The political volleyball that is the Hoboken Parking Utility (HPU) was once again set into play at Wednesday night’s City Council meeting.
The discussion has evolved into a debate over who has the authority to select the management of the HPU – the mayor or the City Council.
In January, the administration of Mayor David Roberts hired John Corea, a local businessman and political figure, to head the Hoboken Parking Utility. The Parking Utility is the city agency that was formed when the City Council voted to dissolve the quasi-independent Parking Authority last year.
Critics of the administration decried Corea’s hiring, because 11 months ago, a professional independent parking consultant was hired to conduct a national search to hire a head of the HPU. Around 25 resumes were collected and four finalists were selected. Then, after many months, the administration, without council approval, hired Corea for a job there.
Corea did not submit a resume by the deadline of the original Request for Proposals. Corea unsuccessfully ran for the City Council last year, criticizing Roberts’ candidates. But after he came in third place in the race, he ended up backing the mayor’s candidate in a runoff.
The mayor’s critics on the council also questioned the fact that Corea was hired during a city hiring freeze. The city cannot hire new employees for $25,000 or more. Consequently, Corea was hired for only $24,500. He can get raises later. The administration’s critics said hiring Corea at such a low salary is directly in conflict with the intent of the hiring freeze, which ends in about two months.
Thirdly, the critics objected to the fact that Corea was hired for the title of “monitor” and not “executive director.” This technical distinction is important because the hiring of a director has to be approved by a vote from the City Council, but every other position below a director’s title can be made at the discretion of the administration. Therefore, there has never been a formal discussion within the council or the public about the hiring.
“This entire issue is about who is controlling and running the city,” said opposition council member Michael Russo. “The mayor continues to act in unilateral manner without consulting the City Council.”
Roberts said Friday that his opposition on the council is just trying to be divisive instead of trying to push forward a collaborative and “thoughtful” governmental agenda. He added that his doors are open but his advisories feel more comfortable being “combative.” “I remain available to every elected official,” said Roberts, “but they have never come to me with their agenda. The community wants a City Council that works together and not one that only engages in shrill insults and accusations.”
Motion to rescind
At the City Council meeting of Feb. 4, Councilwoman Carol Marsh read into the record a resolution to “immediately rescind” the hiring of Corea, and she resolved that all future changes in the management of the HPU should be instituted with council approval.
Within the last six months, the City Council implemented a new policy that stated before action can be taken on a resolution, it must be submitted the Friday before the council meeting. Therefore, Marsh’s resolution could not be voted on at the Feb. 4 meeting. Marsh submitted a copy of the proposed resolution to the city’s Legal Department and requested it be put on the agenda of the next council meeting, which was to be this past week.
When the City Council agenda came out this past Monday, Marsh’s resolution was not on the agenda. On Wednesday, city attorney Joseph Sherman issued a memo addressed to Roberts and the council members stating that the council does not have the authority to rescind the hiring of Corea.
“Generally the executive branch is responsible for the administration of all employees’ matters, including hiring and firing,” read the memo. “Unless authorized by statue, the legislative branch cannot interfere with a hiring determination of the executive branch of the city.”
The statute requires the council to approve the hiring of those employees with a director’s title, but the mayor has the authority to hire all lower-ranking positions.
At Wednesday night’s City Council meeting, Sherman said Marsh’s proposed resolution to demand the mayor to rescind the hiring “is inappropriate” and is “stepping on the feet” of the administration. He said Marsh’s resolution would have to be rewritten, and that it would only be “advisory in nature.”
City Councilman Christopher Campos, who is aligned with the mayor, said the council’s role is to give advice to the mayor and the administration, but shouldn’t dictate who is employed. “The mayor should have the authority to hire those people that he is comfortable working with on a day-to-day basis,” said Campos.
Not allowed to vote
Marsh tersely asked why Sherman didn’t contact her with his concerns before Wednesday night. Her concern was that Sherman purposely dragged his feet so that it would not be placed on the agenda.
Sherman said he had not finished his research until “earlier that day” and that it was Marsh who never followed up with him until Wednesday night’s meeting.
Marsh attempted to make what she deemed “minor changes” so the resolution would be a “recommendation” instead a “directive.” But Council President Ruben Ramos told her, “We’re not going to vote on something that was not on the agenda.”
A short and animated debate between the two factions on the council ensued.
“You just don’t want to vote on this,” said Councilman Tony Soares to Councilman A. Nino Giacchi. “I’m not going to vote on a resolution that hasn’t been presented beforehand,” replied Giacchi.
Russo said this is not the first time an anti-Roberts council member submitted legislation that hasn’t made it to the agenda. “It’s a slap in the face to the councilpersons that aren’t aligned with the mayor,” said Russo. “Now we’re going to have to wait another two weeks before we can vote on this issue.”
Power struggle
Wednesday night, City Business Administrator Robert Drasheff said the head of the parking utility should be a “supervisor instead of an executive director.”
He added the title for this supervisor can be “management specialist or a number of other titles.”
Marsh and the council minority said since it was the council that approved the creation of the Parking Utility, it should be the body that hires the HPU’s highest ranking employee. She added hiring Corea at a lesser title is nothing more than a way to get around having to debate the hiring on the council.
What does a council minority have to gain by putting this non-binding resolution forward?
“We want to make the mayor’s council members take a stand and put their opinion of this hiring on the record,” said Russo.
He added this also creates the opportunity to have public discussion about the hiring of Corea.