FBI visiting Mayor Healy more often
Apparently, Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy was visited by FBI agents on several occasions that were only made public recently.
He was visited in City Hall on July 22, the day before the July 23 arrests of 44 New Jersey officials and religious leaders, as first reported on the Hudson Reporter’s breaking news website on Sept. 4.
The local daily reported on Friday that Healy was visited by the FBI this past Thursday at City Hall. Agents also visited Healy at his Bradley Beach home in August. Healy confirmed the visits to the press, but would not comment any further since it may be part of a federal investigation.
Various political sources had told the Hudson Reporter that Healy could either be cooperating with the FBI as an informant, or is being targeted heavily because he is mentioned in the complaints of several of the officials arrested on July 23, who said they were raising funds for his campaign. He is also mayor of the state’s second largest city, and the chairman of the Hudson County Democratic Organization.
Mayor Healy’s reform efforts underway
A s a reaction to the recent passage by the City Council of the redevelopment pay-to-play ordinance as well as the corruption arrests several public officials on July 23, Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy is going forward with other reform measures.
Those measures are: retaining a law firm to perform a legal audit and analysis of the city’s development process, and requiring all city directors and employees who participate in the development process to undergo mandatory ethics training
City spokesperson Jennifer Morrill said last week that the legal audit has begun and the ethics training begins on Sept. 17.
Free High Holiday services
Chabad Jewish Center of Hoboken is offering free High Holiday services for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.
There are NO MEMBERSHIP FEES and Chabad’s services are open to all Jews. Chabad runs a traditional service with a contemporary message in a warm and inclusive atmosphere. Hebrew English prayer books are provided.
Kiddush lunch will be served on each of the afternoons of Rosh Hashana.
RSVP’s are appreciated especially if you intend to stay for the luncheons or make use of the childrens program.
All services held at: Boys and Girls Club, 123 Jefferson St., Hoboken N.J. For a full schedule of services, check them out on line at www.JewishHoboken.com or call 201-386-5222.
Jersey City Museum names new exec director
The Board of Trustees of the Jersey City Museum announced last week that Laurene Buckley, Ph.D. has been appointed executive director of the museum beginning Oct. 1. Dr. Buckley succeeds Marion Grzesiak, who left the top staff position in April 2009 after seven years as Executive Director.
Buckley brings over 20 years of leadership experience at museums throughout the northeast, including the Tyler Art Gallery, SUNY Oswego; the Castellani Art Museum, Niagara University; the Queens Museum of Art; and the New Britain Museum of American Art, Conn. She began her career at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, N.Y., and later served as chief curator of the Memorial Art Gallery, University of Rochester.
“The vibrancy and energy of Jersey City and Hudson County are contagious,” Dr. Buckley noted. “I’m looking forward to learning even more about the region’s cultural richness and diversity.”
Buckley holds a Ph.D. in Art History from the Graduate School of CUNY; a master’s degree from City College, CUNY; and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois. She is a graduate of the Getty Institute Museum Management Program, and has served for many years as a peer reviewer for the American Association of Museums.
Public encouraged to answer survey
The Hudson County Division of Planning, as part of their work on the Economic Development Strategy for Hudson County this summer, has developed a public opinion survey for Hudson County residents and for people who work in Hudson County.
This survey has been approved by the Rutgers Institutional Review Board as posing no threats to people who take the survey; in other words, the identity of people taking the survey will remain anonymous, and no identifying information has to be provided at any point during the survey.
This is also a part of a research project conducted by graduate students at Rutgers Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.
The survey is available online in both English and Spanish for those interested in taking the survey:
English Survey -http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=VwWuZMDZMrnSMJXpV6_2fvfQ_3d_3d
Spanish Survey – http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=wAkTm6TFd00XsXA87G7dpw_3d_3d