Guttenberg Councilman Efrain Velez is the quiet type of a people’s representative who takes every issue seriously and votes in the people’s interests. Long known to be this way, he is granted his dignity because of this trait, and follows suit on his goals in team-like fashion toward a better community.
A councilman for six years, Mr. Velez was born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico and came to live in North Bergen and then to Guttenberg in the 1980s. Councilman Velez has two brothers, Freddy and Jimmy, and a sister Brenda who still lives in Puerto Rico, and his beloved parents Felix and Eva are now deceased. Councilman Velez and his lovely wife Diana have three sons Luis, Steven, and Alex, also living in Guttenberg, and a daughter Tanya, who lives in Florida.
The councilman has been an employee with the company of Polo Ralph Lauren as an inventory control analyst for the past 14 years in Carlstadt, in the women’s clothing, perfume, and accessories wear division of the company. As for his wife Diana, she has been a Section 8 inspector for the Guttenberg Housing Authority for the past 10 years.
Mrs. Velez met her husband at the Motorola Company in Puerto Rico, where she had been living for three years, and he worked for 17 years at the company back then. Mrs. Velez says that she was born however, in the Bronx, New York, and moreover, their son Steven was born in Puerto Rico.
As for local government, Councilman Velez says that it was easy for him to support Guttenberg Mayor Gerald Drasheff for the mayoral position, because they were councilmen together, and he knew just how honorable and hard-working he was as a councilman, so it was a very easy decision for him to make. It was also an honor for him to run on a Drasheff Team Slate under these conditions. Councilman Velez goes on to tell us that he enjoys helping senior citizens, oversees the Department of Public Works, and also enjoys working with these very humble hard-working people. Even with budgetary restraints, he has been able to get new automotive equipment for the department over the years, and hopes to continue to do so in hard economic times.
For leisure, the Velez family likes to spend time with their children, and go on camping trips to the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania, as well as visit family in Puerto Rico. An avid boxing fan, Councilman Velez personally knew Welterweight Champion Tito Trinidad, and enjoys going to Madison Square Garden in Manhattan to view the events there. Both husband and wife like the New York Yankees, the New York Giants, and The Nets.
Mrs. Velez’s mother Vilma Feliciano lives in Guttenberg, and her beloved father Pablo is now deceased, and was also from Puerto Rico. Mrs. Velez told us a fascinating history about her family line, that her mother’s grandparents were from Austria-Hungary, and that their last name was Radovich! Hopefully one day she will trace her family lineage to learn more. Mrs. Velez also tells us that they are Roman Catholic, and communicants of Saint Augustine’s Roman Catholic Church in Union City.
Councilman Velez was a former elected Democratic Party committeeman before becoming a councilman. Furthermore, he and his wife really are both just quiet loving and living people who just want to make a change for the better in government for their beloved town of Guttenberg and its people, especially senior citizens and children.
On weekends, the Velez’s do enjoy Broadway plays and musicals, and they both like classical to Salsa music, along with rock n’ roll and hip hop and dancing when out in New York City. As for hobbies, they both enjoy computers, electronics, and viewing action movies. They do have a fan on the Town Council, none other than Councilwoman Monica Fundora, who tells us that the Velez family are great people, and that working with Councilman Velez has been a great learning experience for her as a new member of the Council. To the Velez Family — All the best!…
United States Army Reserve Private Olinda E. Sanchez has graduated from Basic Training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C. Private Sanchez is the daughter of Betty Ghigliotti of North Bergen. Congratulations Private Sanchez!…
Ginger N. Mills of Union City has received Faculty Honors at Trinity College in Connecticut. Best wishes to you, Ms. Mills!…
Union City Deputy Mayor Nicholas Mastorelli tells us that he was happy to read in this column recently that old friends former Weehawken Mayor Stanley Iacono and West New York Mayoral Aide Neil Carroll were reaching out to each other through this column, and that he is an old friend to both gentlemen, and wishes both of them the best. Well, Nick Mastorelli, I know that Mayor Silverio “Sal” Vega will be happy to tell Mr. Carroll, and old neighbors will tell former Mayor Iacono. Better yet, I’ll tell them myself that you were asking for them. Perhaps you all can meet for lunch in the future and chat. You read it here! Always a pleasure!…
The recent Secaucus Board of Education elections, as always, are a wonderful voice in democracy. Maryann Weiner, the wife of town attorney-at-law Peter Weiner, won a spot on the board, in a hard-fought battle, and ought to be commended along with the other winners. Best wishes to the Weiner family, as well as to the other winners. The best is yet to come, move into your future!
And so it goes… until next time… see you around town… “MATT.”
Readers who would like to contribute to this column can do so, by mailing your news items and photographs, along with you name, address, and telephone number to: Matthew Amato, columnist, c/o The Hudson Reporter, 1400 Washington St., Hoboken, NJ 07030. Thank you!