SECAUCUS AND BEYOND — The Secaucus Town Council voted Tuesday night to retain the law firm of McElroy, Deutch, Mulvaney to “investigate and report on the facts and circumstances surrounding the resignations of the Secaucus Firefighters” in an alleged incident six years ago.
In 2004, a gay couple who lived next door to the North End Fire House were allegedly harrassed by some firefighters. A Hudson County Superior Court jury awarded the couple more than $2 million, plus legal fees. The jury awared the hefty judgment in part because the couple’s attorney argued that the town never adequately investigated the incident.
In the wake of the court decision, the town required three fire firefighters who were implicated in the incident in court testimony to submit to an administrative hearing. The three firefighters chose to resign from the Secaucus Volunteer Fire Department rather than participate in the administrative hearing.
Since the November, 2009 election of Secaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli, who is also chief of the fire department, allies of the three firefighters have lobbied for the men to be reinstated. However, gay residents and other activists have protested efforts to return the men to the department.
The debate has put Gonnelli in a bad situation.
Hiring the law firm is the mayor’s attempt to get at the truth, which Gonnelli hopes will help put the matter to rest. — E. Assata Wright