Secaucus tax collector set to go on trial
In a hearing Wednesday before Hudson County Superior Court Judge Kevin Callahan, suspended Secaucus Tax Collector Alan Bartolozzi rejected a plea offer in an alleged theft case pending against him, according to Assistant County Prosecutor Leo Hernandez.
A trial is now set to begin on Sept. 28 and is expected to last about one week, according to Hernandez.
Prosecutors initially believed Bartolozzi allegedly took $4,150 from the Secaucus Public Employees’ Association, a municipal workers’ union, when he served as the union’s treasurer. However, upon further investigation prosecutors now allege that Bartolozzi stole nearly $25,000 from the union, Hernandez said last week. A grand jury indicted him of these charges on Jan. 19.
Bartolozzi has been removed from the treasurer post. He has pleaded not guilty.
Bartolozzi also faces other charges. Last year, he was charged with two counts of theft in the second degree for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars from the Secaucus Tax Office. Last month, an independent audit ordered by the Town Council revealed that $777,725 is missing from tax office coffers. Bartolozzi is also facing one count of cocaine possession in the third degree after officials allegedly found remnants of the drug in his desk. Bartolozzi has pleaded not guilty to those charges as well.
Hernandez said Wednesday that the alleged tax office theft case “is pending presentation to the grand jury.”
The drug charges were presented to a grand jury, but the assistant prosecutor would not state whether or not an indictment was handed down in that matter.
Secaucus Board of Ed votes to terminate employee
A Secaucus Board of Education employee suspended on sexual harassment allegations received a hand-delivered letter Wednesday informing her that the board had voted to terminate her employment. According to the letter, dated June 8, the nine-member board of trustees voted to terminate Natalizia Busnelli Aljallad.
Aljallad said she has been informed that one member of the board was not present when the vote was taken. A second board member abstained from the vote, she said. The remaining seven trustees voted in favor of termination, Aljallad said, although she does not know how individual board members voted.
Aljallad’s termination was drafted as a resolution and a vote was taken on June 7.
Aljallad was initially suspended with pay from her job as a tenured administrative aide in the board office on Jan. 21, following allegations that she sexually harassed a school safety officer, made false statements to the same police officer, and made slanderous statements against two Board of Education trustees.
The alleged incidents took place in December 2009, according to Aljallad and an affidavit from Schools Superintendent Cynthia Randina which the Reporter obtained in April.
On March 30, Assistant Hudson County Prosecutor Patrick Sharkey “administratively dismissed” a criminal complaint against Aljallad that stemmed from these same allegations, according to a document from the prosecutor’s office.
Aljallad’s status was later changed to “suspended without pay” in April.
The Secaucus Board of Education has sent the matter to the New Jersey Commissioner of Education for certification.
The two school board trustees who Aljallad allegedly slandered are Frank Trombetta and Michael Makarski. Trombetta, who was up for reelection this year, chose not to run in the April school board race, thus he was not part of the June 7 vote to terminate Aljallad. Makarski is a current trustee.
Sen. Sarlo holds film hearing in Secaucus
State Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen), chair of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, held a special public committee hearing in Secaucus on Wednesday on the fate of the state’s Film and Digital Media Tax Credit Program. Under the program, TV and film productions that shoot in New Jersey have for years received tax credits. The program, which is comparable to similar tax incentives offered by most states, helped lure a number of TV and film productions – including “Mercy,” Law & Order: SVU,” “Oz,” and “The Sopranos” – west of the Hudson River.
Last November, Sarlo proposed expanding this tax credit. But more recently Gov. Christopher Christie, who was elected the same month Sarlo made this proposal, has made a proposal of his own. In the face of the New Jersey’s current fiscal crisis, Gov. Christie has proposed eliminating the tax altogether.
Although the credit has yet to be eliminated, at least one TV production – the NBC drama series “Mercy” – has decided to film in New York next season. “Mercy” had been filming at 10 Enterprise Ave. in Secaucus, where Sarlo held his hearing.
Relay for Life coming on June 18
The fourth annual “Relay for Life – Secaucus” will be held on Friday, June 18 from 6 p.m. until 6 a.m. Saturday, June 19 on the grounds of Clarendon School. The community is invited to come out and support 24 relay teams as they raise money for the American Cancer Society (ACS). More than 250 people will participate in the 12-hour walkathon.
The event will begin with an opening ceremony at 6 p.m., followed by a DJ, live music and additional entertainment throughout the evening. In addition to entertainment, participating relay teams will sell pizza, snacks, and novelty items. As in the past, the Secaucus Volunteer Fire Department will sell hotdogs.
The Luminaria ceremony – during which candles are lit for loved ones who have died of cancer – will take place at 10 p.m. Luminaria candles can be purchased for $10 in advance or at the relay.
Donations to the ACS will be accepted all night. All proceeds all evening will be donated to the American Cancer Society.
For further information call Susan Pirro at (201) 563-2161.
Come have fun in the sun
Hartz Mountain Industries will host a free outdoor concert featuring Neil and the Diamonds on Thursday, June 17 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The concert will take place in the Harmon Meadow Courtyard. Restaurants from Harmon Meadow will offer free samples off their menus during the concert. Harmon Meadow is located at 700 Plaza Drive, Secaucus. For more information, call (201) 348-4780. (Rain date: Friday, June 18, same time, same place.)