There was good news and bad news for Mayor-Elect David Roberts’ transition last week. Roberts appointed state Sen. Bernard Kenny to head his transition team, a group that will work until July to smooth the change in city leaders. But Roberts and his supporters had to contend with what they believed were last-minute attempts last week by supporters of outgoing Mayor Anthony Russo to give generous contracts to certain workers.
At Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting, the board extended Superintendent of Schools Patrick Gagliardi’s contract for five years. Roberts and Kenny charged that this was a thinly veiled attempt by the outgoing administration to reward someone whom they believe to be a Russo supporter, and Kenny sent a letter to the commissioner of education complaining about the move. The board countered that Gagliardi’s contract was up in March and that the long-term contract was given because he has been doing a good job.
At Wednesday’s City Council meeting, an ordinance that would renew the city’s contract with the Hoboken Police Department was tabled by Council President Nellie Moyeno. While it did not make it to a vote, Roberts felt that it was an attempt by the Russo administration to slip through an expensive new contract, leaving Roberts to foot the bill. Both School board of Education President David Anthony and Mayor Anthony Russo denied that the contract moves were political. Russo said Thursday that he is willing to help facilitate Roberts’ transition, but that he as of yet he has not heard from Roberts or any members of his Hoboken United team. Gagliardi contract extended
At Tuesday night’s School Board of Education Meeting, the board voted 9-0 to extend School Superintendent Gagliardi’s contract for five years. According to officials, the new contract includes a 5 percent cost of living increase which comes out to about $7,000 a year and will make his new salary approximately $132,000 per fiscal year, up from $125,000. According to David Anthony, Gagliardi’s contract expired March 14. Anthony said that the school board would have been required under state law to give one year’s notice if they planned not to renew his contract. If notice is not given, the agreement is automatically renewed under the old terms. Anthony said that other superintendents have gotten five-year contracts, and that giving a superintendent a long-term contract removes him from politics. “This is a good move for the public school children of Hoboken,” said Anthony. “He has gotten rave reviews from parents, students, and staff members and deserves our confidence. With history of working for the children and the fact that there was no public opposition [in the pubic potion of Tuesday’s meeting] it was only logical that the measure passed by a 9-0 vote.” Anthony said that the agenda made available the day before noted that the contract would be up for renewal. Gagliardi has been in the Hoboken school system for 38 years. Along the way, he was a fourth grade teacher at the Connors School for 15 years, the vice principal of the Wallace School for 5 years, and then moved on to principal for 12 years. He has also worked as a reading specialist and vice principal at the Connors School for three years and finally has served the last three years as superintendent. Gagliardi was called several times by the Reporter but was not available for comment. The Hoboken schools are currently under investigation by the state Commissioner of Education in reference to the use of student identification numbers and homeroom numbers on Russo’s political flyers. This, along with the timing of the contract extension, caused Sen. Kenny, Roberts’ transition leader and supporter, to send a letter Thursday protesting the contract to Commissioner of Education Vito Gagliardi. In the letter he states, “It is extremely inappropriate and unethical that a contract renewal of this magnitude is delivered by a defeated administration during a transition period without consulting the incoming administration.” Neither the school system nor the nine-member volunteer Board of Education that oversees it is part of City Hall, but those on the board right now were elected with Russo’s backing. In Kenny’s complaint, he also makes reference to the ongoing investigation and adds, “This latest development, where Superintendent Gagliardi receives the maximum contract, must be viewed in the context of the unlawful appropriation of students’ personal identification data for campaign purposes which the superintendent either permitted or negligibly overlooked. To my knowledge, the superintendent has taken no action to investigate and hold those responsible accountable.” However, Gagliardi two weeks ago decried the use of the students’ numbers on the mailings and said that he would investigate to find out who requested the student information. Kenny asked the commissioner to render the contract null and void pending a full investigation of the ethical complaints on file and the ethical issues raised by the superintendent’s new contract. Likewise, mayor-elect David Roberts echoed Sen. Kenny’s anger at the school board’s passing of a contract extension. “This is a slap in the face to the voters of Hoboken,” said Roberts Thursday. “I think that with a 40 million dollar budget and a limited number of students we should be doing much better.” Anthony defended the board’s decision by saying that every member of the board voted for the contract, not just the Russo supporters. He also said that while Roberts is complaining about the contract extension, he has not presented an alternative candidate, nor has he contacted the board with his concerns. Anthony, who served as Mayor Anthony Russo’s campaign manager, said that he called Roberts after May 8’s election to give him congratulations on his victory, but his call was not returned. Anthony also argued that there were Roberts supporters present at Tuesday’s meeting but none voiced any objections to the new contract. “The [the School Board of Ed] was set up to be autonomous from the mayor’s office and in [Roberts’] campaigning they kept touting that [the Russo administration] held too much control over different city agencies,” Anthony said. “Now here they are, before they even take office, trying to go over the head of an elected board who is doing the job that they were elected to do. Under law, this is solely our decision.” Anthony said he’s willing to sit down and talk to any member of the Roberts transition team about the schools. “I’m here to work with everybody,” he said. No new police contract – for now
In a story that wasn’t, a new contract for the police department was tabled before Wednesday’s City Council meeting. At the caucus before the actual meeting, council president Moyeno said that she could not with a good conscience allow the council to vote on such an expensive measure so close to a new administration taking office. According to the proposed resolution, the city would approve a three-year contract with the city police officers’ union and it would include a 4.25 percent pay hike. According to city officials, the police contract will be ready for council approval by the next meeting, and council members will be able to vote to accept or decline the increase. Even though it didn’t pass, Roberts ripped Public Safety Director George Crimmins and the administration for even proposing such an ordnance. “It is despicable that [my administration] should be saddled with big cost before I even take office,” said Robert Thursday. “The next month is not a time to be giving out new contracts, and hiking up salaries. A big salary increase in not the prudent thing to do right now. But I do want to make it clear that in any negotiations I will stand behind the [police department] and maintain the total manpower and the table of organization. But they are going to have to be flexible on their next contract.” Crimmins did not return phone calls seeking comment. Kenny named to head transition
Thursday, Hoboken United announced that Roberts has named Sen. Kenny the chairman of his mayoral transition team. In this role, the senator will be responsible for selecting the members of the transition team, which will be charged with staffing key positions within the Roberts Administration. “It’s an honor to chair David Roberts’ transition team,” Kenny said. “I consider the task ahead a challenge, but it’s a welcome challenge. I’m looking forward to getting right to work.” According to Mayor Russo, Roberts has not contacted him yet but he is willing to assist if he is asked. “They have not contacted me and I wonder if they realize the monumental effort that this office takes,” said Russo from his office. “It’s a really tough position and they should get a jump start.” As for Russo, he added that he is not going to be overly active in his last month. “I’m going to be laid back and tie up a couple loose ends,” he said. “Little things like finishing loose ends with a couple of affordable housing projects, but other than that not much, and definitely nothing major. In fact I am probably going to take a vacation. I haven’t taken one in my eight years and I think it might be time to take a day or two off.”
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