipment, new communication and signals system equipment, and new automotive and electric vehicles including apparatus and equipment.

Roads and senior center improvements

After the meeting, Town Administrator Gary Jeffas explained the gist of the bond ordinance to the Hudson Reporter. One of the biggest items was another approximately $1.5 million for the new senior center at 101 Centre Avenue. 

“This is essentially due to cost overruns,” Jeffas said of the previously estimated $7.8 million project. “We didn’t start building yet.”

The cost estimate has increased due to inflationary prices.

“The architectural estimates, now that they are able to drill down more, they just said that with everything else, costs are increasing, so we had to put more money into that,” Jeffas said. 

The other major object of the bond ordinance is approximately $2 million for various road paving projects. 

“We’re going to be repaving five roads this year,” Jeffas said.

Roof repairs, Millridge Field improvements, and electric vehicles

Other highlights of the bond ordinance includes roof repairs to the recreation center in the amount of approximately $500,000.

“We have a basketball recreation center that we have to redo the roof,” Jeffas said. “It’s a big barrel roof. So there needs to be some shoring up with the steel structure and a new roof on it due to age.”

Another approximately $520,000 will further pay for already-completed improvements to Millridge Field.  

“We approved a project a couple of years ago where we do in the field with turf,” Jeffas said. “It’s a flood area so we had to raise it a bit. Based on cost estimates, we need a little more money for that one.”

Another big ticket item in the bond ordinance is approximately $1 million for new police vehicles. 

“We applied for a really nice grant on a total electric 25 yard garbage truck,” Jeffas said. “The state granted us that… A large number in that overall vehicle purchases was taking advantage of that grant.”

Grant offsets price of electric garbage truck

Jeffas said the grant helps offset the cost of an electric garbage truck to the point that is cost as much as a diesel truck, which costs considerably less.

“Hypothetically, if a truck would normally cost $500,000 electric, you could buy the same truck in diesel for $250,000,” Jeffas said. “So what the state would do is give a grant of $250,000 so you can essentially buy the electric vehicle at the same cost to the taxpayer as the diesel.” 

In order to get the grant, the town has to retire their current diesel garbage truck, drill a hole through the engine block, and show the state that the truck cannot be used again. 

The council also introduced another ordinance that would see a $30,000 down payment for improvements to the town’s swim center. Another ordinance introduced is one that would see the removal of a bus stop on Meadowlands Parkway.

Additionally, the council adopted ordinances related to new flood plain management regulations to bring the town in compliance with the state, as well as changing parking meter pricing and hours, among others.

The introduced ordinances will be heard at the next council meeting on August 23 at 7 p.m. in the council chambers in 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].

A French national and executive of a Secaucus-based pharmaceutical company has admitted making false statements to gain control of the rights to sell a weight-loss drug in the United States, according to U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.

Alain Bouaziz, a 69-year-old and a French citizen and resident of the United Arab Emirates, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of making false statements to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Bouaziz represented himself to be the chief operating officer of Hexim Pharmaceuticals. Hexim, a company headquartered at 600 Meadowlands Parkway in Secaucus, was previously known as Alkopharma USA Inc.

According to the U.S. Attorney, beginning in February 2018 Bouaziz submitted forged documents and made false statements to the FDA to try to gain control of Sanorex, a weight-loss pharmaceutical owned by a major international pharmaceutical company. Bouaziz sent letters and documents by email and in hard copy to the FDA falsely stating that Hexim had purchased the New Drug Application for Sanorex and requesting a meeting about marketing Sanorex in the United States. These representations were false because neither Hexim nor Alkopharma owned the rights to distribute Sanorex.

The count of making false statements is punishable by a maximum term of five years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss caused by the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for December 14.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Fernando P. McMillan, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.

The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hayden M. Brockett of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.

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 Police have arrested and charged a man with bias intimidation after he allegedly yelled racist slurs at an Asian couple earlier in the month, according to Chief Dennis Miller. Alfred Viggiano, 69, was arrested on August 6.

Racist onslaught in Secaucus

On August 1 at 7:51 p.m., police responded to the area of 200 Riverside Station Boulevard on a report of a person driving around the area yelling racial slurs out of his vehicle, Miller said. This is located in the Xchange part of Secaucus, a high-density residential area with a large Asian American population.

Upon arrival, police spoke with a male witness to the interaction outside of 200 Riverside Station Boulevard. According to Miller, the witness stated that he saw a male in black car pull up to an Asian couple, a man and woman walking outside nearby the building.

The witness said the male in the car, later identified as Viggiano, yelled “gook” at the Asian couple before speeding away. The witness said he yelled to Viggiano to slow down, and  Viggiano yelled back at him, “Go back to your country.”

