Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Monday, December 14, 2015
Weehawken ordered to complete new tax map by July 2016 in reval case
NJ.com, 10-Dec-15
By Steve Strunsky
A state judge has ordered Weehawken to complete a new tax map by July 2016, a necessary step in what would be the township's first revaluation in 23 years, the mayor and plaintiffs in a lawsuit confirmed.
The tax map deadline order is the latest update in a suit filed last year charging that Weehawken's failure to conduct a revaluation updating assessments on older properties while assessing new ones at market value has created an unfair tax burden on waterfront property owners.
The four named plaintiffs, who include retired New York Giants great Amani Toomer, are among 175 members of the Concerned Citizens of Weehawken, a group made up of property owners at the Bronwstones at Port Imperial, Henley on Hudson, Riva Point and Avenues waterfront developments.
"Our expert and lawyer were able to successfully challenge the arguments for not completing the revaluation," the citizens group said in a statement. "Our lawyer was able to identify to the judge that there is essentially one person working on the revaluation project and the correct resources have not been allocated to getting it completed."
"The judge informed all parties that she would be signing an order that the tax maps must be completed by July 2016," the statement added. "As part of the same order, it dictates that the appraisal company must also be hired by June 2016 such that the revaluation can be completed effective for calendar year 2017."
The judge is Mary Siobhan Brennan of New Jersey Tax Court, who had already ruled that the revaluation itself must be completed by 2017. The Tax Court administrator in Trenton, Mary Ryan, declined to comment.
Turner confirmed that Brennan imposed the tax map deadline on Tuesday.
Brennan's order followed an unusual proceeding in the case that morning, when the township sponsored a bus tour of Weehawken's residential neighborhoods and commercial districts, hoping to demonstrate the complexity of drafting a new tax map and conducting a revaluation, and the impracticality of the judge's deadlines.
For example, Turner said many condominium buildings in Weehawken are now plotted as a single property on tax maps, either because they were industrial space or apartment complexes, but they would now have to be broken down and mapped as individual properties under current state rules.
"It's very complicated," said Turner. "You have to list each condo, not just the building."
In addition, Turner said about a third of Weehawken's total area, mainly along the waterfront, had been newly developed into townhouses or condominiums where there was once vacant land.
A spokesman for the citizen's group said the township had invited the judge to take the bus tour, but she declined.
Turner, who would not say whether Brennan took the tour, said the township would do its best to comply with the deadlines.
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Weehawken Attorney: Insurance ‘Paying Every Penny’ of $747k DeCosmis Settlement
Hudson County View, 7-Dec-15
By John Heinis
In light of a $747,000 settlement between Weehawken and Police Lt. Richard DeCosmis, Township Attorney Richard Venino says although it wasn’t the best case scenario, insurance is “paying every penny” in the matter.
“That’s the whole reason for the settlement was approved, that the insurance company is paying every penny of that,” Venino told Hudson County View over the phone last week.
“We have no control when the insurance company gets to that point. They were always very confident in our position, but the case went on for seven years. We’re talking three lawsuits. If any claim in the federal suit is sustained, they can be liable for the attorney’s fees on the other side. That’s a bigger risk than normal.”
“They let us know: ‘We want to settle, do you approve?’ If we say no, that shifts the risk to us. They’re the pros on that kind of stuff,” Venino added.
Hudson County View first reported on the settlement last week, which brought a conclusion to three lawsuits from DeCosmis, as well as pending disciplinary action from the police department against the lieutenant.
DeCosmis alleged that Mayor Richard Turner and the building department engaged in repeated instances of political retaliation, while the police department alleged DeCosmis abused his authority during an incident with a building inspector where both men filed police complaint against one another.
As of this writing, no other media outlet has released a copy of the settlement.
As we previously reported, DeCosmis earned $138,820 in 2014, according to public records – not including overtime – and is entitled to a 15 percent salary increase effective effective October 26, 2016.
Therefore, DeCosmis will earn $159,643 between late October 2016 and late October 2017. His retirement is effective November 1, 2017 and he is on terminal leave until then.
While it can be argued that DeCosmis’ settlement actually earned him over $1 million, given his salary, Venino said it is important to note that the settlement is the result of over seven years of litigation so a significant portion of those figures are likely going towards legal fees.
Another provision of the settlement is that DeCosmis can never work for the Township of Weehawken again.
“It’s in the best interest of the town he does not return to work here. Working here, he has already filed three lawsuits. We can’t let that trend continue, we must eliminate all potential of him continuing litigation,” Venino explained.
“It’s very difficult when people have lawsuits pending for such a long time … disciplining him became a problem. He should’ve been subject to discipline, but since he’s in a lawsuit, it’s this never-ending battle. Difficult for the police to maintain decorum and understanding in the police department.”
