JIm Doyle's council seat on the appellate court's docket today

Old Guard staged lawsuit appeal of Doyle's council seat will be heard today in Trenton

The eternal council at-large seat with Jim Doyle's name on it since February will come to a head in a hearing later this morning in the NJ Appellate Court.  Last fall, the Old Guard council implemented a ruse where Beth Mason and Michael Russo would avoid successive council meetings to create uncertainty in a tie-breaking vote by the mayor when Doyle was originally appointed.

The manufactured legal logjam led to Hudson Superior Court Assignment Judge Peter Bariso walking the City Council members through the process, ordering them to show up and vote.  He then examined the vote and concluded no "gamesmanship" should be permitted in the state vacancy law and officially upheld the Doyle appointment early this year.

The Mason family on behalf of the Hoboken Sopranos promptly filed an appeal to keep Doyle from taking his legally appointed seat.  With their strident actions on everything from blocking Pier C repairs to voting down emergency budget appropriations, Beth Mason, Michael Russo, Timmy Occhipinti and Terry Castellano have sought to take whatever leverage they can to upend and disrupt the mayor's agenda.

At the previous City Council meeting, they went as far as seizing control over the meeting with only four members and proceeded to call two illegal votes in support of the controversial Vision 20/20 plan.

Now a panel of three judges will review Judge Bariso's decision and hear oral arguments.

Beth Mason has tried and failed to buy elections of late including neighboring Jersey City but now buying
a legal outcome in the staged lawsuit blocking Jim Doyle is finally up on appeal today.
The Appellate Court will hear oral arguments on Judge Bariso's decision from early this year.

Talking Ed Note: A decision to uphold Judge Bariso's decision may be the difference between Hoboken having its budget approved or sending the City into chaos.  The Hoboken Sopranos have been licking their chops to kill the budget but if a stay is lifted on Jim Doyle taking his seat, their "gamesmanship" as Judge Bariso called it will be over along with the damage the Old Guard council members can do to the City.

Councilman-in-waiting Jim Doyle's at-large seat is up for election in November.  Let's hope he gets some valuable time warming up the chair with a decision ending the Beth Mason's family moneybags justice.

The power grab attempted through a completely manufactured lawsuit has cost Hoboken People over $30,000 and counting to date.  Beth Mason and company could care less.  Even after Hurricane Sandy, all they care about is seizing power.  They don't care if it's by a midnight end run on the City Council without even a legal number of council members present to hold a meeting or deceiving the court(s) in a staged legal action to circumvent the intent of the council vacancy law.

Update: 11:40 - The Trenton court hearing has concluded and Hoboken awaits a decision sooner than later.  One legal beagle believes there will be an answer this month, not up to July as another thought based on the court's workload.  Bottom line: some prayers on behalf of our city can't hurt.  For those who alternatively don't, offer up your sacrifice to ye legal gods.  Da Horsey encourages novenas on behalf of Hoboken and the fine personage in the form of Jim Doyle.

Mazel, mazel, good things.

bludiamonds returns with a sizzling endorsement of Counte$$ boy toy Occupy Occupentay

Guest of the Stable bludiamonds submits for your consideration:


Good day my friends! Tis I, the bluest of diamonds, at your service! Yes, I realize I’ve been out of the public eye for a while, but rest assured, I’ve been keeping my blu behind just as busy as can be. As you know, there is a mayoral election this year, and I’ve been doing everything in my power to get my one true Counte$$ to dust off the ol’ street-cash suitcase yet again and prove to the people of Hoboken once and for all that just like King Arthur, she is the once and future Counte$$ for all to behold!  Alas, I have had no luck in my endeavors. Apparently Counte$$ is actually a little tapped out right now after bankrolling a slew of failed election campaigns (she was never a big Steve Fulop fan anyway – the schmuck got himself attacked with that Jewish-hooknose ad Healy ran with Counte$$’s money because, unlike Counte$$, Fulop never had the good sense to don a cross and an Italian surname in certain circles and not be so darned Jewish all the time). 

