Recently, four new freeholders joined the nine-member Hudson County Board of Freeholders, a legislative body that votes on issues such as the county budget, county roads, the jail, county schools, and personnel.
In the most significant change of membership since at least the 1990s, these members – Kenneth Kopacz (representing Bayonne and some of Jersey City), Gerry Balmir Jr. (Jersey City), Anthony Vainieri Jr. (North Bergen and Secaucus), and Caridad Rodriguez (West New York, Weehawken, Guttenberg) – were sworn in after having been elected in November.
E. Junior Maldonado was elected board chairman. He had replaced Eliu Rivera as a member, who retired last year. Tilo Rivas was elected vice chair, and Vainieri was given vice chairman, the third ranking position on the board.
The addition of the four members reflects shifts in political power in Hudson County and marks a possible change in the direction of the board from the last decade, in particular Jersey City.
Political implications
The change in leadership reflects the influence of three of the most powerful political figures in the county, with Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop represented by Maldonado, state Sen. and Union City Mayor Brian Stack represented by Rivas, and state Sen. and North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco represented by Vainieri.
In particular, Fulop, who swore in Maldonado, Freeholder Bill O’Dea, and Balmir, gained a louder voice on the board.
On the agenda for the new board are two huge construction projects, the building of a new School of Technology in Secaucus, and a new county court complex in Jersey City.
O’Dea and others have also committed the next term to dealing with the larger than expected population of homeless in the county.
A historic occasion
The nine freeholders took their oaths of office in the rotunda of the historic Brennan Courthouse on Newark Avenue in Jersey City, with the usual hoopla of flag waving and grand speeches.
U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, who gave a keynote speech and also officiated over the swearing in of Freeholder Anthony Romano, predicted Hudson County is poised for an era of great prosperity.
“It has been gifted by God to be located near New York City,” he said. “But it will take hard work, vision and leadership to realize that potential.”
Menendez said he believed the current members of the board, working with County Executive Tom DeGise, have what it takes to make that vision a reality.
“These four new freeholders bring new life and great assets to this board,” he said, noting that each comes from a different background and brings different expertise.
Kopacz, who replaces outgoing Freeholder Doreen DiDomenico in District 1 representing all of Bayonne and a portion of Jersey City, used a baseball metaphor to describe his role on the freeholders when he compared them to teammates.
“I will never let politics stand in the way of good government,” he said.
O’Dea represents District 2 in Jersey City and has been on the board since 1997. He said he will focus on homelessness, and challenged the board and the county executive to find homes for homeless veterans in Hudson County.
Balmir, who represents District 3 in Jersey City, vowed to make county government relevant to how people live in Hudson County.
“I have my dad’s name, and I’m going to live up to it,” he said.
Maldonado, who represents District 4 in downtown Jersey City, said in 1997 a blood clot the size of a grapefruit was found inside of him. He said he not only survived, but learned the real meaning of second chances. He also joked about losing his council seat to Fulop in 2005.
“Soon I may be able to say I lost my seat to the governor of New Jersey,” he said, alluding to speculation that Fulop may announce a gubernatorial bid if Gov. Christopher Christie resigns to seek the Republican nomination for president in 2016.
Romano, who represents District 5 in Hoboken and a portion of Jersey City, said he never forgot where he came from. He promised to work with the board to get its ambitious agenda accomplished.
Rivas, presenting District 6 in Union City, also promised to work with the board as he has in the past.
New as a freeholder, but not to public office, Rodriguez, who represents District 7 in West New York, Weehawken and Guttenberg, is a former state assemblywoman and commissioner in West New York.
“A lot has been given to me and I have to give back,” she said. “I’m a people person. I want to work with the board to make Hudson County better.”
Vainieri, who represents District 8 in North Bergen and a portion of Secaucus, is chief of staff to Sacco. He boasted that he, too, is a Jersey City freeholder because several blocks of his district are in the most northern portion of the city. He said he intends to pick up the challenge of being a freeholder to help build the new technical high school, the county court house, and make improvements to Braddock County Park in North Bergen.
Al Cifelli, who represents District 9 that includes most of Secaucus and the three towns in western Hudson County, paid tribute to past freeholders who left office this year, and to late Hoboken Freeholder Maurice Fitzgibbons, who over the last decade helped recreate the freeholder board and make it an equal partner in governing the county.
“I will never let politics stand in the way of good government.” – Kenneth Kopacz
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He said just prior to when he took office, the freeholder board was less than equal to the county executive, and those coming on board this year have inherited a board has worked side by side with the county executive’s office.
“This is an evolving board,” he said. “We are no longer the weak sister, but an equal partner.”
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.