Union City meeting, first since FBI raid, lasts only five minutes
The first Union City Board of Commissioners meeting since last week’s FBI raid on City Hall ended in five minutes Wednesday night, but not without drama.
On Nov. 14, federal officials spent time in City Hall looking through documents, although they have not confirmed the reason.
Tuesday night it appeared to audience members that the commissioners were avoiding the section of the meeting in which the public could speak. Longtime resident Armando Hernandez asked Mayor Brian Stack why the public section was cut short and accused Stack of governing without transparency.
After an exchange of vocal barbs Stack claimed that Hernandez, who was standing 10 feet away at the time, had threatened him, and ordered police officers to question Hernandez. The officers later said that a report would be filed but no charges would be pressed.
Stack and his fellow commissioners immediately left the building without offering further comment. Hernandez remained to speak with reporters.
“If they did announce the public section of the meeting, no one heard them,” he said. “That meeting was a disrespect to everyone who came here tonight.”
Hernandez did not reveal what he had planned to ask about, but he hinted that it had to do with the federal raid.
“He obviously does not want to answer questions about what happened in the last week,” he said. “It just goes to show there’s no transparency in this town.”
Hernandez said he has lived in Union City since 1968.
Union City man charged with neglect after mother dies tied to armchair
The Hudson County prosecutor’s office has charged Peter Schnabel, a 56-year-old Union City man, with one count of elderly neglect after the man’s mother, was found dead last weekend allegedly tied to her armchair with shoelaces. Schnabel, who works nights but is his mother’s primary caretaker, allegedly tied her to the chair so that she would not fall.
Schnabel appeared in court on Monday afternoon to fight the charge. His attorney, Anthony Carbone, told reporters that the woman’s death was accidental and that he believed the charges should be dropped.
“[My client] is devastated,” he told a local newspaper. “This is a horrible tragedy that occurred. It’s not criminal activity.”
Police found the woman after responding to a 911 call early last Saturday morning. She was pronounced dead on the scene. Police are waiting for a report from the medical examiner’s office before moving forward with the investigation.
New Jersey Blood Services to expand drives in Hudson County
New Jersey Blood Services, a division of New York Blood Center which supplies blood products and services to 60 hospitals throughout the state, is in need of volunteers at blood drives. The blood service volunteer is an integral member of the collection team whose task it is assist donors with registration, escorting, and canteen duties, and to watch for post-donation reactions. Volunteers should have the ability to relate to the public, be able to perform different jobs as needed and have the willingness to follow the rules. For additional information contact Manager of Community Relations, R. Jan Zepka at (732) 616-8741 or rzepka@nybloodcenter.org.