Venino also stated that DeCosmis was “hell bent” on filing lawsuits, even though he was in the wrong in certain situations – evidenced by him paying a fine for doing construction on a property without the proper permits.
Louis Zayas, DeCosmis’ attorney in the matter, declined to elaborate on the settlement.
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Mayor Turner Takes $90K 6-month Contract with Town of West NY
14-Nov-15, NJ.com
By Laura Herzog
Since Nov. 1, Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner has been working as a consultant in West New York, charged with not just mold remediation, but cutting costs, overseeing other projects, and applying for road-paving and open space funds.
Turner said the $90,000, six-month contract he's landed with the nearby town isn't a conflict of interest, and said it is aimed at saving money.
"I will save West New York more than what they're paying me. We already hit the (roughly $60,000) mark (in savings)," Turner, 65, said. "There's not a question in my mind they'll save more than what they're paying."
He said he already started working for the town this fall, without pay, offering advice on different projects to officials he knows in West New York. Turner also said he is taking a six-month unpaid leave of absence from his other job, as district director for U.S. Congressman Albio Sires (D), to take on this job.
In addition to handling mold remediation, Turner said he will oversee a fix of city hall's "major water infiltration issue," which he said will need costly renovations to repair the damage and prevent further water seepage, likely more than $100,000.
He said he is also managing requests for proposals to find an architectural firm to determine how to seal the outside of the building to prevent more water from coming in, and going out to bid to hire a contractor to fix the roof.
Though Turner called himself an "expert" who could help manage these projects in West New York, several residents said they had questions about his contract.
"The fact that we accept that as a viable reality flies in the face of (rationality)...The reality in which these people live is so skewed and so corrupt," said West New York resident Jon Evans. "Why is this man necessary?"
Turner's appointment seems like political patronage, he said: "(Local politicians) nurture each other, they owe each other, and then they give each other jobs that they're not necessarily qualified to do."
Ronald Scheurle, who recently ran against an administration-backed slate in the West New York school board elections on Nov. 3, said he plans to speak to the town about the contract.
"Turner was a capable business administrator, but I have questions to ask the mayor and the commissioners," he said.
West New York Mayor Felix Roque declined comment on Turner's role.
Turner, who has been the mayor of Weehawken for 25 years and said he is collecting an $8,000 a year salary as mayor, is retired after 25 years of public service in N.J. He noted that his service included spending 1995 to 2006 working in West New York as a business administrator when Sires was the town's mayor. Turner is currently collecting a pension of around $70,000 a year, he said.
He also volunteered as a consultant in West New York for several months when Roque was elected, he said, and Roque and several commissioners approached him this year about the new contract work.
"I work basically 24/7 in one role or another and it all gets done," Turner said. "I have become an expert in how local government works."
Despite the recent resignation of West New York's former business administrator, Turner is not acting in that role, a town spokeswoman said. Turner agreed, and added that his role will come at a cheaper cost than replacing the administrator would.
"They're saving the fringe benefits, and (my contract fee is) less than they were paying the previous administrator (at $196,000 a year)," he said. "This can be indeed more complicated and more intricate (than business administration)."
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Friday, November 27, 2015
Weehawken appoints new schools superintendent
Hudson Reporter, 25-Nov-2015
Dr. Robert R. Zywicki was unanimously appointed at the Nov. 24 meeting of the Board of Education as Weehawken Township’s new superintendent of schools. He will be responsible for the operations of the PreK12 school district.
Dr. Zywicki currently serves as the assistant superintendent of the High Point Regional School District in Sussex, and previously served as High Point’s Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology.
He began his career as a middle school social studies teacher in the Bayonne Public Schools. He taught history and coached lacrosse at Voorhees High School in Northern Hunterdon County. Dr. Zywicki gained recognition as an AP Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics teacher at Montgomery High School in Skillman.
While an AP Economics teacher at Montgomery, he was selected to serve as an AP Reader for The College Board, contributed to the Council for Economic Education’s AP Macroeconomics Teacher's Manual, and developed assessments for Paul Krugman’s Economics for AP.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers College of Rutgers University and a Master of Arts and Doctor of Education degrees from Saint Peter’s University.
Currently, he serves on the Governor's Standards Review English Language Arts Committee that is tailoring the Common Core State Standards to meet the needs of New Jersey’s students.
Dr. Zywicki is an adjunct at Saint Peter’s University and has taught at Rutgers University’s Center for Effective School Practices. He is a frequent presenter for the Foundation for Educational Administration on project based and blended learning and a consultant to several districts to train educators on how to increase blended learning via Google Apps for Education.
