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<font face=arial size=2>: McCann to be on June 4 ballot </font> <font face=arial size=2>: Jersey Journal</font> <font face=arial size=2>: 04/20/02</font> <font face=arial size=2>: By Peter Weiss</font> <font face=arial size=2>: Journal staff writer </font> <font face=arial size=2>: Former Jersey City Mayor Gerald McCann has been cleared to run in the June 4 Democratic primary for the Hudson County Board of Freeholders.</font> <font face=arial size=2>: County elections officials yesterday ruled that his nominating petitions were valid. He is challenging Freeholder Nidia Davila-Colon in the Fourth District, which is entirely in Jersey City. Davila-Colon has the support of the county Democratic organization. Also in the contest is Eliu Rivera, director of the Puerto Rican Association for Community Organization, who is supported by Jersey City Mayor Glenn D. Cunningham.</font> <font face=arial size=2>: "I think I can add a new dimension to county government," said McCann, who served two non-consecutive terms as mayor.</font> <font face=arial size=2>: McCann served as mayor from 1981-85 and from 1989-92. His second term was cut short after fraud and tax evasion convictions unrelated to holding public office. In 1997 and 2001, the courts ruled him ineligible to run for mayor or council under Jersey City's form of government, but did not prohibit him from running for other office.</font> <font face=arial size=2>: In other election matters yesterday, state Superior Court Judge Maurice Gallipoli ruled that the primary for county executive should be treated as a regular primary, not a special one. That means the Democratic candidates will run on slates with candidates for other offices.</font> <font face=arial size=2>: DeGise has the support of the county Democratic organization. Yesterday's ruling allows him to be on the same ballot line as U.S. Sen. Robert Torricelli and Rep. Robert Menendez, D-Union City.</font> <font face=arial size=2>: Torricelli is unopposed for Senate and two days ago Edgar Martinez of Jersey City, a challenger to Menendez who was aligned with Hartnett, was disqualified because of insufficient nominating petitions. Martinez is the deputy director of the Jersey City Police Department.</font> <font face=arial size=2>: Hartnett's argument was that since the November election is a special one, to fill the unexpired term of former County Executive Robert Janiszewski, the primary should also be a special one.</font> <font face=arial size=2>: In another related matter, a confrontation between Hartnett and the Board of Freeholders over the firing of five high-ranking employees was delayed until at least next week.</font> <font face=arial size=2>: The five alleged they were fired because they support DeGise. They are Public Resources Director Mariano Vega, who is also a Jersey City councilman; Assistant County Counsel William Netchert; Central Services Director Arnold Bettinger, a former Jersey City councilman and a former freeholder; confidential aide Joan Walrod; and Buildings and Grounds Director Peter DiNardo, a former county sheriff.</font> <font face=arial size=2>: Hartnett's attorney, Kevin Marino, argued that the fired employees serve at the pleasure of the county executive and that the freeholders don't have the right to reinstate them.</font> <font face=arial size=2>: Marino acknowledged political reasons for the terminations. In court papers he said they were fired after they "made clear their support for Mr. DeGise and, concomitantly, their opposition to (Hartnett's) candidacy. In other words, those employees made clear that they supported the removal from office of their boss, the county executive, at whose pleasure they serve."</font> <font face=arial size=2>: The freeholders had scheduled the appeal hearing for noon yesterday, but Hartnett took the matter to court in the morning. Gallipoli said that since there was no pressing need to go ahead with the freeholder hearing yesterday, he would take more time to study the arguments.</font> <font face=arial size=2>: The freeholders convened the meeting yesterday anyway, because it had been previously announced, but adjourned in one minute. </font>

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