Timmay wants to be Hobroken mayor.  "I'm accomplished you know."

Anyway, she’s been funding election travesties and dead-end lawsuits galore, and she just couldn’t bear to get shot in the face Giffords-style by the Hoboken public again, so she’s sitting this one out. But am I Cryan in my dapperness? NO! Why? Because Timmay has come to the rescue! That’s right, friends, in a bold and brazen bit of repartee with NOT-Assemblyman Bhalla, Occupy Occupentay declared he’d “love to” run for mayor! What a generous offer. Clearly, Timmay recognizes that Booben Lamo just ain’t gonna cut it carrying the torch for the crime-family syndicate. Why, you could learn that just by watching the Weather Channel!

So, let’s take a moment and assess the strengths of a Timmay candidacy and offer the boy a bit of encouragement, shall we?

1) Increased Voter “Participation” – Let’s face it, Counte$$ and Plumpie do not like Booben Lamo. If Timmay signs his puppet strings over to them for the full four years, they’ll give him all the $treet money he could ever dream of. That means absentee ballots galore! Hey Matt, put down the baconburger and turn off the WWE Stalker Cam, we’re getting the band back together! The AG’s office never got us last time, why should this be any different? Time to get Booben’s mom, the Kreim family, Scary Blubbiore, and of course Plumpie and all his Capos to fire up the 40-dollars-and-a-mule operation and get some cash-for-votes goin’ on’. Hey Memo, will you please help keep a lid on things while we figuratively rape your tenants? Of course you will, like a good little gangsta! It’s on!

2) Transparency – Dawn Zimmer and her City Council slate promised us openness and transparency. Too bad for them, in this department they’ve got nothin’ on Timmay! When it comes to pay-to-play and quid-pro-quo, it doesn’t get more transparent than Timmay. Just this month, Timmay voted as a Councilman on a request from a developer that gave him campaign cash and that he went to bat for at the Zoning Board. He got campaign cash from NJ Transit and led their PR push to build in Hoboken, openly telling people they should get to do whatever they wanted. Even Anthony Russo tried playing these things a little coy. Timmay has brought more transparency to Hoboken government than we’ve ever imagined!

3) Public Information – Timmay does a fantastic job of informing the public of his many accomplishments. More importantly, he does an absolutely exceptional job of informing the public of accomplishments that were made in spite of him. Vote against funding for increased senior buses? Timmay takes credit for it when the bus lines get rerouted! Vote against funding for road improvements? Timmay positions himself as the vocal champion of infrastructural needs! Vote against funding for park improvements? Wait til the playgrounds get upgraded, then, TA-DA!!! “Another campaign promise delivered!” This is a tactic that’s very near and dear to Counte$$’s heart – after all, “WE DID IT!!!”

4) Budget Priorities – Timmay does not like to recommend serious budget cuts. After all, any drop in taxes would benefit the dreaded Zimmer! Plus, that’s annoying smart-person stuff, like those know-it-all uptowners who think they’re so smart just because they’ve done really well for themselves by actually developing professional skills beyond answering the help-desk line. Timmay does like to add a few line items though. Especially for himself. Specifically, he wants a PR stipend so he can send you more press releases taking credit for others’ work. C’mon, give him credit for the sheer balls on the guy – elect him now!

5) Hospital – We don’t need no steenkin’ hospital! And Timmay had the foresight to support Counte$$ to try to shut it down. Demerit points for buckling under pressure from those blasted Zimmerists.

6) Garage – Timmay cost the Hoboken taxpayers an extra $4M over the hospital garage debacle. Some might say that’s a strike against him. I say, with government, like anything, you get what you PAY for!

7) Municipal-finance expertise – People with strong financial acumen come and go from city government, but Timmay truly takes the cake. Didjaknow the kid just got his municipal finance degree from Jim Cramer’s University of Phoenix Webinar series? That’s right, Hoboken, no need for surpluses – Timmay learned that by watching Yelling Beard Man on YouTube!