He and his wife, Melanie, have four children. Dr. Zywicki will start his new position in Weehawken when released from his current school district.
Dr. Zywicki regularly leverages social media to engage students, parents and community stakeholders. He can be followed on Twitter at @ZywickiR.
Monday, November 23, 2015
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Weehawken and Union City Team Up to Save Reservoir
Hudson Report, 4-Oct-15
By Al Sullivan
Holding a party for a reservoir might seem a little odd.
But for residents and public officials in Weehawken and Union City, preserving a 14.4-acre former reservoir near the border of both cities is a big deal. The towns closed down a portion of Palisades Avenue on Sept. 24 to celebrate. People danced or sang. Kids climbed onto various amusement rides. Many visitors took a stroll around the reservoir to admire the wildlife as well as the view of the New York Skyline.
“The property could have been sold for development,” said Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner. “There were plenty of offers from developers.”
But he said the site offered a good opportunity as a public amenity, a park with walkway in a part of Hudson County that is already densely populated.
Turner reached out to state Senator and Union City Mayor Brian Stack to see if they could come up with a plan to purchase the property.
Known Hackensack Reservoir No. 2, the property is located on the Weehawken side of Palisades Avenue.
“Even though it is in Weehawken, this will benefit residents of Union City,” Stack said.
Although built in the 19th Century, the reservoir property hasn’t been in operation since 1996. But it has been reconfigured into a passive park with benches and a rail around the perimeter.
“This is the largest preservation project in North Hudson in the last 50 years.” – Richard Turner
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“There is a lot of water,” Turner said. “And it will provide a place for people to sit or walk. If they need to contemplate something, they can do it there.”
Turner said United Water originally owned the property and offered to sell it for $11 million.
“Through a combination of grants and low interest loans we were able to buy the property,” Turner said.
This included an $8.66 million low interest loan from The Trust for Public Land, a national, non-profit organization that has worked with landowners, funders and townships across the nation since 1972.
The loan – three quarters of which is at 0 percent interest, and one quarter of which carries between 1 and 2 percent interest – will be split by both parties. The loan’s projected payoff will take 20 years.
The project also received a $2 million grant from the state’s Green Acres – a program under N.J.’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) dedicated to funding land conservation and recreational resources.
Both towns kicked in to fill in the rest of the sale price, and they will split the cost of maintaining the park. Maintenance cost is estimated at about $600,000 annually.
“This is good for the residents of both our towns,” said Stack.
The agreement with NJ State DEP guarantees that the reservoir will be preserved indefinitely as a park.
The reservoir is bordered by Washington Street, Gregory Avenue, Highpoint Avenue, and 20th Street.
“This is what government is supposed to be doing,” Stack said. “This will be felt by the public.”
The reservoir will be open to the public in the morning, guarded by security, and closed after dusk with no nighttime access or lighting.
“This is a great moment for Union City and Weehawken,” Turner said. “This is the largest preservation project in North Hudson in the last 50 years.”
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Weehawken HS Brings Back Girls Tennis, Cross Country
The Jersey Journal, 26-Sep-15
By William Harrigan
With its athletics program classified in Group 1 for decades now, Weehawken is consistently one of the smallest high schools in Hudson County.
However, the Indians have added two new sports to the card this year, and so far the results have been very promising.
Cross country and girls tennis — both offered in the past but later discontinued — are back this year and already in the midst of their respective seasons, with the girls tennis squad taking on a JV schedule in 2015.
In just one month, interest and numbers have tripled for Kyle Mahoney's cross country squad. Back in late August, the Indians had only four runners in the entire program.
"We are up to 13 kids in the program, and the breakdown is five girls and eight boys," Mahoney said. "Once school started and students realized that we actually had a team, there was an incredible amount of interest in the program. We are definitely gaining momentum."
While the Indians went 0-3 in its inaugural outing — a quad meet with Dwight-Englewood, Hasbrouck Heights and Paterson Charter — they received a strong performance from senior Michael Stepkovich, who finished in 20th place.
"Michael has been our fastest runner so far. He actually played football before, so he's a very athletic kid and has been very serious about improving his times," Mahoney said.
Weehawken's fast improvement was evident in its team scores at its second NJIC quad meet, when the team fell to North Arlington, 36-21, and St. Mary's of Rutherford, 38-19. The first victory for the program came via a forfeit over Paterson Charter.
On the girls side, Weehawken's fastest performance of the season came from Miriam Janssen, who ran a 29:06 on that first NJIC race day. Fellow runner Isabel Jeffoni's fastest time to this point is 48 seconds off that pace, which she accomplished in the Season Opener Invitiational in Mahwah on Sept. 12. Teammate Alexa Castellano finished close behind Jeffoni on the day.
