Vengeful Acting Mayor

Advertise Online – SEO - Search Engine Optimization - Search Engine Marketing - SEM – Domains For Sale – George Washington Bridge Bike Path and Pedestrian Walkway – Corona Extra Beer Subliminal Advertising – Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs – Pet Care – The Tunnel Bar – La Cosa Nostra – Jersey City Free Books

07/15/2018 01:35 PM

Hudson County Facts
In this environment people tended not to be judgmental

08/18/2012 11:10 PM

Computer Repair Blog
XP Local Area Connection stuck at Acquiring Network Address

Vengeful Acting Mayor

Follow Ups | Post A Followup
Hudson County Politics Message Board

Jersey City Guide

Posted by Urban Times News on July 07, 2004 at 15:44:09:

Vengeful Acting Mayor

By UTN Staff

Urban Times News
July 2, 2004 -- July 8, 2004

At the Mayor-elect's funeral, US Attorney Christopher Christie provided a litany of reasons why Glenn Cunningham stood out among the corrupt politicians associated with Hudson County, "Often people who serves us (in political office) disappoint us, but when people from other places lament about politicians who line their pocket, or politicians who lie and steal, or politicians who abuse the public trust, Jersey City residents can say, 'Not us, we have Glenn Cunningham!"' That was then. We now have L. Harvey Smith.

Mr. Smith has worked hard in front of the cameras these past weeks. He has met with municipal combatants, posed for drug busts on TV, replaced and reorganized staff, always repeating his catchphrases, "...best for the city", and "...maintaining order".

Generally, imitating the actions of a beloved predecessor will sufficiently convince constituents of your sincerity, but we had Glenn Cunningham. Despite his public postures, Jersey City residents know Mr. Smith to be a malevolent individual, evidenced first by his snatching of power in the midst of the city's grief, and evidenced even now, as he lashes out at Cunningham compatriots too devastated to fight.

Willie Flood was the closest aide to Mayor Cunningham in City Hall. A soft-spoken yet effective woman, she can now listen to the happy Cunningham anecdotes so many wish to share, but its bitter sweetness still remains. When the Mayor died, Willie had just come out of the hospital after more than three weeks of recuperating from her own illness. On June 4th, not a week after the Mayor-elect's funeral, a handdelivered note was sent from the acting mayor's office. Retelling the tale, Ms. Flood still chokes a bit, recalling her memory of seeing the car Glenn rode in so often, again stop at her door. But this time there would be no good news. An aide stepped out, delivering a letter saying she was fired. The numbness of Cunningham's passing did not allow her to react. Two days later when she received a registered letter, she signed for what would be a duplicate copy of the same. Mr. Smith in his anxiousness had to re-send his bad news, this time making it "official". Ms. Flood was not surprised, having seen the true behavior and heard the true voice of today's acting mayor.

However, when Ms. Flood went to City Hall to clear her desk and gather her final paycheck, she was told she would not receive one. The administrator politely informed her that her check was being held. She requested the check from her insurance policy, a policy that she paid into with each check that would cover her hospital expenses. Ms. Flood was told that those funds were being garnished as well. When asked for an explanation, she was told that she would have to pay back her accumulated sick time. She had sixteen (16) days of sick leave, she used thirty-four (34). Ms. Flood was under the impression that her co-workers had donated their own sick days on her behalf. That was the benevolent example followed by a Cunningham-run office, a gift from co-workers who loved her and wished her well. It was also pre-Smith.

After re-organizing the office and reassigning office personnel, Smith decided to penalize the last person standing, Willie Flood. As she was told, there is no indication that days were donated to her. Instead, the new administration claims, her sick days came out of the general pool, and she had to repay them. That justified keeping her regular paycheck. Further, the administration asserts, Ms. Flood deducted insurance premiums from her paycheck. To "make up" for the legitimate sick days they think should not have been taken, her insurance benefits check, sent to the office, would also be held.

Ms. Flood has tried to seek reasonable remedy for this action. The open-door policies of the truly acting mayor have repeatedly been closed to any discussion on this matter. The personnel office when questioned by this paper cited "protocol" as their reason for their actions and sent us to the office of the acting mayor. When he was unavailable we were connected to the office of his aide with no phone pick-up. Messages from this paper continue to be left, unanswered. The open door is obviously shut when it doesn't benefit Mr. Smith.

