In another marathon meeting of the city’s nine-person governing body, the City Council hashed out various controversial issues Wednesday night. They talked about the future of Hoboken’s hospital, cutting pay for municipal court judges, and Councilwoman Beth Mason’s measure calling for board members to disclose their political contributions.
The meeting ran from 7 p.m. to past 1 a.m., and not all of the issues were resolved.
Hospital prepping for sale
Toni Tomarazzo, president of the Hoboken Municipal Hospital Board, said Hoboken University Medical Center is preparing for the possibility of a future sale to a private entity. She said the city would like the building to remain an acute care hospital.
The hospital has been in and out of financial trouble for several years. Mayor Dawn Zimmer has said that she would like a private company to take it over, rather than having it financially backed and overseen by the city.
Tomarazzo said the board’s goal is to move the city out from under the weight of a $52 million bond issue that the city used to buy the struggling institution in 2006.
The council again declined to introduce one of Councilwoman Mason’s ethics ordinances.
________
The city is awaiting a state audit that could recommend improvements. So far, the institution has moved from suffering a $22 million operating loss in 2008 to having prepared a fully-funded budget prepared for the current year.
Tomarazzo said the hospital is still not out of the woods, and cash levels are critical.
Councilwoman Mason asked Tomarazzo whether the council should be worried about the health of the hospital. “I’m worried every single day,” Tomarazzo said.
New judge
The city has hired a new municipal judge because the courts in Hoboken are the fourth most trafficked in the state, according to city officials.
They appointed former municipal prosecutor Michael Mongiello as the chief judge, but cut his salary from that of the previous lead judge, Kim Glatt, who resigned last fall to run for mayor.
Mongiello will make $55,000, while the Glatt had earned $101,703 with longevity pay.
Cataldo Fazio was reappointed as an alternate judge at a salary of 45,000.
Salaries for municipal prosecutors were also cut from over $61,000 with benefits to $32,500 without benefits.
Sundays with Sinatra
The council approved the closing of Sinatra Drive to vehicular traffic on Sundays between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. during the months of June, July, and August.
The barricaded area between Fifth Street and Sinatra Drive North will now be open for recreational use to the residents.
Councilwoman Theresa Castellano, who voted against the measure, said police and fire trucks use that road often. She said closing the street would present a public safety risk.
Other councilpersons were concerned that more traffic will be funneled into the center of town, and Washington Street in particular. But the council said they will monitor the closure and its effects through the summer and decide if the city will continue the measure.
Cars parked on Sinatra Drive before Sunday can remain parked there.
Mews to me
Another small piece of open space was approved by the council: The Garden Street Mews.
Green developer Larry Bijou got council approval to keep a portion of Garden Street between 14th and 15th streets closed to vehicular traffic – as is it has been for the past few years as Bijou built the Garden Street Lofts – and open as a pedestrian plaza.
Bijou replaced the original cobblestones from the road after construction was complete, and a rendering of the future area shows trees and benches in the street.
Too much disclosure?
Mason has been pushing for an ordinance that would require applicants for city boards to disclose their campaign contributions, but the city attorney maintains that the measure is not in compliance with state law.
“There is a risk [in passing the ordinance], and I’d rather not defend it in court,” Corporation Counsel Michael Kates said on Wednesday. Failure to disclose contributions could potentially disqualify a board applicant, which is one of the reasons Kates is not confident in approving the legality of the measure.
But Mason says it is part of several ethics proposals that she believes will strengthen town government.
The ordinance asks for disclosure of any contributions over $200 within the last four years – higher standards than are currently written into the pay-to-play laws for elected officials. These rules would apply to volunteer board members, not officials.
“[Mason] is putting on an ordinance that goes above and beyond the law,” Councilwoman Carol Marsh complained at the meeting, so that “she can be the queen of ethics.”
‘Cake Boss’ gets a corner
In honor of the 100th anniversary of Carlo’s Bakery, home to Buddy Valastro, TV’s “The Cake Boss,” the city has named the corner of Washington and Newark streets “Carlo’s Way.”
The city presented the sign at the meeting.
Timothy J. Carroll may be reached at tcarroll@hudsonreporter.com.