By: Carolyn Maxwell
PERTH AMBOY – Resident Stanley Sierakowski was the first to speak in person at the 2/10/21 Council Meeting which took place at the Council Chambers and on Zoom. Sierakowski questioned R-95-2/21 – A contract with the law firm of Gluck, Walrath for legal services regarding 225 Elm St. in an amount not to exceed $25,000.
“What is the issue?”
He also questioned R-98-2/21 – A contract with CME Associates as the Perth Amboy Zoning Board Engineer and Planner and R-99-2/21 – A one year contract to Marc A. Leckstein as the Zoning Board of Adjustment Attorney.
Council President Bill Petrick answered his concerns about all 3. “The first one is regarding underground utilities and to upgrade the fault line. For R-98 and R-99, it was renewal of the contract for those who are already there (in those positions).
He then asked, “What was removed on R-110 which was voided on the council meeting agenda?”
Petrick answered, “It was the adoption of the 2021 BID Budget.”
The next person who came up to the podium was Ken Balut. He asked about Resolution R-103-2/21 – Authorizing the proper city officials to execute a contract at the Raritan Bay Area YMCA/Center for Support, Success & Prosperity in the amount of $15,000 in accordance with the CDBG grant. Also, R-108-2/21 – Authorizing the proper city officials to execute a contract with the Jewish Renaissance Foundation/Alternative Education Institute in the amount of $15,000 in accordance with the CDBG grant.
Balut urged the council to take these two resolutions off the agenda, “Until you figure out what they are doing with the housing. People got houses they were not entitled to. Do it properly. I believe the BID is a scam. The YMCA is not part of the business district or the BID, but they get façade money. What happened to the forensic audit of the Y? We are 50 days into the new administration, yet nothing has changed.”
Resident and businessman Jeremy Baratta came up next and referenced R-97-2/21 – Consenting to the appointment of Mark J. Cintron as Municipal Prosecutor and waiving the residency requirement.
Baratta stated, “He is not qualified, and he is part of the pay-to-play.”
Law Director William Northgrave disagreed, “Pay-to-play is not relevant because it only applies to contractors.”
Baratta replied back, “I believe you are wrong. He (Cintron) is a contractor.”
Baratta then read off different ordinances to back up his statements. “These ordinances can be found on the state website. They go to when Corzine was the Governor of New Jersey. A contract doesn’t need to be written. This is pay-to-play.”
BID Chair Barry Rosengarten spoke next, “There were a lot of inaccurate and unfounded and detrimental comments made about the BID which I will not respond to. I invite all that are here to come to the BID meetings.
The meeting then was opened up to anyone on Zoom, but no one made any comments.
The council then voted on the consent agenda. Councilman Joel Pabon asked that R-97 (Re: Cintron) be moved to be voted on separately. R-65 thru R-96; R-98 thru R-109 was moved by Pabon and seconded by Councilwoman Milady Tejeda. Regarding R-97, Pabon stated, “Because of election contributions, and I ran for Mayor as did two other council members, the perception alone gives us a bad vibe. It was moved by Pabon to tabled; Tejeda seconded. All voted “yes” to table R-97.
Council President Bill Petrick then spoke briefly about Communication No. 6 – Bernadette Falcon-Lopez submitted a letter resigning as Commissioner of the Housing Authority and P.A.R.T.N.E.R. Board. “We have several openings on our municipal boards. I encourage people to submit applications.”
Public Portion:
Resident and Businessman Jeremy Baratta was first to speak. He addressed the council and said, “You have a copy of a complaint against Billy Delgado (prosecutor) being prosecuted by the ethics committee. Can this be introduced for the next meeting?” Baratta stated he had OPRA’d information on the BID. “You will get that information tomorrow. There are documents not signed by the BID. You have the same businesses getting multiple grants. There are handwritten invoices and some of them are in Spanish. A lot of companies are fictitious. There is incomplete paperwork. Everything I said about the BID are factual and are founded. I can backup everything I said about the BID.”
