The first Town Council meeting since the Nov. 3 general election was like the quiet after the storm.
Mayor Richard Steffens, who was not a candidate for any office in the election, congratulated 2nd Ward Town Councilman and Mayor-elect Michael Gonnelli, 2nd Ward Councilman John Bueckner, and Councilmen-elect Robert Costantino, and William McKeever on their recent electoral victories. Bueckner was reelected as 2nd Ward councilman; Costantino was elected as councilman of the 1st Ward; McKeever was elected as councilman of the 3rd Ward. The three will be sworn in to office on Jan. 1, when Gonnelli takes over as mayor.
New Volunteer Firefighter Shannon Casey is the first woman to serve on the department in 35 years.
________
“Mike will be working very closely with me,” Steffens said. “We’ve been working closely on some issues already. I think you’re going to see a seamless transition.”
In another example, Steffens noted that Costantino and McKeever sat in on Tuesday’s closed caucus meeting and were made privy to confidential information regarding the investigation into the Tax Collector’s Office.
“It’s important for them to hear this information since they will be dealing with these issues in just a few weeks,” Steffens said. “And our town attorney, Frank Leanza, said it’s quite proper for them to hear this information. Even though they have not been sworn in yet, they were duly elected and so, legally, they can hear this information.”
He said Costantino and McKeever, who attended the council meeting and sat in the audience, would be able to sit in on any caucus sessions held before the end of the year.
Earlier, Steffens congratulated 3rd Ward Councilman John Reilly and 1st Ward Councilwoman Dawn McAdam for their hard work on the governing body and service to the community. Steffens also congratulated 2nd Ward candidate Frank Trombetta for “running a good campaign.”
On Nov. 3, McAdam, Trombetta, and Reilly lost their races to Costantino, Bueckner, and McKeever, respectively.
Council to consider expedited taxi licenses
The council Tuesday introduced an amendment to the taxi cab ordinance that, if passed, would fast track the process of obtaining a taxi cab license in Secaucus.
“If adopted, this would allow the mayor and Town Council to change the procedure on how someone would obtain the hack license,” Steffens said Tuesday night. “As it is now, in order to drive a cab, you have to have a hack license and the state procedure that’s used takes five to six weeks, sometimes even longer, for the license to [be approved].”
The current background check process, Steffens said, causes cab companies to lose qualified drivers due to the long wait. If passed, the amended ordinance would allow the town to issue provisional taxi licenses to drivers who pass a preliminary background check that would be done by a private vendor. Secaucus would contract with a private vendor that specializes in doing background checks, but the service would be paid for by drivers who wanted to take the “fast track,” Steffens said, and get their license sooner.
Drivers would still be subjected to the lengthier state background check process and would still have to clear that check before getting a permanent taxi license in Secaucus.
Taxi licenses are not issued to registered sex offenders; people whose driver’s license is suspended or revoked; and people who have been convicted of certain crimes.
The public hearing on the ordinance will be heard on Tuesday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m.
New firefighter inducted
Finally, new recruit Shannon Casey was sworn in Tuesday as a member of the Secaucus Volunteer Fire Department and was accepted as a member of Hose Co. No. 2. According to Fire Chief George Schoenrock, Casey is the first woman to serve in the department in 35 years. At present, Casey is the only female member of the department.
Moment of silence for Howie
The meeting began with a moment of silence for Nelson Howard “Howie” Elwell, a former 2nd Ward Town Councilman and father to former Mayor Dennis Elwell.
E-mail E. Assata Wright at awright@hudsonreporter.com.