Charlie D’Amico, prosecutor for West New York, as well as partner and husband of Secaucus Municipal Judge Kathleen Walrod, is expected to be named to replace Jay Coffey as the law director for the city of Bayonne at the Aug. 12 meeting of the City Council.
Coffey was forced out as law director in May and his position was temporarily filled by Anthony D’Elia, of Secaucus-based Chasan Leyner & Lamparello.
Even though D’Amico’s legal firm, Walrod & D’Amico, has an office in Secaucus as well, D’Elia said the selection came after the job was advertised statewide.
“We only received two replies,” D’Elia said.
Eric Bernstein, of Bernstein & Associates, of Warren, also responded to the request, but this offer was rejected because the firm appeared to seek a part-time job, while D’Amico agreed to become the full-time director, and would be in Bayonne to handle the day-to-day operations.
A former Hudson County prosecutor and currently a municipal prosecutor in both Union City and West New York, D’Amico has specific knowledge of municipal issues, D’Elia said. D’Amico has had a law practices since 1982.
D’Amico, recently concluded a four-year term as district chairman for Hudson County on the state’s Attorney Ethics Committee, which investigated and, if necessary, prosecuted grievances docketed with the committee. He also served as a trustee on the Hudson County Bar Association.
Sources in Secaucus said his firm has a history of contributing to Democratic political interests, and indeed, D’Amico has contributed to the upcoming reelection of Mayor Mark Smith. This is not an unusual practice in Bayonne, where many professionals with city contracts have either contributed to Smith’s campaign or to the Bayonne Democratic Committee – a political action committee, which has contributed to the Smith campaign.
This includes D’Elia’s firm, as well as Ed Florio and his partner, Bernard Kenny, whose firm represents the Bayonne Insurance Board and the Bayonne Parking Authority.
“We only received two replies.” – Anthony D’Elia
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Once the City Council votes on the appointment, D’Elia’s firm, which has been acting as interim counsel to the city since Mayor Mark Smith fired Coffey, will return to its originally contracted duties as labor attorneys.
“Nick Sacco’s people were very involved in the election supporting Smith against Conaghan.
This is their pay back,” said a local official.
New health agreement may save city money
The City Council is also expected to vote to approve a contract with North Bergen to provide the services of Richard J. Censullo as its health officer. Under this agreement, Bayonne would pay North Bergen $30,000 annually for Censullo’s services.
This replaces a position previously held by Brigid Breivogel, who served both as health department director and health officer for Bayonne at $115,092.
Breivogel, the sister of former municipal judge Patrick Conaghan (who opposed Smith in the last mayoral election), retired earlier this year.
The moves to reduce the cost of city government are part of a plan outlined by Mayor Smith just after he took office late last year. Through retirements, consolidation and other cost trimming measures, Smith hopes to eliminate the deficit in the municipal budget which has been as much as $30 million. The plan outlines a two fold approach that would include cutting spending and increasing revenues.
The plan also calls for the restructuring of municipal government and the possible consolidation of departments from the existing dozen to about four in total.
The City Council has also been apprised of more than 50 lawsuits, most of which are tax appeals.
Councilman Ted Connolly, at the Aug. 5 City Council caucus, said he would like to receive a report from the tax office on the potential impacts of these appeals and how these translate into possible increased taxes to other taxpayers.