SECAUCUS – Has Town Hall snubbed former Mayor Dennis Elwell?
A photo of Secaucus’ 13th mayor is conspicuously absent from the case that holds pictures of each of the town’s mayors dating back to Jacob P. Huber, the municipality’s first leader who served from 1900 to 1906. (Each photo is also accompanied by a brass plate that gives the years each mayor served.)
An empty white space marks the spot where, until recently, the handsome photo of a smiling Elwell hung next to his predecessor, Anthony Just, who served as mayor from 1992 to 2000.
Elwell resigned from office in August of last year after he was arrested in the July 2009 political corruption bust that snared 46 political and religious leaders in New Jersey and New York, including former Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano.
But Secaucus’ many conspiracy theorists needn’t take to the online message board to anonymously vent their anger.
When asked about the removal of Elwell’s photo, current Mayor Michael Gonnelli – long an Elwell rival and foe – said the photo was taken down only temporarily to add the year 2009 to his brass plate. – E. Assata Wright