Diane Clarke — an English teacher at Weehawken — is piloting the girls tennis side, and has already experienced some success. Weehawken is 1-2 on the JV circuit, with senior Nicole Primero sitting at 3-0 in first singles. The Indians' victory came against Secaucus' JV squad. The sides have split a pair of matches to this point.
"The team will play nine JV matches this season, and we plan to have a full varsity team for next year," Clarke said. "Right now, we have eight girls in the program, so we have a full lineup and an alternate player."
With only two seniors on the club, Clarke plans to add more depth to the squad moving forward.
"A lot of our players have younger siblings who will probably join the team, and kids who are interested in tennis and want to play, now can," she said.
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Weehawken High School Welcomes New Art Studio and Technology Lab with 3 D Printers
20-Sep-15, Hudson Reporter
By Steven Rodas
On a sunny afternoon at Weehawken High School, several students were using math to figure out a balloon-powered car, while Tyler Williams and Angel Vives were waiting for their designs to be 3-D printed.
The two 14-year-old freshmen who hope for a future in technology – one as a computer programmer and the other as an engineer – decided to pass the time designing keychains.
“This is our first project ever, second day with [the technology] and it’s pretty easy to use,” said Tyler.
“Yeah, I like it. I’m making myself a key chain just because I can,” added Angel.
The highly-tech classroom is part of the high school’s new 1,500 square-foot STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) lab which was unveiled this past Wednesday, Sept. 16 for the new school year.
For those new to 3-D printing, also called additive manufacturing, it entails the process of making three dimensional objects out of metal or plastic from a digital file.
In addition to a total of three 3-D printers, the lab features four desktop computers, 16 laptops, and an interactive SmartBoard.
_____________
“This technology shows them how the concepts they learn in the math classrooms and science classrooms can be used to solve real world problems…” – Leigh Ann Murduca
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The new lab will offer four sections of STEAM education for students’ grades 9 through 12 and an introductory STEAM course for eighth graders – teaching students how to work collaboratively to solve problems using the latest cutting-edge technology.
“This technology shows them how the concepts they learn in the math classrooms and science classrooms can be used to solve real world problems or make real world designs,” said Leigh Ann Murduca, who is entering her fifth year as a math teacher at Weehawken High School.
How was it possible?
The Weehawken School District Educational Foundation received $80,000 in donated money from community members in the past year or so to fund the new STEAM lab. The Weehawken Board of Education President Richard Barsa also credited the milestone to Mayor Richard Turner, local parents and the Board of Education.
“We are starting out with a bang in the foundation’s first bequest of the STEAM Lab,” said Barsa, “but it’s just the first of many towards our goal of making the Weehawken school system the finest in the country.”
Barsa noted, during the unveiling ceremony, that Weehawken Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Fitzsimons was also a key player in the efforts to create the labs.
The district has also made some recent changes to the curriculum including re-designing the classrooms as interactive learning centers, adding Spanish language instruction at the elementary level, revising class duration to last 56 minutes versus 40, and re-purposing the education of disabled students.
The high school will also expand the Interscholastic Athletic Program to add cross-country, track & field, and tennis teams.
Ceramics, fashion, theatre and more
Exiting the high school’s new STEAM lab, one doesn’t need to look far to find the new art room which is directly next door.
“There’s a real synergism here between the science, technology, engineering, and the art because when you think about good engineering…there’s an aesthetic to it,” said Superintendent Fitzsimons. “Often they’re in competition [between] the hard academics and the art. This is a real nice blending of both.”
The new 3,200 square-foot art room will include a ceramic studio and student gallery – providing students with hands-on learning on pottery wheels and ceramic kilns.
“It’s been an amazing transformation, if you look around there’s before pictures on a lot of stuff. This room has been very underutilized and now I have so much more [like] costume design area where the kids can build,” Elizabeth McParland told The Weehawken Reporter during a tour on Wednesday.
McParland, who has been working at the high school for the past eight years, instructed students on achieving optical illusion on canvas during the tour using the classroom’s new SmartBoard.
The high school will also offer new courses such as Costume Design, Fashion Design, Arts and Crafts, and Theater Arts and Drama courses – with the chance to learn about production, playwriting and acting.
“We took a two-pronged approach to improving the already exceptional education that Weehawken students receive by making substantive upgrades in curriculum and facilities,” added Fitzsimons. “These improvements are just the beginning; we have a lot of other exciting plans in the works.”
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Authorities Blame Burglary Spike in Weehawken on Homeless Population
NJ.com, 28-Aug-15
By Kathryn Brenzel
Township officials blame a recent uptick in the homeless population for a recent spike in burglaries, but an analysis of police data shows that break-ins are about on track with last year's figures.
