HOBOKEN — The Hoboken City Council meeting on Sept. 15 will remain in the council chambers at City Hall despite a request from Hoboken PBA President Vince Lombardi to move the meeting to a location which would accommodate up to 500 people.
“We have received a request that our next council meeting be held in a venue to accommodate up to 500 people. While it is appropriate and important that we listen to the public, we must balance the need to hear from members of the public against the need to conduct the city’s business,” said Council President Carol Marsh on Friday.
In a statement, Lombardi called the decision “just another example of the arrogance and secrecy of this Administration,” “the complete opposite of the transparency and integrity that they preach,” according to a report on nj.com.
Earlier this week, Lombardi proposed the Wallace Primary School auditorium/gymnasium as a possible location for the meeting.
“It is within the best interest of both the community and the city to change the location of this meeting to accommodate all persons wishing to attend in a facility that has adequate space, ventilation, air-conditioning for safety and health reasons,” Lombardi said in a release.
The council will provide an overflow room in city hall for members of the public at Wednesday’s meeting.
“In order to balance the need for community input while conducting the city’s business, we plan to allow a reasonable period of time at the beginning of the meeting for the public to speak on the resolution which was tabled at the last council meeting,” Marsh said.
The resolution in question was raised by Councilwoman Beth Mason, who proposed that the mayor’s cuts be rescinded. The mayor’s office later claimed that the resolution was not able to be voted on, because the cuts were an administrative action.
The words of the resolution are not the issue,” Mason said in a follow up interview last week. “Protecting the community is what matters. A vote on this resolution allows the people of Hoboken to know where their City Council representatives stand when it comes to ensuring their health, safety, and welfare.”
The council meeting will begin 7 p.m.