Dear Editor:
While discussing the recent “war” about to take place between acting Secaucus Police Chief John Cerny and Mayor Gonnelli, I remembered an episode I had with both of them. Permit me to share this episode with your readers, they may find it somewhat enlightening.
At the Oct. 18, 2012 Board of Education meeting, a resolution passed, by a 6 to 3 vote, approving busing to students residing in the Riverside Court complex. The approximate cost, $34,000, for busing about 35 students. For the record, the law does not require the board to bus these students unless the board deems it a safety issue. So Gonelli manufactured a safety issue.
In a letter to this column (Oct. 21, 2012) I raised this question. Did the three trustees the mayor supported in their bid for election hold their feet to the fire to go along with this vote? I never did receive an answer. Subsequently, I discovered that the basis for the three voting the way they did was a study conducted by Lt. John Cerny, dated Sept., 2010. I was no longer a trustee at that time, however I did make my feelings known to Lt. John Cerny, Mayor Mike Gonelli, and the board that in my opinion Cerny, survey was flawed. This issue was never a safety issue. It was Mayor Gonnelli using others in authority to support his position. Was pressure put on Lt. John Cerny at that point to make this a “safety issue?” Time will tell.
One last point. It was reported that Councilman Jeffas said to Chief Cerny “that he needs to improve his relationship with the mayor.” Question to Councilman Jeffas, how does one go about it? By being a yes man? Agreeing with everything he says or does? Fearing you’re the next one he throws under the bus if you do not comply?
Not every detail is available yet. Specific questions have to be asked. I have a ton of them.
Tom Troyer