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Posted by Pepe Bonmot
on April 15, 2002 at 17:53:30:
High noon in Hudson County Jersey City Reporter In a confrontation that pits two parts of Hudson County against each other, the Hudson County Freeholders voted unanimously at their April 11 meeting ordering Hudson county Executive Bernard Hartnett to explain apparently politically-motivated firings earlier this month. The freeholders have scheduled a hearing on Friday, April 19, to hear the appeal of five employees who were terminated early in April. Arnold Bettinger, Peter DeNardo, William Nerchert, Mariano Vega, and Joan Walrod appear to have lost their jobs because of their support for Tom DeGise in the June 4 Democratic primary for county executive. The freeholders can reinstate the five people, according to Board Attorney Ed Florio, if six out of the nine freeholders vote to do so. Florio also said the freeholders have the authority under state law to order Hartnett to appear. If he does not, he would be in violation of state law, a chargeable criminal offense similar to contempt of court. Freeholder Chairman Sal Vega -– backed by freeholders from both Democratic factions –- said the board would no longer tolerate political firings. “People’s livelihoods should not be put at risk just because they support a particular candidate,” Vega said. “That kind of behavior might have been tolerated in the past, but it ends here and now.” Hartnett could not be reached for comment by press time. |