8) Arrogant Petulance – Let’s face it, none of us follow local politics because genteel, honest policy debate is so scintillating. Snooze. We like the bloodsport. What else would we entertain each other with at the cyber-watercooler if not the shocking, over-the-top antics of petulant children fighting for the graft that is rightfully theirs. And when it comes to shock, awe and man-child misbehavior straight out of the Can’t Make This Shit Up Department, no one brings it like Timmay. If you think his infantile rants and unprofessional beratement on the Council dais are as good as it gets, just wait until you see him make weight jokes at the Governor when he can’t get his way. Elect him because he’s just so damn entertaining. You don’t think so? Well, “AGREE TO DISAGREE!!!!!” 

Counte$$ Mazin says vote for Timmay Occupentay

Ruben Ramos mayoral kickoff: you can take the operative out of the hood...

Kickoff events for political events are notoriously predictable affairs.  Supporters show up and hear a boilerplate of the campaign, a fundraising plea and hobnob with the insiders who gin up the crowd and convey a sense of confidence suggesting victory lies ahead.

The Ruben Ramos kickoff lacked the sizzle of a mayoral bid and looked more like a HOLA kids or youth soccer event.  That was what the upstairs of Teak appeared to be when MSV was asked to sign in.

Not even before sign in was done, who appeared but the former fourth ward political operative Nick Calicchio, a Bayonne resident better known by the Hoboken public for having Peter Cammarano in his wedding party last September, another in a line of exclusives never mentioned anywhere else.

Nick Calicchio performing enforcement duties at the Ruben Ramos mayoral kickoff.

"Ruben doesn't want you here," Calicchio barked.  "Tell him he can come and tell me himself," was the reply.  More orders and demands continued even though Calicchio was told to stop his harassment or any contact.

That exchange followed with Calicchio attempting to force MSV out but Hoboken nor a local restaurant hosting a political event is a corrections facility where he has any role.  Photos immediately commenced with the same replay of interference as in a City Council meeting where insightful photos of a post meeting clash between Michael Russo and Dave Mello emerged and Calicchio tried to block the effort with a zig-zagging effort ten feet in different directions were followed with plenty of body slams to disrupt photos on the way, followed by his threat to use his correction guard issued handcuffs.

Minutes into the series of mirrored pantomime blocking photos, Calicchio enlisted a young Teak employee to aid in more photo blocking creating a triple play of comedic dance moves. The employee left after MSV said go get the manager.  A brief discussion and the manager asked about the coverage.  The manager seemed surprised by the lack of acrimony in the discussion and Da Horsey told him there was no desire to add to his workload in a longer day departing.

As to who was there among the Old Guard, not many were seen in the curtailed visit.  The only Old Guard person observed was Perry Belfiore.  No Russo members were seen and at last week's meeting on the controversial Vision 20/20 plan, HHA commissioner Eduardo Gonzalez made an appearance ending the happy face of Councilwoman Terry Castellano who at one point could barely contain her laughter, she so enjoyed the HHA residents yelling for approval of the questionable project.  She looked rather morose watching Gonzalez speak in favor of Vision 20/20, a shared position.  (Gonzalez nor anyone on Ramos' ticket was chosen by the Russo clan according to sources unlike Beth Mason's 2009 spring ticket.)

Was Ramos concerned with the lack of visible support from the Old Guard?  Hard to know, but it's revealing for a decidedly low key affair with several dozen people in attendance that the outgoing Assemblyman found it necessary to "lock down" a kickoff.

Nick Calicchio shouldn't be confused with his better known infamous younger brother, Matt Calicchio, a paid political operative for Beth Mason.  About a year ago, MSV was interviewing a former member of the Hoboken Police Department.  At the end of the discussion he went off topic to ask, "Are those Calicchio's still causing trouble over there?"

Da Horsey could only chuckle in reply.

Former Ruben Ramos political aide Nick Calicchio
in action Saturday.

