Diehard supporters of Mayor Dawn Zimmer are bending over backwards to portray Stan Grossbard, Mayor Zimmer’s husband, as a private citizen whose recent emails about certain political decisions – exposed as part of a lawsuit by fired public housing director Carmelo Garcia – should not be published or discussed because (by their standards) he’s not a public figure.
A series of emails shows that Grossbard secretly advised key people on the Hoboken Housing Authority board, which oversees public low-income housing in town, about how to remove both the HHA attorney and the executive director.
Ironically, many of Grossbard’s loudest defenders are the same people who over the last few years painted Lane Bajardi and his wife as “political operatives.”
Many people already suspected Grossbard of serving as the brain trust behind Mayor Zimmer, painting him as the Wizard of Oz hiding behind the mayor’s skirts.
But the emails show that he appears to have provided advice to more than his wife, and may have given information to and advised some of the pro-Zimmer bloggers who relentlessly attacked the Bajardis.
Council President Ravi Bhalla took up Grossbard’s cause when he ordered the removal of two residents who tried to talk about the emails at the Oct. 21 Hoboken council meeting. They were removed by police when they started discussing the emails.
Bhalla, of course, had his own reasons for keeping the emails quiet – since the legal firm he eventually became “of counsel to” was the firm that vied to replace the HHA attorney.
Emails showed that Grossbard advised Jake Stuiver, then the chair of the HHA, how to avoid answering press questions involving the qualifications of the new firm.
The emails also show that Grossbard advised Stuiver to do away with Carmelo Garcia’s contract as executive director. Garcia apparently had sole control over appointments that the Zimmer administration wanted. Stuiver, however, did not fire Garcia. His replacement, Dana Wefer, did. While Wefer claims Grossbard did not advise her in the firing, Grossbard in the e-mails did support her appointment.
Wefer claims that she based the firing on wrongdoing allegedly committed by Garcia. While no charges have yet been filed, insiders at the HHA claim an investigation is underway.
Some in the Garcia camp said there is significant pressure on members of the HHA to find something to use against him, and that may explain why there has been a revolving door for interim executive directors at the HHA recently.
Garcia has since become a candidate in the 6th Ward against mayor-allied Jennifer Giattino, who in a Hudson Reporter debate called Garcia “untrustworthy.” She based this partly on the fact that Garcia had secretly recorded a meeting between himself, Grossbard, and former state Sen. Bernard Kenny, who has become a Zimmer ally. Garcia said he did the recording to protect himself, and has since filed a lawsuit against the city claiming Grossbard was part of a conspiracy to fire him as executive director.
The e-mails suggest that Garcia may have been justified, to some extent. The HHA is an ostensibly independent agency from City Hall.
The emails also hint at other interactions of Grossbard’s, such as possibly giving information about political enemies to local bloggers, who seem to act as a propaganda machine for the Zimmer administration, almost never putting forth any criticism of City Hall. Some believe that Grossbard also made recommendations as to who to hire or promote in various departments such as the Police Department.
But like the mythical character from the classic film Citizen Kane, Grossbard remains a mere citizen.
Turner as mold inspector
Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner has a new job in West New York.
In the past, Turner served as town manager at a time when Albio Sires served as mayor. Turner is seen as one of the brightest and more organized people in North Hudson. But he relinquished his position in West New York when Sires became a member of the House of Representatives, filling a seat formerly held by now U.S. Senator Robert Menendez.
Turner’s return to West New York may seem something of a step down from his old position, but in truth, reports say that he will not be looking under any rugs for mold, but will largely resume his former duties at least on a temporary basis.
The former town manager, who had taken over duties after Joe DeMarco moved on to take up a similar job in Bayonne, recently took up a new job in law enforcement. While West New York appears to have struck a preliminary deal to hire a new candidate from Hoboken, they need someone to steer the municipal ship until that hiring can take place.
So Turner – who retired as town manager – returns to the roost as a mold expert.
Peace between Roque and Wiley?
A historic meeting between north Hudson power brokers apparently resolved some long standing battles in West New York.
Former foes Count Wiley and Mayor Felix Roque have made peace. Wiley was among several candidates who ran against Roque in last May’s WNY municipal election.
Roque’s only remaining political opposition is Jose Munoz, who is the target of a grand jury from an incident involving signs in the May election. Munoz has been accused of paying kids to tear down signs, something he had vehemently denied. But the issue may be enough to keep him out of the political realm for a while.
A year ago, most people thought Roque could not win reelection, partly because of what supporters called “bad decisions.” Most recently, Roque faces charges involving his medical practice. But he said this week that the charges are baseless and he feels he will soon be vindicated. The one good decision he made was bringing on Donald Scarinci as the town attorney. Scarinci cleaned up City Hall and may have saved Roque’s political career.
Raia will get seat on the sewerage authority
Frank Raia, who backed out of bid to challenge Councilman Michael Russo in the upcoming Hoboken municipal elections, will retain his seat on the North Hudson Sewerage Authority.
Sources said Raia entered the race as the result of an agreement with Zimmer, who could not field a candidate of her own strong enough to beat Michael Russo. Although Raia is a wealthy developer and Zimmer tries to appear untied to developers, she supposedly agreed, as part of the deal, to reappoint Raia to the sewerage authority as a reward.
This was a foolish assumption by Raia that Zimmer would keep her side of the bargain, since Zimmer tends to appoint her own people to such positions. Perhaps a little of this got through to Raia when he dropped out of the race, allowing Russo to run unopposed. This apparently really peeved off Zimmer.
But a deal with West New York Mayor Felix Roque will guarantee Raia a seat anyway. If Zimmer does not re-appoint Raia to the sewerage authority as a Hoboken member, then Roque will appoint him as a West New York member.
The authority has members from Hoboken, West New York, Union City and Weehawken as part of a joint operation.
There is precedent for this. Turner appointed Raia as a Weehawken member the last time Zimmer refused to reappoint him.
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.