Weehawken Memorial Day Parade slated for Monday
The Weehawken Memorial Day parade will be held this Monday, May 25 at 9:30 a.m. The parade will start at the cross-section of Highpoint and Gregory avenues, then proceed west on Highpoint Avenue to Hudson Avenue. It will stop for a few minutes on 49th Street and Boulevard East, then finally culminate at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, where patriotic exercises will be demonstrated at 11 a.m.
Thomas Webb from the American Legion post 18 will be the grand marshal. Bring your flags to celebrate the day to remember the men and women of the armed forces.
In case of rain, the program and exercises will be held at Weehawken High School Gym, Liberty Place, in Weehawken at 11 a.m.
Firefighters concerned about hiring freeze
Mayor Richard Turner, the chairman for the North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue Board, announced at their May 18 meeting that their fiscal 2010 budget would not be ready until next month, at the least.
Turner said a scheduled health benefits review was cancelled two weeks ago and rescheduled for May 19. After they receive those findings, the drafted budget should be ready to be introduced, Turner said.
Two union representatives also spoke out against the hiring freeze during the public portion of the meeting.
Welz said that the department normally had around 320 members, but that because of the hiring freeze placed upon the department by a judge, they are now below 300. The NAACP currently has a discrimination lawsuit against the department, claiming that it does not hire enough African-Americans.
The department has entered an appeal in third circuit court on the basis that their municipalities are overwhelming Hispanic and that the judge’s decision has created reverse discrimination.
“We are 26 [firefighters] down,” said Fire Officers President Jim Stelman.
Stelman continued, “I know regional is appealing the ruling by the judge that they had to open up the list to three counties. Now I know and I sympathize with the applicants that are on the North Hudson list, but being down 26 firefighters down and periodically closing companies prior to even getting to the summer, we need to hire from that list [the judge has put in place].”
Turner said that they would not hire from that list, and that no one has been jeopardized by their recent decisions to rotate firehouses when overtime goes into effect.
“We are willing to negotiate with the individuals pressing the lawsuit to a certain extent,” said Turner. “It is not fair to our residents. It is part not fair to the Hispanic residents that are now starting more and more to come onto the list.”
Also at the meeting, Guttenberg resident Allen Frost asked who is responsible for creating the budget, since former NHRFR Chief Financial Officer Christopher Pianese stepped down in March and took a seat on the board.
Turner said that currently, Pianese is working on the estimated $50 million budget, along with the other members on the board, and that the only difference is that Pianese is getting “paid less.”
He said that Co-Director Jeff Welz was stepping in to o.k. bill lists until they hire a new CFO.
The board also approved amending an architectural service agreement with RSC Architects, in conjunction with the work being down at their 43rd Street firehouse project in Union City.
Co-Director Michael De Orio said that originally the fire apparatus would not fit through the doors of what was once an automotive shop, but that the architects agreed that metal capping on the door ways could be removed without affecting the “integrity of the structure.”
Turner said that the contract was to not exceed $145,000, with a clause of $14,000 for additional services.
Frost asked how much was remaining in the construction budget. Pianese estimated that there was $2 million in that account.
Sheraton Lincoln Harbor undergoes renovations
The Sheraton Lincoln Harbor Hotel in Weehawken has embarked on a multi-million-dollar renovation of its 345 guestrooms, public areas and corridors that will be completed in the winter of 2010.
“With new hotels coming into Hoboken and Jersey City, and with renewed talk of expanding and renovating the Javits Center, we wanted to make sure Hartz Mountain’s hotels remain the best in the region,” said Emanuel Stern, president and chief operating officer of Hartz Mountain. “Hartz is always on top of changes in the marketplace and consumer demand, and these renovations will help us maintain our competitive edge.”
Stonehill & Taylor Architects will oversee the renovation of the Sheraton Lincoln Harbor. Hotel-wide guestroom upgrades will include custom-designed headboards and stone-topped nightstands and bath vanities. Technical enhancements include the installation of flat-screen televisions in every suite, along with high-speed Internet access and voicemail.
Some rooms have even been earmarked for an extra eco-friendly renovation. These rooms, designed to appeal to the style-conscious and environmentally aware guest, will feature exclusively sustainable furnishings and accessories.
For more information about the Sheraton Lincoln Harbor Hotel, call (201) 617-5600.