The witness told police that Viggaino pulled up to them, rolled down his window and held up a small sign that read, “F**k you.” Viggiano waited a moment and yelled, “You, f**k you,” while pointing at the couple.

According to Miller, Viggiano then yelled, “Take off your mask and go back to your country.” Viggiano then sped away, the witness told police.

On August 6 at 12:58 p.m., in furtherance of an investigation conducted by the Secaucus Police Detective Division in regards to the bias incident, the police went to Green Valley Court and arrested Viggiano for bias intimidation. He was issued a complaint warrant and was transported to the Hudson County Jail.

Culprit is a repeat offender

This is not Viggiano’s first run in with the law this year.

On March 22 at 4:28 p.m., Secaucus Police responded to Green Valley Court on a report of a theft. During the investigation, the police arrested Viggiano for allegedly receiving stolen property. He was served a complaint summons and was released from police custody.

Additionally, Viggiano had multiple run-ins with the Secaucus Police Department in 2021.

On September 17, 2021 at 1 p.m., in response to a suspicious incident that occurred at Green Valley Court on September 16, police went to Green Valley Court and arrested Viggiano for unlawful possession of weapons, specifically a hammer, and for violation of the regulatory provisions relating to permits to purchase firearms. He was issued his complaint warrant and was subsequently transported to the Hudson County Jail.

Prior to that, on August 8, 2021 at 3:19 p.m., Secaucus police responded to the area of Buchmuller Park located at 150 Plaza Centre Road on a report of a male trespassing on the property. During the investigation, the police arrested Viggiano of Secaucus for defiant trespass, resisting arrest, and resisting arrest by flight. He was issued a complaint summons and was released from police custody.

And on January 14, 2021 at 5:37 p.m., Secaucus police responded to the parking lot of Hudson Wines located at 865 Roosevelt Avenue on a report of a male who had threatened an employee with a knife. During the investigation, the police arrested Viggiano for unlawful possession of a weapon, specifically a small handled axe; unlawful possession of a weapon, specifically a pocket knife; possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose; terroristic threats; and simple assault.

On the same date, at 5:27 p.m., Secaucus police responded to Green Valley Court on a report of harassment. An investigation was conducted and Viggiano was further charged with bias intimidation and harassment. He was served a complaint warrant for both incidents and was subsequently transported to the Hudson County Jail.

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 Police Department detectives have arrested the marketing director of Hudson Regional Hospital. His arrest on August 7 follows an investigation that led to the seizure of multiple firearms and ammunition, according to Police Chief Dennis Miller.

Reuven Alonalayoff, a 46-year-old of Elmwood Park, is charged with Possession of an Assault Firearm, and two counts of Possession of a High Capacity Magazine. Miller said he was arrested at Newark Liberty International Airport with assistance from the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations.

Investigation launched after bomb threat

On July 18, at 3:10 P.M., Hudson Regional Hospital, located at 55 Meadowlands Parkway, received a phone call that a bomb was in the hospital. According to Miller, Secaucus police responded to the hospital along with bomb detection canines from the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office and Bayonne Police Department.

During a safety sweep of the hospital, the bomb detection canine gave a positive indication on an unlocked closet within an office, Miller said. Upon entering the closet, police discovered a large cache of rifles, shotguns and handguns, along with assorted ammunition for the firearms.

A total of 11 handguns of various calibers, and 27 rifles and shotguns were discovered. A Kriss Vector .45 caliber semi-automatic rifle with a high-capacity magazine was also recovered and determined to be an assault rifle.

Additionally, a 14-round high-capacity handgun magazine was also seized. The bomb threat was later determined to be a hoax.

“The unsecured storage of a large cache of weaponry, especially in this location, certainly creates a risk to public safety,” said Miller. “I commend the efforts and professionalism of all the police personnel involved in this investigation and am thankful this situation was resolved without anyone being harmed.”

These charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Hudson Regional Hospital addresses situation

On August 9, Hudson Regional Hospital released a statement elaborating on the incident.

“During a search of Hudson Regional Hospital related to a bomb scare hoax, firearms were discovered in a locked office on an administrative floor of the hospital that was occupied by a non-employee consultant,” a spokesperson for Hudson Regional Hospital said. “The items were immediately removed from the site and were impounded by Secaucus Police, who found no other presence of firearms in the building. Law enforcement subsequently has not approached Hudson Regional Hospital at any level regarding any legal issues related to the impounded items. If requested, we will provide further support to law enforcement regarding the continuing investigation into this matter.”

The hospital is now reviewing safety measures to avoid such issues in the future.

“The presence of weapons in a hospital is inexcusable beyond comprehension and contradicts our mission of care and our commitment to the safety of our community of staff, patients and the extended community,” the spokesperson added. “While regrettable, this incident has given us occasion to review security protocols and we have taken steps to assure that it will never happen again.”

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].