Talking Ed Note; This political event was a first as usually people want you to attend, see they have support and get publicity for a non-theatrical, no surprise political event. Ruben Ramos however is known for being testy as recounted in this 2011 story on Washington Street outside the local Democratic Committee vote.  Members of the Hoboken political class on both sides think he lowered the office of State Assemblyman in backing Tim Occhipinti in the 2010 fourth ward special election which produced inexplicable massive voter irregularities re: fraud. Occhipinti known to many among the Hoboken public and the Old Guard for his hubris and petulance had a falling out with Ramos long before he said "he'd love to" run for mayor at last week's council meeting.

As for Ruben Ramos' political ink to date, it has an uncanny similarity with positions coming out of the Old Guard council. He's strongly criticized the mayor for the council's action last week on the "emergency" demand to approve Vision 20/20.  His campaign calls that and other criticism a "Vision for Hoboken."

Ramos is friends with HHA ED Carmelo Garcia.  That he backs Vision 20/20 and the massive expansion of the HHA should come as no surprise.  The first building proposed, small compared to the more than a dozen others with 44 units nets a clean $1,000,000 fee for the developer, RPM.

If you think that kind of money on the table wouldn't find its way into the Old Guard's welcoming hands and campaign coffers in an election year, Da Horsey has a bridge to sell you.

Related: GA's take on the $20,000,000 HHA Vision 20/20 windfall explains all the screaming about a Ku Klux Klan hood and racist charges by Councilman Michael Russo.  As MSV's outlined earlier, the color in question is green.

Ruben Ramos Kickoff thugging it out at Teak

NJ Corrections Guard and Bayonne resident Nick Calicchio attempts to block photos at Teak.

Billed as a Ruben Ramos mayoral kickoff, long time Old Guard political operative Calicchio tried to intimidate MSV to leave at the 'orders' of Ruben Ramos.

MSV declined Calicchio's orders and told him to keep his hands off or the police would be called.

This time he didn't threaten to whip out handcuffs and use them like he had in a City Council meeting. Eduardo Gonzalez waved hello, but fellow council member candidates Laura Miani and Joe Mindak weren't visible.

Did they see the incident on what a Ramos Administration would be like?
Do they know about a headless council slate being prepared to see them eventually replaced?

More to come!

Talking Ed Note: 9:30 pm - MSV has opened comments on this story.

Michael Russo's race card thrown back in his face: "Desegregate your building!"

Race card explodes in Michael Russo's face as Councilman Dave Mello replies "Desegregate your building!"

After the exchange in yesterday's video where a tactical race card was thrown down for the second consecutive time in two council meetings, Councilman Michael Russo opted to add to it tossing in a pillow case and a Ku Klux Klan "hood" for good measure.

This led to more discussion where Councilman David Mello spoke about his efforts working with impoverished people.  He's a teacher working in the South Bronx.  Russo derided it as not being in Hoboken.

Interjected was the Hoboken fires where dozens of people murdered in Hoboken arsons, many women and children decades and Mello asks Director Carmelo Garcia to detail a recent funeral of a former senior city official he chose not to attend who he felt was connected to the arson.

It was preceded by a heated exchange where Mello loudly exclaims to Russo, "Desegragate your building!"  Russo attempts to change the subject to violent crime in the past to no end as Mello then focuses on the Hoboken arsons.

The Michael Russo who stood up yelling in the video below is NOT the same person who casually laid down the race card earlier in the meeting.

The race card had come full circle landing right on Michael Russo's doorstep.

Talking Ed Note: Church Towers is a group of subsidized PILOTed buildings many suspect its list is controlled by the Russo's.  Councilwoman Beth Mason prior to running for mayor in 2009 had backed a ten year extension of those building's PILOTs many saw as unnecessary and completely political.

The buildings mostly in the third ward are viewed as the power base for Old Guard Russo votes.

As MSV noted in yesterday's story, one HHA resident said they do not have the option of moving "uptown" to other subsidized buildings such as Clock Towers and Church Towers.

Michael Russo and his pillow case Ku Klux Klan politrickery

Here's Episode II of Michael Russo's "How I'm losing out on a developer deal so you get called a racist" game.

Following inane remarks by Timmy Occhipinti, the writing on the wall is clear to Michael Russo support for an "emergency" PILOT for a developer's HHA plan is not passing.

