Employee files sexual harassment suit against HPU
Catherine Stewart, an employee of the Hoboken Parking Utility, has filed a lawsuit alleging that two current supervisors sexually harassed her and that the HPU failed to stop it.
Stewart is represented by Louis Zayas, a North Bergen attorney whose office provided a copy of the suit to The Reporter.
The filing states that the lawsuit was brought “due to hostile work environment, negligent supervision, and unlawful retaliation” by the HPU and by Stewart’s supervisors.
The lawsuit names the HPU, as well as the two supervisors, as defendants in the suit. Each of the two supervisors earns approximately $37,500 annually, records show.
The lawsuit alleges that Stewart was the recipient of unwanted verbal sexual advances.
The suit follows a rough two weeks for the Hoboken Parking Utility, which was the subject of an investigative piece on FOX 5 that showed a vehicle belonging to the television reporter being wrongfully booted.
City spokesperson Juan Melli, when asked for a comment from the city or from the mayor’s office about the allegations, said the city cannot comment on pending litigation or personnel matters.
When a reporter called the HPU to ask to speak with the supervisors in question, the HPU staff said questions should be referred to the mayor’s office.
Mayor Dawn Zimmer said that the city has not yet been served with the lawsuit. Zimmer said that she takes sexual harassment issues very seriously, and has previously implemented a sexual harassment training program for all employees.
Chamber of Commerce hosts residential and business Holiday Decorating Contest
Residents and businesses who spread holiday cheer by decorating their homes and workplaces can be awarded for their creativity. The Hoboken Chamber of Commerce is set to kick off a Holiday Decorating Contest that features major prizes. To register, send your name and address to hobokendecorating@yahoo.com. The deadline to register is Dec. 13.
The bonus grand prize winner for the business category will receive a half page ad in HMag, a quarter page ad in The Hoboken Reporter, and four months of banner ads on EatDrinkHoboken.com.
The winners will receive their prizes on Dec. 21 at the Hoboken Elks Club during the chamber’s annual Toy Drive Party.
Second and third place winners for the residential and business categories will receive $250 and $100, respectively.
How did Hoboken’s highly paid IT officer receive affordable housing?
Patrick Ricciardi, the suspended City Hall information technology director who was recently arrested by the FBI, was one of only five city workers in 2008 to be offered a low-cost affordable unit in a luxury condo building. So how did that happen?
Ricciardi, who earned at least $72,000 last year, received “workforce housing” in the luxurious Metrostop condo building adjacent to the Ninth Street Hudson-Bergen Light Rail station.
Workforce housing is a program to help city employees with modest salaries find affordable living in the city in which they work so they don’t have to move out due to rising home prices. A workforce housing program is often initiated as part of a community giveback by a developer.
While Ricciardi’s $72,000 base salary does not exceed the maximum amount allowed for workforce housing, blog reports have claimed that Ricciardi pulled in considerably more annually including overtime. Ricciardi filmed council meetings that sometimes stretched past midnight. The maximum based on a candidate’s combined assets is capped at $178,808 for a six-person family.
Eligibility for the workforce housing program depends on how many people are in a family, and a net worth of combined assets, according to the developer’s workforce housing manual. However, it is difficult to tell which of Ricciardi’s income and assets were included, as certain expenses might have counted against his income as well.
Ricciardi was arrested in early November by FBI agents on charges that he allegedly intercepted e-mails meant for Mayor Dawn Zimmer since early 2010, according to the criminal complaint.
City Spokesman Juan Melli said that the workforce housing process, including who was selected to purchase the housing, was handled externally by ExecuTech, an outside firm. The City Council voted to award a contract to the company some time after the Metrostop developers agreed to save five of their units for workforce housing.
Melli said that in 2008, 51 people applied for a chance to grab one of the luxury condos at a reduced rate.
A housing unit through the program would cost a city employee approximately $253,500, according to a workforce housing manual. The market rate of an apartment is near $500,000, according to the manual.
The manual outlines strict requirements for vetting applicants. Multiple items can be considered “income.”
The contractor entered the qualified applicants into a lottery system, Melli said. They were then randomly ranked, and the affordable housing was offered first to the top five randomly generated people. Melli said that ultimately all of the people on the list were offered housing, because not everyone decided to buy. Only three units were purchased in 2008.
An Open Public Records Act filed by The Reporter requesting salaries of municipal employees shows that Ricciardi’s base salary was $72,121.92 this year. Ricciardi was suspended from his job without pay in May. Another OPRA response shows that despite being suspended since May, Ricciardi was given $3,170.31 between June 1 and Oct. 24. Of his total pay during that June to October period, approximately 56 percent of his salary was marked as overtime pay.
However, the list of annual salaries provided through the OPRA response did not list overtime pay totals.
A FBI criminal complaint states that Ricciardi confessed on May 25 to allegedly setting up an “archive file” that would intercept Zimmer’s emails. On May 26, FBI agents raided City Hall. Ricciardi appeared in federal court in Newark on Nov. 9 to be read his charges. He has not yet entered a plea.
Ricciardi was charged with accessing a computer without authorization, interception of wire and electronic communication, and disclosure of intercepted wire and electronic communications. He faces a potential maximum jail sentence of five years for each count if convicted.
Domestic abuse workshop to be held at United Synagogue of Hoboken Dec. 8
On Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. at the United Synagogue of Hoboken (115 Park Ave.), the Rachel Coalition will present “In Her Shoes,” an interactive workshop open to members of the community to discuss domestic abuse.
A panel of experts including law enforcement, legal and mental health professionals will discuss the issue of domestic violence for victims and children. Following the discussion, community members will participate in an interactive workshop to help participants understand the dynamics of an abusive relationship and the barriers that must be overcome in order to leave such a relationship.
Refreshments will be served, and registration is required. Please contact Sylvia Heller at Rachel Coalition at (973) 765-9050, ext. 1708 or sheller@jfsmetrowest.org to register.
City offering free bags for collecting leaves
The city of Hoboken is distributing free paper bags for collecting leaves. Residents and business owners can pick up the bags at the City Garage (Willow Avenue and Observer Highway), the Parking Utility in City Hall, the Hoboken Library, and the Fire Station at 1313 Washington St.
Full leaf bags can be placed on the curb for pickup. If necessary, residents may also call the garage at (201) 420-2277 to request that bags be delivered to them or to pick up full bags. Leaves are taken to the Nature’s Choice facility for composting.
‘The Nutcracker’ is coming Dec. 17
Hudson Ballet, the junior company of Hudson Dance & Movement, will perform “The Nutcracker” at Hoboken High School on Dec. 17 at 3 p.m. A short reception will be held before and after the performance, including a silent auction and bake sale. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. All ticket sales and proceeds generated by the auction will go towards the Hudson Outreach Program, HOP for Dance.
HOP for Dance has awarded students over $15,000 in scholarships in 2011, and has previously worked with the fourth grade class of Connors School in Hoboken.
Tickets are $18 for children and $20 for adults. Tickets are available at Hudson Dance and Movement in the Monroe Center, and at the door on the night of the performance. For more information, contact Jo Hayes at (201) 683-4350, or by email at joanna.hdm@gmail.com.