Council to start interview process for Hoboken directors; quick vote unlikely

On the Hoboken City Council agenda for Wednesday night, Mayor Peter Cammarano was seeking approval for his appointment of four directors and a chief of staff and city attorney, who are both slated to make $125,000 per year.
The directors will make up to $115,000 per year, with the exception of Public Safety Director Angel Alicea, who will receive the same stipend of $27,500 as outgoing Director Bill Bergin.
However, City Council President Dawn Zimmer had previously said that the council would form a committee to review the appointees. Since the official communication on the appointments only came a few days ago from Cammarano, a source said the council would not vote on the matter Wednesday night, but rather set up an interview process to vet the candidates with a vote coming in August.
All of the appointees are already working in City Hall, and the source said the council review process should not have any effect on that. Council members were not immediately available for comment.
Below is the press release from the city on the candidates.:

Hoboken Mayor Peter J. Cammarano today formally announced four new City Directors whose appointments will be presented to the City Council for approval Wednesday, July 22.
In addition, Mayor Cammarano named his Corporation Counsel and Chief of Staff.
The Director nominees and their respective departments are: John P. Pope, Department of Environmental Services; Theresa Ann La Bruno, Department of Health and Human Services; Todd J. Poole, Department of Community Development; and Angel L. Alicea, II; Department of Public Safety.
The executive staff appointees are Jason F. Orlando, Corporation Counsel and Joseph A. Garcia, Chief of Staff.
“I am confident that each of these individuals is uniquely qualified to manage and oversee the day-to-day duties of their respective departments and are fully capable of meeting the formidable challenges facing our constituents and our community,” said Mayor Cammarano.
Pope, who has served as Director of Health and Human Services since October of 2007, will assume the top spot in Environmental Services, where he will direct the completion of capital projects, public works and buildings and grounds. Pope also served as an Assistant Business Administrator with the Hoboken Board of Education. He replaces James Ronga.
La Bruno, a former at-large City Council member, will direct the Department of Health and Human Services, which manages recreation, health, senior and youth programs, among others. La Bruno has served as a high school math teacher at St. Mary School since 1990.
Poole is currently founder and President of 4WARD Planning, LLC of Hopewell, NJ, which provides development advisory, market and financial feasibility services to municipal government and private developers. He has previously served as an executive with the Camden Redevelopment Agency and with the Governors’ Office. Poole replaces Fred M. Bado who retired.
Angel L. Alicea, II, selected to lead the Department of Public Safety, was a Commissioner of the Hoboken Housing Authority for 19 years, seven as Chairman of the Board. He is an Internal Affairs Investigator in the Union City Police Department’s Detective Bureau and is currently testifying in a Federal criminal case in the Southern District of New York. Alicea replaces William Bergin who retired.
Orlando, a Harvard Law School graduate, served as a Deputy New Jersey Attorney General and as a Special Assistant to the Attorneys General Farber, Rabner and Milgram. Previously, he served as an Associate with the firm Lowenstein Sandler PC of Roseland, NJ, and in the same capacity with Dewey Ballantine LLP, in New York City.
Orlando will take over from Steve Kleinman as Corporation Counsel on September 8.
Garcia, a graducate of Columbia Law School, will manage day-to-day City Hall operations for the Mayor. He was previously an Associate with the law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, in New York City and served in the same capacity with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, in New York City.

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