Jersey City Councilman Gaughan on Dwek: ‘All he had was a good line’
Jersey City Councilman Bill Gaughan said after Wednesday’s City Council meeting that he was approached by the federal government’s “cooperating witness” Solomon Dwek, but didn’t take the bait.
Dwek is the failed businessman from the Jersey Shore town of Deal who offered bribes to various local politicians that led to their being arrested on July 23 as part of the 44 arrests of public officials and religious leaders in New Jersey and New York.
Gaughan said Dwek allegedly approached him about a purported development project on Garfield Avenue that would call for a condo tower.
Gaughan was not named in any of the complaints pertaining to the 44 arrested.
Gaughan did not reveal the date of the meeting, although it is believed they met during the election season, but remembered Dwek offering no paperwork or details about his project, which made Gaughan suspicious.
“It was very obvious, I asked for plans, I asked for site control, [Dwek] had nothing,” Gaughan said. “All he had was a good line.”
Gaughan also blasted Dwek as a “con man, entrapping people into a situation” who was “testing people’s greed.”
Council approves freezing of salaries
The Jersey City City Council on Wednesday approved an ordinance to freeze the annual consumer price indexing (CPI) salary increase for all department directors and eight statutory employees.
The salary increase freeze was recommended by Mayor Jerramiah Healy.
The annual percent increase, which goes up to 3.5 percent, is automatically issued on the first payroll of the calendar year to certain employees whose salaries are set by ordinance. In addition to the city’s eight department directors, the City Clerk and two Deputy City Clerks, the Tax Collector, the Chief Financial Officer, and the Tax Assessor and two Deputy Tax Assessors, would all be required to forgo the annual increase.
Last year, the mayor froze his salary and is recommending this measure to the Council in light of the current economy. Healy’s 2008 mayoral salary was $98,363 and he currently makes $117,000.
“We are asking that everyone do their part during these difficult economic times,” said Mayor Healy. “At a time when people are losing their jobs and their homes, it is only right that we forgo any increases as we work to continue to keep taxes stable.”
Jersey City woman joins Lopez lawsuit
In an emergency hearing on Aug. 7, State Superior Court Judge Gallipoli granted Jersey City resident Norrice Raymaker’s motion to join a lawsuit seeking that City Councilwoman Nidia Lopez be disqualified from office based on allegations that her primary residence is in Florida.
Raymaker, the third place finisher in the Ward C race in the May 12 election, sought to join the suit originally brought by second place finisher Jimmy King out of concern that King’s July 23 arrest on corruption charges would cause him to drop his action against Lopez and that the true nature of her residency would not be brought to light.
Raymaker stated, “I am encouraged that the court will allow me the privilege of intervening to preserve the integrity of the election. Residents in Ward C need to know who Nidia Lopez really is and if she lives in Ward C. I trust that this lawsuit will make her status clear.”
Raymaker is represented by attorney Diana Jeffrey.
Calling all blood donors
Blood donors participating in the Jersey City Community Blood Drive in cooperation with Community Blood Services can help to insure that the transfusion needs of area patients are met. The drive will be held on Sunday, Aug. 23, 2009 from 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. sponsored by St. John’s Church at 155 North St. To schedule an appointment, please call (201) 251-3703.
All blood types are needed, especially Types 0- and 0+. Any healthy individual, age 17 through 75, and weighing at least 110 pounds can donate blood. Donors should eat a moderate meal before donating and must bring identification showing signature. All donors receive complimentary cholesterol and glucose screening with every blood donation.