Weehawken saw at least eight residential and four car burglaries in July, according to police reports. The number of burglaries in buildings in July 2015 is double what the township saw last year—eight this year versus four in 2014. However, the number of burglaries between January and July this year are pretty much on track with those reported during the same period in 2014—24 this year, versus 27 last year—so it remains to be seen if the township will finish out the year with more burglaries in buildings than previous years.
Mayor Richard Turner said the fact that the number of burglaries so far this year nearly match the number from last year is "irrelevant." He said the township was heading toward a decrease in burglaries from last year until the sudden spike in July. What's key, he said, is the sudden burst of more burglaries over the course of a few weeks.
"It's not just the numbers, which is bad enough," he said. "It's the concentration in a short period of time."
Over the past five years, burglaries in the township have remained fairly steady in the mid-30s to high 40s, down significantly from a spike in 2008, when Weehawken reported 76 break-ins, according to New Jersey State Police Uniform Crime Data. (Note: State police data does not include car burglaries. Weehawken has not yet reported its burglary data to state Police for July 2015, so the total of 24 burglaries was calculated using police reports provided by the township.)
Public Safety Director Jeff Welz said the jump in burglaries in July this year is partially due to a sudden increase in homeless individuals from outside the township.
"Weehawken is a small town. We've seen a strong increase of people we've never seen before," he said. "Cops in the streets are seeing unfamiliar faces."
The influx of "aggressive" homeless individuals is evident in a slew of arrests made in July, said Deputy Director Thomas White. Police arrested 19 individuals—for drug possession, burglary and other offenses—14 of whom were homeless, he said. Some of the burglaries involved vandalism, including three homes that were tagged with white spray paint, two of which also had bricks thrown through the windows, according to police reports. The homeowner in one burglary on Bonn Place was allegedly assaulted by the burglar.
Police reports only indicate that one of the individuals arrested had a shelter address—the Hoboken Homeless Shelter—but White said most of the car and residential burglaries have been linked to homeless individuals. He expects to charge some of the individuals already arrested with additional burglaries.
Turner partially blamed Palisades Residence Corporation in Union City (PERC) for the sudden increase in homeless individuals in the township. He said the shelter opened a second floor—60 additional beds—without consulting local authorities. The expansion, combined with a shuttle that ran to the Union City shelter, led to several individuals, who weren't permitted to stay at other shelters in the area spending time and, in some cases, committing crimes in Weehawken, Turner said.
"You just can't move more violent or aggressive people around the county," he said. "You can't do things willy-nilly without consulting with the local authorities."
PERC Executive Director Carol Mori hasn't returned phone and email messages seeking comment placed over the course of several weeks.
Hudson County suspended certain funding to PERC on July 31 because the shelter didn't have the proper local approvals to open up its second floor, said Jim Kennelly, county spokesman. As a result, the shuttles are also no longer running from Journal Square and Hoboken to the Union City shelter, he said. The shuttles were intended to transport individuals to get services at the shelter, but the visitors ended up staying, he said. From April to July, PERC received $63,000 of the $163,867.50 awarded to the shelter through three resolutions passed by the Board of Chosen Freeholders, Kennelly said.
He said the county only recently learned of complaints of "aggressive" homeless individuals in Weehawken and were not the impetus for halting funding to PERC.
Turner said the township is willing to help homeless individuals, but a distinction must be made between the usual crowd the township sees and the people accused of the burglaries. He said the increase in "aggressive" individuals also poses a quality of life problem for residents.
"You open your door and a homeless person jumps out at you, it's not a pleasant experience," he said.
Turner said the shuttle and the expansion were shut down, resulting in a "tremendous" decrease in the number of homeless individuals in the township throughout August.
Union City Mayor Brian Stack said he wasn't aware that the individuals committing the burglaries were coming from the shelter. He defended PERC, saying it provides a place for people who would otherwise be on the streets. He said the real issue is that all municipalities in the county need to contribute more financial assistance in helping homeless individuals in the county.
"It's a bigger issue than just police and burglaries. It's a social service issue. It comes down to all human beings: We've got to help each other out," he said. "They're not Union City's homeless. They're not Weehawken's homeless; they're Hudson County's homeless."
Jaclyn Cherubini, the executive director of the Hoboken Homeless Shelter, said she was not familiar with Weehawken's situation. She did, however, express doubts about the link between burglaries and the township's homeless population.
"I don't think there is a direct correlation between homelessness and burglary," she said. "I just don't believe that's true."