Resident Ken Balut came up next. “$20 million was given to someone to cleanup their property. Tashi Vazquez had a raffle of dogs. She is on the Board of Education and the OEC (Office of Economic and Community Development). Irving Lozada is not qualified for the Code Enforcement job. Judge Gonzalez dismissed a harassment case without talking to the victim. Sexual harassment is still going on. You have high paying jobs going to unqualified people. Did the Communications Director jump the line to get vaccinated? People are hired for civil service jobs without asking our employees first. Former B.A. Adam Cruz had an improper relationship with someone in the court system. He was able to get a job in another city, but what about the girl involved?”
Council President Petrick spoke up, “Remember, all of this happened under a prior, female mayor.”
Resident Stanley Sierakowski was next to speak. He talked about the Anchor Marine property, “It was 6 acres, and they paid no taxes for 25 years. Ask the tax collector, Ms. Martin if that is true. Were there others that did not pay any taxes? When the former Business Administrator Greg Fehrenbach was here, he gave a $2.3 million assessment of Anchor Marine. Who was involved in this property? Who had an interest in this property? Who were the officers and the principals of this property?” He then asked Councilman Pabon, “Do you know who the main partners were?”
Pabon answered, “No, but Nancy Martin of the tax department was here on Monday to give a brief history of that property.”
Sierakowski continued, addressing all the council members, “Are you curious to see who owns Anchor Marine?”
Petrick responded, “Nancy Martin said the property was up for sale on a tax lien. Nobody wanted this contaminated property.”
Sierakowski continued, “People walked away from $6 million. It would only have taken a half million to clean up this property which became a dog park for dogs to mess on.”
The meeting was then opened up to Zoom participants. Maria Vera from Madison Avenue spoke first. “Is there an update on the truck traffic traveling on residential streets. There was a serious truck accident on Market Street. We need more truck route signs.”
Council President Bill Petrick said, “We still are waiting for the report from Councilman Joel Pabon.”
Pabon spoke up and said, “I and Deputy Police Chief Cattano are looking at the zoning in your area.”
Vera continued, “There are a lot of schools where the trucks are going.”
Pabon then pleaded, “Please give us a chance to look at this first.”
Vera then finished and stated, “I don’t know why we have the same unqualified person running Code Enforcement.”
Vera was the only person to speak through Zoom. The public portion was then closed.
Council Comments:
Councilwoman Rose Morales said, “I will be happy to help Pabon with any assistance he needs regarding the heavy truck traffic on residential streets.”
Councilman Joel Pabon spoke up next. He was upset because no one got their temperature taken tonight when they entered the building. “Someone should have been downstairs to do so.” He then stated, “There was no snow removal or cleaning of sidewalks near Washington Park and Brace Avenue. The bridge on Convery Boulevard is never cleaned of snow. The state never cleaned the bridge. It might be the city’s responsibility. At least throw some salt on it. There is a sheet of ice on the sidewalk by one of the churches near city hall circle. Any supervisor who sees something like this should call Code Enforcement or DPW Director Hoffman when it comes to snow removal or ice. The intersection of Smith and Hobart Street leading to the Jewish Renaissance needs to have snow removed.”
Barry Rosengarten, who was still at the meeting said, “That has already been done earlier today.”
Councilwoman Milady Tejeda spoke next. “Regarding snow removal, across from my house no one bothered to clean the cars.” She also wanted to thank the administration who talked about the vaccine coming to Perth Amboy and the Covid numbers that she requested. “When I request information, I need it so I can vote properly. Don’t be offended. I want to thank everyone who came here tonight and all those who participated on Zoom.”
Councilman B.J. Torres said, “There are openings on the Arts Council. I ask all to apply because we need to have many people included for different ideas.”
Council President Bill Petrick thanked all who participated. “Stay safe.”
Just before he was about to close the meeting, all of a sudden Code Enforcement Director Irving Lozada spoke up via Zoom. He assured the council that he will have the answers about the ice on the sidewalks by the church near City Hall Circle tomorrow.
Business Administrator Edward Remsen spoke next on Zoom, “I will make sure that the DPW cleans all the areas of snow and ice that was mentioned tonight.”
Petrick then concluded, “I want to make sure there is someone to check temperatures when people enter the building to address Councilman Joel Pabon’s concerns.”
The other council members all spoke up and said they were concerned.
The meeting adjourned at 8:03 p.m. All Council Members were present in the chambers.