He decides to whip out week two of the race card.  This time he adds a pillow case, scissors and the Ku Klux Klan.



While this was part of an orchestrated backup if intimidation to pass the project failed, later Russo would truly be angered when he is told to "desegregate" his building and give up his apartment.

One HHA resident said they don't have an opportunity in the HHA "to move into Clock or Church Towers."

Resolutions for "emergency" bid for Vision 20/20 fail

"Emergency" demands for Vision 20/20 fails on 4-4 votes
Michael Russo trots out KKK charges

Like the Twilight Zone, another "emergency" twenty year PILOT plan for Vision 20/20 found its way to the City Council after midnight again with Executive Director for the HHA, Carmelo Garcia, his advisor and developer RPM making a pitch for two resolutions see approval.

The City Council was under pressure to evaluate and approve the first phase without an overall plan to consider.  The Vision 20/20 plan has proposed a massive expansion impacting all of Hoboken with large expansion into the third and fourth ward.

The piecemeal tax abatement approach has been questioned by Mayor Zimmer for lacking any transparency and "holistic" approach for evaluation by all of Hoboken's residents.  Council President Peter Cunningham said community meetings for Hoboken had been held on a number of large scale projects from NJ Transit to the Western Edge.

Michael Russo invoked the Ku Klux Klan adding another charge of racist in his desperate bid
to intimidate reform council members into voting for a PILOT in the HHA with no documentation
on the overall Vision 20/20 plan.  One has to wonder how a MILLION DOLLAR developer fee
is getting around considering Russo lives in a "segregated" PILOTed building himself.

The Old Guard council showed a voracious appetite for the PILOT and an escalated series of attacks personal and collective was launched on the reform council members.

In response to Cunningham, Tim Occhipinti muttered, "you're ridiculous." Councilman Michael Russo changed the subject by asking why reform members of the council did not seek out the City directors to ask questions about the project?  Cunningham rejected the analogy describing it as not being appropriate.

Russo added "anytime down the road, we can pull the plug."  (The Old Guard Council has shown a willingness eagerness to build massive out-of-scale buildings to federal HUD guidelines with heavy density and no open space.)

Dr. Powell, an advisor to the HHA described the funding opportunity in optimistic terms and said the council needed to pass the two "small" resolutions to see a strong entry among about 60 statewide competing for funding statewide.

"We have not vetted this properly," Cunninham said in response.

Councilman Dave Mello raised several questions including the apparent ability to change the way HHA residents would be handled on transitioning into any new building.  The variability from the discussion on the project was one of several areas he sought assurances.

Councilman Ravi Bhalla asked for clarification with Mello regarding a million dollar developer fee and said "This Vision 20/20 plan doesn't even exist on paper.  You're coming to me asking for approval without a plan."

Councilwoman Terry Castellano sarcastically called Mello's concerns a death knell for the whole project.  Mello called her declaration "alarmist."

Carmelo Garcia said in response to Bhalla's concern "think about Sandy" as Bhalla said "show me a plan" adding, "there is no plan," which Garcia countered "there is false propaganda put out there."

Bhalla then invited HHA Carmelo Garcia to email him the plan.

Beth Mason claimed a "concept plan" existed in 2011 and compared other zoning "pushed through uptown," became incoherent waving her arms and yelling about something regarding former Mayor Dave Roberts and a pool going to Brooklyn.

Timmy Occhipinti complained "you want to put the brakes on" and said other members should resign. "All you do is listen to a few bloggers who put (out) smear tactics about this project.  You're catering to them."

"Stop talking, stop talking!" he yelled to Peter Cunningham claiming going to an HHA meeting would be sufficient information to hear and vote for the project.  Russo added to his remarks, "You should cut out a pillow case...  You're an outright racist."

Russo apparently escalated his attack of racist from the earlier meeting and decided adding in Ku Klux Klan member charges would be more effective.

Back to the racist mantra because the reform council wouldn't capitulate its oversight function.