Welz said the season could also be a contributing factor to the jump in burglaries. Residents tend to leave their doors unlocked and their windows open during the summer time. Window air conditioning units can also allow burglars quick and easy access to a home. He said the department has increased patrols, but he also urged that residents be vigilant about securing their homes and vehicles.
"Anytime there's an uptick, it's incumbent on us to take action,'' Welz said. "Residents can't let their guard down. A lot of this is opportunity."
Friday, August 28, 2015
Weehawken Leaders Profile - Mayor Richard Turner
26-July-2015, NJ.com
By Kathryn Brenzel
Three decades ago, Weehawken's waterfront was an industrial wasteland and the fulcrum of government corruption. Much has changed in the wake of the township's darkest days—but not the person at the mayor's desk.
Richard F. Turner, 65, has been mayor for the past 25 years, facing little opposition to keep the job. His tenure is marked by dramatic changes in the township, most visibly the transformation of the waterfront.
Hallmarks of his administration include the introduction of NJ Transit's Light Rail, new parks and a new ferry station. He helped consolidate four municipal agencies to form the North Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue, and also pushed for Weehawken to receive its own zip code, which the township shared with Union City until 2001.
The mayor credits members of his team and the length of his term, in part, for his effectiveness. His consecutive terms have given him the time to plan out "mammoth" projects like the $2 billion redevelopment of Port Imperial and see them through to near completion.
"I think in an older urban area, there's a lot to be said for continuity," he said. "I'm sure there's people that think there's downfalls in that, having the same person in charge for 25 years. I'm not a believer in term limits because I think the public sets the terms. If the public doesn't want you around, they'll vote for someone else."
What critics say
Some complain that Turner's two decades in office have allowed him to consolidate his authority in every realm of the township. Turner counters that he's a hands-on mayor, just like any leader of an urban municipality who must address myriad issues.
"When you're mayor, you're like the town ombudsman. Whenever someone is told 'no' they make a beeline for their mayor," he said. "And so you're dealing with a variety of personal problems, and employment problems and housing problems and infrastructure problems."
Luis Zayas, an attorney well known for lobbing lawsuits at Hudson County municipalities and their leaders, has gone to bat against Turner numerous times. Zayas is currently representing Lt. Richard DeCosmis in a lawsuit that alleges that Turner and his political allies employ "mob-like" tactics to quash corruption allegations against the administration. In May 2014, the township settled a lawsuit filed by Zayas for $120,000. The township's former tax collector, John Fredericks, accused Turner in the lawsuit of overreaching his mayoral authority by illegally ordering high assessments of waterfront properties.
"Whenever anyone opposes him, he retaliates," Zayas said. "The mayor essentially controls and makes decisions on everything involving Weehawken."
David Corrigan, an attorney for the mayor, called the allegations false and said the court has rejected personal attacks launched by Zayas. He added that Turner is an effective mayor.
"How do you think he's stayed mayor for 25 years?" Corrigan said. "He's an effective leader of the town."
Intro to Weehawken
Turner started his career with the state Department of Community Affairs as an intern at age 23, eventually rising the ranks to serve as acting deputy director of the division of local governmental services. It was his role in Trenton that first brought him to Weehawken as the state-assigned township manager, and at the time, the township was a mess, plagued by financial troubles and a corrupt mayor.
In 1983, Weehawken Mayor Wally Lindsley was convicted of trying to extort hundreds of thousands of dollars from developers who planned to build factories—including a chicken processing plant—along the waterfront. A former close friend, state Sen. David Friedland, testified against Lindsley, saying the mayor had threatened to kill the chicken-plant developer, according to a New York Times article from the time. If politics in the county already seemed like mobster-movie fodder, Friedland went on to fake his own death in a scuba diving accident and remained on the lam until federal authorities tracked him to an island in the Indian Ocean.
It was in this climate that Turner moved to Weehawken, in the neighborhood known as the Heights, from Hazlet in Monmouth County. The state took control of Weehawken's finances in 1982, replacing its entire council.
"The waterfront was in chaos," Turner said. "There was an administration from '78 to '82 that put the town into fiscal jeopardy, nearly bankruptcy."
Weehawken was released from state control in 1983, and Turner stayed on as town manager through 1985. He served as business administrator in North Bergen, and then returned as township manager in 1989. When Mayor Stanley Iacono opted not to run for reelection in 1990, Turner stepped in.
"When you're involved you want to have some continuity, you want to have some stability," he said. "So the thinking back then was, if Stanley wasn't going to run again, then we would ask me to stay since I had been part of the whole process of restructuring the town and putting the town on the right path, along with a lot of good people. When you've got a good team going, you don't want to lose momentum."
