In a political power play that has pitted the mayor against members of the City Council, Mayor Mark Smith may force the City Council to vote for someone to replace Anthony Chiappone, who resigned his council seat on April 9.
At a special council meeting May 6, the council refused to elect Postmaster Terrence Ruane, Smith’s choice for the post. They needed three votes to elect him.
Smith, relying on the legal opinion of Herb Kliztner, a member of the politi cally connected Secaucus firm Chasen-Lamparello, disputed the legality of the vote and said the council may be forced to hold a special meeting on Saturday, May 9, in order to allow Smith to cast the deciding vote naming Ruane as a councilman until a November special election.