Bhalla asked if he was being compared to a member of the Ku Klux Klan in the year 2013. Russo clarified his race baiting remarks saying they were directed against the council president.

Garcia entered the fray again late yelling, "You hate" to the chair and refused to answer how long he has been ED of the HHA saying the authority is "getting results," with earlier "shootings and stabbings and piss in the elevators."

Russo then claimed to read a line out of the Grafix Avenger website and comments about heroin and speedballs on "the blogs."  He appeared to read some commenters remarks on MSV by mistake.

Mello then became angered on a later point and said to Russo, "desegregate your building" and called Church Towers "a segregated complex."

Carmelo Garcia (r) found it far more difficult to talk his way through the City Council than here in a recent HHA meeting. He was challenged to present a complete plan for Vision 20/20.
Based on the discussion in the council, it apparently doesn't exist.

Talking Ed Note: The City Council reform members stood tall and refused to be cajoled into approving a PILOT and a project with no documented plan.

This was one of the ugliest scenes in the City Council with Michael Russo exceeding his past performance yelling "racist" and then some.  He upped the ante and played a new race card - Ku Klux Klan.

Wonder who is getting cut in on that MILLION DOLLAR DEVELOPER FEE?

Occhipinti after the vote began a series of personal attacks on Councilman Ravi Bhalla until the miscellaneous licenses vote was taken.  "How did you ever think you can be an Assemblyman," he repeated several times.  Bhalla calmly responded he could run for mayor which Occhipinti said, "I'd love to."

Gutter plantation exploitation politics by Michael Russo who lives in a three bedroom subsidized apartment.

Dave Mello is correct; it's segregated.

Michael Russo to Council President Cunningham: You're not Jesus Christ!

Ugly speech follows earlier attack of "racist" by Michael Russo at previous meeting

A failed 4-4 vote on HHA candidate Barbara Reyes led to the controversial political environment in recent housing authority meetings coming to the City Council.

Councilman Michael Russo during the contentious battle for political control over the Hoboken Housing Authority laid out an attack on Council President Peter Cunningham saying "You're not Jesus Christ."

Michael Russo took the Lord's name in vain while playing HHA politics.
It follows his "racist" charge from the last meeting.
Well he has to get in his election speeches.

The taking of the Lord's name in vain came with his asking legal opinion on Councilman Ravi Bhalla's comments earlier on a housing authority candidate.

The HHA candidate Barbara Reyes sponsored by Mason and Occhipinti spoke among numerous housing authority residents focusing on service.

Occhipinti concluded with a personal attack on HHA commissioner Jake Stuiver saying he was "pushing a political agenda," and did nothing for them failing to note his out-of-pocket

The HHA residents followed the vote yelling "We can, we will, watch us" in a chant briefly interrupting the proceedings.

Talking Ed Note: No reward for the Hoboken Sopranos for their continued lawsuit against the people of Hoboken.

The Old Guard council members are playing to the mob.  Taxpayers take note.

Hoboken Sopranos use appeal power on Doyle to sabotage 900K funding

As MSV outlined in the lead-in to the council meeting, the Old Guard council members stayed true to form voting down the emergency appropriations for the City budget.

No, it's not rocket science, it's common sense that when you sue the residents of the City of Hoboken to keep off a legal appointment in Jim Doyle, you will wield power to enjoy the fruits of your "temporary" victory.

Tim Occhipinti squawked about tax increases repeatedly and was corrected by Jen Giattino on his sound byte falsity.

Councilman Russo complained about the surplus saying it's not needed and made out the idea was a scam.  Councilwoman Giattino would later ask who is the municipal expert the four Old Guard council members would quote advocating for a zero surplus.

Of course killing the surplus helps in the next goal to the Old Guard agenda: force a tax increase.

Later, the Old Guard council would go ahead and kill the emergency appropriation.

Beth Mason complains about pennies for professional development of municipal workers while costing
Hoboken tens of thousands in her power grab for the Hoboken Sopranos in the Doyle lawsuit.

Talking Ed Note: The Carmelo Garcia HHA dog and pony show is now up.  These are the same characters who were screaming in favor of a lawyer not being rotated out and wearing "Benedict Jake" shirts.