Though he's been in Weehawken for more than two decades, he keeps a relatively low public profile. He's a fixture at local press conferences, but often plays a supportive role as others take the podium. He doesn't openly discuss his wife, Eileen, and their two children, Richard and Kaitlyn, wanting to keep their lives together private. But once he starts talking about the township, he becomes personable and will speak at length, his responses measured and informed by years of working in government.
His connections in Hudson County run deep. He's served as business administrator in North Bergen and West New York, and currently works as Congressman Albi Sires' district director. Turner said networking is essential to his job as mayor, and over the years he's built strong relationships with neighboring municipalities.
"If you want some advice for what's going on, you make a phone call to Richard Turner," said North Bergen Mayor and state Sen. Nick Sacco. "I know I can trust his judgment, and he knows he can trust mine."
Sires called Turner one of the "brightest" people in politics and a pro at municipal budget matters. He said Turner is a very "hands-on mayor" who has worked hard to make positive changes in the township.
"The continuity is very obvious. The town has moved forward," he said. "People that want a term-limit mayor, I always find them to be wannabes."
The congressman, however, did have one criticism for Turner: his penchant for tardiness.
"Which drives me crazy because I'm always punctual," he said. "I'm going to buy him a watch so he can be on time."
Pros and cons of long-term mayors
The only time Turner faced a full-slate opposition was in 2002. The election—like many Hudson County municipal elections —was ugly, with much of the tension surrounding plans for Port Imperial. The challengers, the Weehawken Initiative Now slate, criticized the scale of the development plan as excessive for the township's size. The team at the time also criticized Turner for exercising too much power over the township, according to a Jersey Journal article from the time.
Turner's team swept the elections, winning by more than a 3-to-1 margin.
Ben Goldman, who ran against Turner in 2002, didn't have much to say about Turner 13 years later. He said the mayor is well-liked in the township and particularly adept at providing services to residents.
"He's extraordinarily effective. It's obviously easier to be effective when you have no opposition," he said. "He's a very effective politician. He knows how to get in power and stay in power."
Weehawken isn't alone in having the same person in charge for an extended period of time. The state's longest-serving mayor, Gerald Calabrese, ran Cliffside Park for 51 years. Surf City Mayor Leonard Connors has served nearly 50 years, and Elmwood Park Mayor Richard Mola comes close with 44 years in office.
Benjamin Dworkin, political science professor at Rider University and director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics, said that Hudson County has a tradition of long-term mayors. Nick Sacco has clocked in 24 years as North Bergen's mayor, and Brian Stack has been mayor of Union City for nearly 15 years. Frank Hague, one of Jersey City's most powerful mayors, ran the city for 30 years. Frank Rodgers was mayor of Harrison for 48 years.
"It's part of the political culture," Dworkin said. "It's a very intense job to be mayor and not everybody wants to do it forever. In Hudson County, the mayors are strong mayors where they really run the show. So, once you're there, it may be hard to give up."
Mayors who can stay in office for an extended period of time are in touch with their constituents, Dworkin said. Someone who has a deep knowledge of a community can enact change but also maintain a sense of stability. Yet a long-term mayor may discourage newcomers from taking a shot at leading the municipality, he said.
Turner said he still enjoys the position and will let residents decide when it's time for him to leave office.
"As long as you're current, you're moving things forward, you stay involved, people will support you," Turner said. "When the day comes that they think that's not going to happen, they'll support someone else."
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Friday, June 5, 2015
WHS Students Compete in Simulated New York Stock Exchange Experience
31-May-15
By Asondra R. Hunter
With this in mind, several New Jersey high school students, abounding with solid business knowledge, recently competed in a simulated Wall Street stock market trading experience that mimicked what one would see at The New York Stock Exchange after the ringing of the opening bell at 9:30 a.m.
Teams of five from 20 top high schools – including Weehawken High and Hoboken High – had 90 minutes to decide which stocks they wanted to buy with virtual money. The objective was clear: make more profit with the million dollar portfolio than any other team while working inside the soundproof walls of Hanlon Financial Systems on the Stevens Institute of Technology campus.
Bronx Science placed first in the completion. Weehawken High School did not take home a trophy, but they did take home something they couldn’t carry – the ability to focus on a seemingly insurmountable goal without getting distracted. The Weehawken team, academically advanced juniors, brushed up on market trends prior to the competition.
They didn’t have a captain. Instead, each student held his or her own weight and was expected to contribute. Neidelyn Pina, Celeste Godoy, Dylan Henry Michaela Cruciani and Sebastian Solano participated in the event.
The students were selected by the school’s guidance counselor/anti-bullying specialist, Francesca Amato. She knows each of these students personally and was positive that they would rise to the occasion under pressure.
Teamwork!
