HOBOKEN – Council President Beth Mason has revised her legislation requesting copies of emails from City Communications Director Juan Melli and Mayor Dawn Zimmer’s Confidential Aide Dan Bryan sent to and from the local media and bloggers. Her intent is to see if the mayor’s communications staffers have been sending out political information on taxpayer time.
The issue was on the agenda for the Wednesday, May 18 council meeting.
The resolution states that “the Council finds that the city’s public communications, including the City’s website, have become highly politicized and therefore constitute an inappropriate and wasteful use of taxpayer funds.”
The mayor’s opponents have a 5-4 majority on the council until July 1, when Councilwoman-elect Jen Giattino will take over as a representative of the 6th Ward for Councilman Nino Giacchi, swinging the council to 5-4 in favor of the mayor.
That means the current council majority has three meetings to push through any anti-Zimmer legislation without much meaningful opposition.
The last time the legislation was introduced, in early April, Mason asked for all emails sent to and from Melli and Bryan to be released starting from Jan. 1, 2010.
The original cost of the request would have been approximately $200,000, as it would have required an attorney to review approximately 35,000 e-mails, according to Corporation Counsel Mark Tabakin.
Mason thinks Tabakin was not telling the truth. She says in her proposed resolution that the claim “appears to dramatically exaggerated, if not downright false.”
The new legislation is amended to include all emails to and from 12 people, mostly local reporters and bloggers, from Jan 1, 2010.
If the resolution passes, the emails from Melli and Bryan to and from members of the local press, bloggers, as well as three political campaigns, will be released to the council. The council “shall treat these emails as confidential and shall discuss them only either in closed executive session or in a committee meeting closed to the public,” according to the resolution. The resolution also states that if “any specific emails are deemed worthy of public release or discussion by determination of the majority of the council,” then the council will discuss the e-mail with the city attorney before discussing them in open session. – Ray Smith
Jersey City man killed after dispute with neighbor, prosecutor says
JERSEY CITY — According to newspaper reports, a 69-year-old resident of Gardner Avenue in Jersey City was gunned down outside his apartment door on Sunday night. The county prosecutor’s office told the media that the killing happened after a dispute with a neighbor.
NJ.com reported that “Jersey City police followed drops of blood to the apartment of a younger man who was arrested and charged with the homicide, he said. [Prosecutor Edward] DeFazio refused to identify either of the men, citing an ongoing investigation.”
For more on this story, keep watching www.hudsonreporter.com.
American Dream Celebration will honor Sires, Checole
JERSEY CITY — The International Institute of New Jersey will honor Congressman Albio Sires and Professor Kassahun Checole at its 13th Annual American Dream Celebration on Thursday, May 19, at the Landmark Loew’s Jersey Theatre in Jersey City.
Sires, who represents New Jersey’s 13th Congressional District, will receive the Golden Door Award, which is bestowed on foreign-born citizens who have contributed to American society either in business, government, arts and culture or through valuable civic, educational or humanitarian involvement. The name of the award is taken from the poignant inscription “I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” at the base of the Statue of Liberty.
Checole, publisher of the Africa World Press and Red Sea Press, will receive the American Dream Award. This award recognizes the talent, energy and creativity of immigrants to American society who have, through their unique contributions, provided economic opportunities and enriched our civic and cultural life.
Sires is an immigrant from Cuba. Checole hails from Eritrea in East Africa.
“The honorees are an inspiration to the newly arrived immigrants, refugees and asylees people we serve,” said Catherine Tansey, IINJ’s executive director. IINJ’s services include teaching English as a second language, legal assistance, refugee resettlement, financial literacy, job training, counseling, translation and interpretation.
The American Dream Celebration will start with a reception at 5:30 p.m. The main program will begin at 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $75 for individuals and $125 for two.
For tickets and more information about the American Dream Celebration, please contact Maria at 201-653-3888, extension 107, or Ann at extension 141, or visit http://iinj.org/.
Help for homeowners facing foreclosure
STATEWIDE – The state’s Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency has announced the New Jersey HomeKeeper program, a federally-funded effort to help homeowners who are in danger of foreclosure due to a layoff or underemployment. Through the program homeowners can receive two-year loans in the amount of $48,000 or less. Loans are in the form of second mortgage loans. Proceeds from the loans may be used to cover overdue mortgage payments, property taxes, property insurance, or mortgage insurance.
The HomeKeeper initiative is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Hardest Hit Fund.
For more information, visit www.njhomekeeper.gov. Residents can also call the mayor’s office at (201) 330-2005.