The behavior in the council is at least far better at least than the HHA meetings.

City Council: emergency appropriations and HHA politics

Live broadcasting by Ustream

Tonight's meeting should be one big mess.  Since Jim Doyle will once again be sitting in the audience in limbo, his blood pressure should be checked frequently as an artificial war will be played out on several levels.

First, the City is in a bad position on approving a good budget.  Tonight appropriations will continue to be a very, ugly stumbling ground.  Why?  Well, if you nullify a fifth vote which the Mason family underwritten lawsuit continues to do, you get to play political games and do as much harm to Hoboken and of course get at the mayor.

That's ultimately what the Old Guard council lives for in these meetings.  Notice none of the four Hoboken Sopranos have missed one meeting since Judge Bariso ordered them all to attend and vote on Jim Doyle's appointment.  It's what we call in poker, a tell.

The huge news today of course is the partnership with the North Hudson Sewerage Authority and the City for a second pump.  A second pump is probably a game changer for Hoboken.  For the Old Guard it may just be unfathomable to see a second pump approved and installed on Mayor Dawn Zimmer's watch.

Even after Hurricane Sandy?  Yes, the hatred to stop the change that's working for Hoboken may be too hard for Russso, Mason, Occhipinti and Castellano to say anything other than they need more time and information to say yes to a low cost loan and approve a second pump for Hoboken.

Or will they see it as a losing proposition to fight it and allow a second pump to move forward?  Tonight won't be the night as it will need to await the next council agenda.

MSV is on a hot streak after yesterday's Fulop victory so we'll go on the record and say it's going to be a mixed bag with more sabotage aimed for the future, re: the Old Guard is dead set on killing the surplus which they have been trying to destroy for about two years now.  They were so close when Beth Mason held the chair in 2011 and they were thwarted and ran out of time as the State pointed out their incompetent figures.

Enter Councilwoman Jen Giattino and the surplus saved, what most any NJ municipal financial expert advises preserved.

Of course the Hoboken Sopranos are not interested in such things as best practices in government.  They are focused on usurping power, by hook or by crook.  Tonight a nice lady from the HHA will be put forward. Someone who will not vote or support any purview into the less than transparent Hoboken Housing Authority - because Carmelo Garcia doesn't allow that in his fiefdom.  Scratching under the covers there, well - you can't have that.

Which of course leads us to the HHA commissioner nomination tonight sponsored by Tim Occhipinti and Beth Mason.  Yes, the same people who have pumped thousands into the HHA during elections for "campaign workers," in massive voter fraud for Timmy who also when not working on his campaigns set up meth labs in the HHA.

And oh about those hundreds of bags of heroin Mr. Executive Director Carmelo Garcia...

Prepare yourselves Hoboken.  When the Old Guard starts seeing power bases dwindling, they do their ugliest.  Tonight will not be an exception coming on the back of Michael Russo yelling "racist" at the last meeting.

The election is in November meaning we're in the hot season.

The agenda: http://www.hobokennj.org/docs/council/agenda13/final-ccm-05-15-13.pdf

