WEST NEW YORK, NORTH BERGEN, AND BEYOND – West New York Commissioner Count Wiley has stayed clear of the scandal that ensnared his father, former North Bergen Department of Public Works Superintendent James Wiley, until yesterday.
A citizens’ group that is politically opposed to the current North Bergen administration claimed yesterday that two West New York DPW workers have signed letters stating they saw several North Bergen DPW workers painting Commissioner Wiley’s Town Hall office last fall.
Mario Blanch, an attorney for the North Bergen Concerned Citizens Group, held a press conference earlier this week during which he handed out incriminating statements against West New York Commissioner Count Wiley. The statements, apparently written by West New York Department of Public Works (DPW) workers, claimed they witnessed North Bergen DPW workers painting Wiley’s office.
This came shortly after Wiley’s father and former North Bergen DPW Superintendent James Wiley pleaded guilty to using his department workers to do work on his personal home on town time.
County Wiley responded that the workers did paint his ceiling, and that they did it as part of a shared services program between the two towns.
Wiley’s assistant announced that the commissioner will hold a press conference Thursday, Sept. 4 at 3 p.m. at Wiley’s campaign headquarters located at 58th Street and Hudson Avenue in West New York. He plans to further address the allegations.