The general business discussed at the regularly-scheduled North Bergen Board of Commissioners’ meetings usually takes perhaps 30 to 45 minutes. There are routine resolutions to pass and perhaps some new proposals to address. An ordinance comes across the agenda every so often. Maybe there’s a proclamation to hand out from time to time.
The municipal budgets are always a topic of discussion, as are possible development locations. But the bimonthly meetings, held on every other Wednesday of the month, are usually swift and to the point. Except for one thing.
After the commissioners’ votes and discussions are completed, there is a public portion of the meeting, during which members of the public can speak out. And lately, several members of the public have come to fire complaints at and ask questions of Mayor Nicholas Sacco.
Sacco has said he believes many of the remarks are politically-motivated.
Under federal law, each municipality is required to allow residents five minutes to offer suggestions, complaints or concerns to the elected members of the township government. In North Bergen’s case, the elected officials are Mayor Nicholas Sacco and the other four members of the Board of Commissioners, namely Peter Perez, Frank Gargiulo, Theresa Ferraro and Hugo Cabrera.
In recent months, political allies of former Township Clerk Joseph Mocco, the brother of former mayor Peter Mocco, have been attending the meetings and firing complaints and concerns at Sacco, sometimes throwing in personal insults.
Joseph Mocco was paroled earlier this year after serving a five-year prison term, and since his release, his political allies have been making their presence felt at the meetings, especially Edward “Bo” Scannavino. Scannavino is so anti-Sacco that he has erected a billboard outside his home claiming that Sacco is guilty of corruption. Scannavino attends each meeting, sits in the audience, and fires off comments from the gallery. Then, he signs the sheet provided by the town clerk and township attorney in order to officially speak as well.
Some of the comments made by public speakers at commissioners’ meeting two weeks ago concerned town issues related to budgets and other matters. But Sacco, believing there was more to the story, declined to answer the questions. He simply let the speakers talk until their time ran out.
Five minutes
At the last regularly scheduled meeting, Ross Pascal, a known ally of Mocco, continued to ask Sacco questions about the possibility of toxic waste being at the Sier-Bath development site, a long-time source of controversy for the town.
“Why have you done nothing about it, Nick?” Pascal asked. “Why is there a toxic waste site there and you’ve done nothing?”
“You have five minutes to speak,” Sacco said. “You’re welcome to speak for five minutes.”
Pascal continued to ask Sacco questions, but got no reply.
“What’s wrong, Nick?” Pascal asked. “Can’t talk?”
“I find your comments very interesting,” Sacco said. “You’re able to say what you want to say. I know why you’re here and who sent you.”
Pascal retorted, “Who sent me, Nick? Who sent me?”
When it was Scannavino’s turn to talk, Sacco said, “Hello, Bo, I’m so happy to see you again. You can say whatever you want for five minutes.”
Scannavino also asked outlandish questions, including requesting a list of people who attended the Mayor’s Ball at Schuetzen Park last month. The request drew no response from Sacco.
“Are you incoherent?” Scannavino fired at him. “You don’t answer questions. Give him a jolt and see if he’s awake.”
On Thursday, Scannavino said, “It’s absolutely not political. I just want the mayor to answer my questions. I know he doesn’t want to answer the questions, because one question is going to lead to another.”
“I used to be an ally of Nick Sacco’s,” Scannavino added. “I helped him to get elected in 1981 and 1983. I was an ally, until I found out how he wants to control people and control everything. Yes, I am an ally of Joe Mocco. But this is all about my interest in the community. I know what I’m saying falls on deaf ears. But I still think that I’m helping and serving the people of North Bergen and as long as my lifestyle continues this way, I will find time to support my community by going to the meetings.”
Others concerned
Aspects of the exchanges have been concerning residents, including activist Rocco Arciola.
“I personally find the five-minute rule unconscionable,” Arciola said last week. “As a teacher, I find his [Sacco’s] behavior offensive and reverts the democratic process. With his education and background, he should be able to say something. I have no political motives or affiliations and he does the same thing with me, saying nothing.”
Added Arciola, “I’m more concerned with the attitude of the meetings, because I don’t think we’re getting a chance to truly express ourselves. I don’t wish to be associated with anyone politically and I’ve never gotten involved with politics. But the whole thing is very disturbing to me. The way the meeting is conducted is disturbing and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
But Sacco finds that it’s better than he doesn’t comment on the allegations.
“I know where they’re coming from,” Sacco said after the meeting. “They come and make outlandish charges and it’s not worth it for me to comment. If I get into a debate with them, it serves no purpose. So I choose to sit there and ignore the accusations. The comments have no basis and I’m not going to give the comments any dignity to answer them. In the scale of things, it’s not important. But they’ll continue to come and we’ll have to continue to deal with them.”
It seems likely that the exchanges will continue at future meetings, despite the fact that the next municipal election in North Bergen is still some three years away.