Mayor announces initiatives on flooding, water and power

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Wednesday May 15, 2013,  City of Hoboken www.hobokennj.org     Community: Mayor Zimmer Announces Infrastructure Initiatives to Address Flooding, Water & Power Systems Mayor Dawn Zimmer was joined by officials from North Hudson Sewerage Authority and United Water today to announce major initiatives to upgrade Hoboken's infrastructure and address flooding, water distribution, and power resiliency. Mayor Zimmer announced a partnership with North Hudson Sewerage Authority (NHSA) to build Hoboken's second wet weather flood pump in order to further alleviate Hoboken's 200 year flooding problem. The City and NHSA will work together to apply for a low interest $9 million loan from the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust. The City would pay for and own the pump, while NHSA has agreed to pay for the engineering, permitting, loan application preparation, and operations and maintenance, a contribution estimated at nearly $5 million over 20 years. The pump, with a capacity of 50 million gallons per day, would further alleviate flooding in Western Hoboken. The City has reached an agreement with United Water through which the water utility will pay for the costs of conducting a complete master plan of Hoboken's water distribution infrastructure. The plan will provide a prioritized schedule for upgrading the City's water distribution system. In order to fund these capital improvements, the City is also in the process of renegotiating the existing agreement with United Water - a 30 year agreement that was entered into in 1994 which did not provide any planning or funding for non-emergency infrastructure upgrades. To improve the City's resiliency to power outages, the City of Hoboken is entering into a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, Sandia National Laboratories, and PSE&G to design an energy resilient "smart grid." The design methodology uses advanced, smart grid technologies and distributed and renewable generation and storage resources as a way to improve the reliability, security, and resiliency of the electric grid. The City of Hoboken will be one of the first non-military applications of this methodology from Sandia National Laboratories. Flooding Flooding remains one of Hoboken's historic challenges. Parts of the city, which were previously tidal marshes, still lie below the level of the Hudson River at high tide. As a result, when strong storms occur at high tide, the water cannot drain into the river by gravity, and it backs up, flooding streets. To alleviate the flooding, the stormwater must either be prevented from entering the sewer system or pumped out more quickly than it enters. The City is pursuing both approaches - through the installation of additional pumps and through "green" technologies to divert, capture and store stormwater. In addition to pursuing the installation of the second flood pump, the City is supporting the North Hudson Sewerage Authority's Hazard Mitigation funding application for additional pumps. The City has also submitted its own grant applications for Hazard Mitigation funds to acquire land for three parks in western Hoboken. Hoboken was awarded a technical assistance grant to study the feasibility of building large underground detention basins under these parks to store stormwater runoff. Similarly, Mayor Zimmer has suggested to NJ Transit that the agency consider converting the Long Slip Canal just south of Hoboken Terminal into an additional stormwater detention system. During Hurricane Sandy, Hoboken flooded because the storm surge caused the Hudson River to flow into the City from low lying areas in the south, including through the Long Slip Canal, and from the north. The City has applied for $44 million in Hazard Mitigation funding for a system of flood barriers, berms and gates at the north and south to protect the city from future tidal surges. The City is working to have its plan incorporated into the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regional study. If a flood protection plan receives the approval of the Army Corps and the City is designated a "Shaded X" area, property owners in that area will no longer be required to purchase flood insurance. Hoboken was one of three recipients of a grant from Together North Jersey for technical assistance to develop a Green Infrastructure Strategic Plan. The plan will develop stormwater management and flood control strategies, strategize key updates to the aging water system, look for ways to improve the resiliency of transit infrastructure, and identify important steps to help plan for climate adaptation. Through the Planning Board and input from the public, the City is developing a sustainability plan (Green Building & Environmental Sustainability Plan Element of the Master Plan) that will provide guidance for stormwater management, utilities, infrastructure and other sustainability priorities. In addition to applying for funding that would enable the City to create detention systems under newly purchased open space, the City is pursuing a variety of other green initiatives to address flooding. Hoboken was recently awarded a grant to install rain garden curb extensions to capture stormwater runoff and has incorporated rain gardens in designs of new parks. The City legalized the use of rain barrels in 2011 and has required the use of green roofs in redevelopment areas to minimize runoff. The Shade Tree Commission completed a pilot program to expand tree pits and install new street trees along Washington Street between 1stStreet and 2nd Street, setting standards for other property owners. The Commission will launch a program to encourage more property owners to install street trees, which play an important role in reducing stormwater runoff. Power The City has applied for approximately $2 million in Hazard Mitigation grants to install permanent emergency backup generators at critical community facilities including the Hoboken Volunteer Ambulance Corps, City Hall, Fire Headquarters and stations, Police Headquarters, the Public Works Garage, Multi-Service Center, Wallace School (shelter), and radio repeaters for the Police and Fire Departments. The City strongly supports PSE&G's proposal to consolidate Hoboken's three substations into two and to elevate and protect the remaining two substations from flooding.