Neidelyn Pina, focusing on business-related courses at Weehawken High School, was completely humbled by the experience and she hopes to come back next year to surpass this year’s end result.
“It gave us a lot of experience on how to work as a team and everyone got along well,” she explained.
“We trusted each other and we each had to use our strengths so that we could offer each other the best options possible,” said Celeste Godoy.
Elaborating on what they had learned, Dylan Henry, proud to be on the Weehawken team, admitted, “It is not easy picking a few good stocks. Let’s say if you like Google or Apple, it could fluctuate during our timeframe. In the beginning it could be moving well, but then it could fall at the end of our session.”
The head of Stevens’ Investment Club said, “Compiling, researching and entering data into an expensive modern, sophisticated computer system that cost thousands of dollars for each terminal is something everyone doesn’t get the opportunity to do. And when these teens get to the college level, there will be statewide and national competitions similar to this one where leadership skills are put to the test. If they are in Phi Beta Lambda, they will have support from like-minded peers who are thinking about career goals by now and how they are going to achieve them.”
A view of the future
One of the most helpful aspects of the day was a lecture on what students could expect if they plan to apply to Stevens. In order to alleviate the element of surprise that appears when college application time rolls around, students received an overview of Stevens’ basic college acceptance requirements, including GPA and SAT minimums.
“It’s hard to get into college these days, so this was a great experience for anyone thinking about going to a prestigious school like Stevens,” said Michaela Cruciani, a Weehawken team member.
Sharing his personal impressions of the competition, Charles Drake, a Stevens student from South Carolina who has been serving as Weehawken’s student ambassador, said, “The stock market is constantly moving, like water. The growth pattern of a favored company is hard to analyze and choosing stocks based on what is happening in the economy takes time to research. To get a handle on everything in 90 minutes is very challenging.”
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
"Liberty Steps" Inaugurated
On May 14, 2015, Mayor Richard Turner and the Township Council officially re-opened the Liberty Steps. The steps will be open to pedestrians daily from 6 am until Midnight.
The refurbishment of the Liberty Steps was the work of Roseland Properties, as a community giveback required by the Weehawken Planning Board. The cost of the refurbishment was approximately $600,000.
The refurbishment of the Liberty Steps was the work of Roseland Properties, as a community giveback required by the Weehawken Planning Board. The cost of the refurbishment was approximately $600,000.
Monday, May 18, 2015
Weehawken Board of Education Discussing "2015-2020 District Goals" on May 19th Meeting
On May 19th Meeting Weehawken Board of Education is discussing 2015-2020 District Goals.
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
One-act plays in Weehawken
The Jersey Journal, 8-May-15
By Summer Dawn Hortillosa
Something dark this way comes, with a trio of plays by controversial playwright Neil LaBute heading for Weehawken.
Hudson Theatre Works' production of "Bash" brings some of the great contemporary writer's most compelling pieces to the stage, with three powerful stories, each one named for and touching on a Greek myth.
In "Iphigenia in Orem," a Utah salesman (Weehawken's Kevin Cristaldi) confesses to a chilling crime in a Las Vegas hotel room. Duet "Gaggle of Saints," starring Jersey City's Dan Hilt and N.J. resident Tara Cioletti, focuses on a somewhat religious couple recounting the violent events of an anniversary weekend in New York City. Then, in "Medea Redux," a woman (Kristen Lazzarini) tells a stranger about her complex and ultimately tragic relationship with an English teacher.
"The cumulative effect of all three of these is very powerful... 'Bash' is extremely compelling, and you get wrapped up in the idea of what it is to tell a story and to listen to it," says director Frank Licato. "It shows how powerful it is to express yourself through language."
Licato says he admires the playwright, who has seen great acclaim despite some of his work dividing critics.
"Some people can't stand LaBute but I happen to be a fan," said Licato. "I believe he gets under the skin of the character he's working on and allows humanity to creep in so that our understanding of it is much more complex."
This isn't LaBute's first time being showcased in Hudson County; Licato also directed his short play "I Love This Game" for long-running baseball-themed series Seventh Inning stretch at the Mile Square Theatre in Hoboken, back at its old home at the Monroe Center for the Arts.
Licato says "Bash" also aims to highlight local talent and continue bringing art to North Hudson.
"I love working with people in Hudson County — they get it, and the idea of creating arts organizations within this framework is very exciting because it gives them a place to go," said Licato.
"Bash" opens Friday, May 15 at 8 p.m. and runs through May 30. Shows are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. at the Weehawken Water Tower, 4100 Park Ave., Weehawken. Tickets are $30 and available at BrownPaperTickets.org. Student and senior discounts available with ID. For more information, visit HudsonTheatreWorks.org.
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