When asked why she thinks Mr. Smith is using his office to wreck such havoc against her, Ms. Flood, like former Mayor Glenn D. Cunningham, takes the high road (perhaps the reason Mr. Smith so calculatingly chose her as his target). "I understand he doesn't want to be reminded of Glenn or anybody who associated with Glenn. I was his aide. I worked closely with him. Ms. Flood expresses no vehemence toward the acting mayor offering some balance to accusations of "trying to get her". "Sure he (Smith) put other people in different places, but he fired some people too", offering some balance to accusations that this might be personal. When asked why she doesn't get people to say they donated their days on her behalf, her response was equally noble, "I don't believe in disrupting people's lives for my sake. I am not that kind of person." Those familiar with their relationship confirm that Flood did..not really speak extensively with Smith, before or after Cunningham's passing. At the start of all this, she was out on sick leave. She was devastated by the loss of her friend. She was the least likely to be vocal in fighting back, and he did not like her, the presumption being that she was too close to the political predecessor of the acting mayor council president.

This is not to say Ms. Flood is any shrinking violet. She is in fact one of the leaders of the Hudson Reform Democrat Committee. While non-confrontational in her own right, she supported Cunningham wholeheartedly, particularly when her party rejected Smith in his rift with former Mayor Glenn D. Cunningham. At the June 23rd regular council meeting, responding to Councilwoman Viola Richardson in a heated exchange, Council President Acting Mayor L. Harvey Smith stood up to return, "I was a supporter until September of 1992 when he (Cunningham) came in here with citizens (HRDC and others) saying I had sold my people out!" It is disconcerting to know that from 1992 to 2004, this remains on the mind of Jersey City's purported new "man of the people". This vengeful blurt speaks much more truthfully about the motivations of Acting Mayor Council President L. Harvey Smith than any accounting error or misunderstanding about sick days.

While imitation of previous successes is the best tactic for duplicating that success, it also the sincerest form of flattery. Flattering the honorable Glenn D. Cunningham is the last thing the acting mayor of Jersey City wants to do. The facade of AMCP L. Harvey Smith will continue to crumble under the pressure of duplicating the benevolent integrity of Mayor Glenn D. Cunningham. Few who paid attention during the previous administration are fooled. The actions of the multidimensional Mayor resonate deeply with all who saw or met him. Glenn was a law enforcer, so it made sense that when a crime was solved, he appeared at the crime scene. Glenn was a man of faith, so it made sense that when he attended church, clergy welcomed him with open arms. Glenn was a man of all the people. He made no distinction based on race, creed, color or political allegiance. That is why so many former Hudson County Democrats defected to his favor! People came to him when they were hurting. People knew he would use his power to help them. The Glenn D. Cunningham, who will now be memorialized via Cunningham Way, was beloved because he made politics second- I ary to improving the lives of Jersey City residents. Using his political power for revenge and spite was beneath his character. What is more, it was contrary to his belief in the responsibility given to him by the people of Jersey City.

Perhaps if he answered to the people of Jersey City rather than the City Council, the acting mayor would appreciate his power and responsibility too. Perhaps if he walked their neighborhoods and helped calm their fears, the people would find him believable when he claims to care about crime. Perhaps if Mr. Smith was a giving soul, rather than a spiteful one, churches would support and welcome him with open arms. Perhaps if he responded to supporters and detractors with equal respect, citizens could rest assured that their mayor is truly working toward their benefit, not just acting the part, for those on his side. But perhaps is not the reality of now. The reality is that we have an acting mayor, who acts like none of these things are important.

We once had Glenn D. Cunningham and a city that was a shining example of what unity can achieve. We now have a doubly powerful fill-in working with the Council to quickly make selfish dreams come true, goals previously thwarted by an administration determined to represent all the people. Hopefully, this mayor act will close in the fall. Hopefully, November will bring voters that remember a golden age when "our" prosperity meant all Jersey City citizens, not just its elected officials. Hopefully we will find a candidate that does not abuse the public trust with personal attacks on infirmed woman who are not "on his side".

Better now, when asked if she might pursue a legal battle Ms. Flood was uncommonly poised and gracious, "I have notified my attorney, but she is presently out of the country." Ms. Flood has weathered such storms previously. "I had to go through the same thing when I was fired by Hudson County for no reason (though reportedly, no reason translated into her involvement with the antiHudson County activities of the Hudson Reform Democrat Committee). We won our case then. You just have to be patient. In this business (politics), things change, and you have to understand that these people are doing what they believe is right."

When this reporter noted the similarity of her high-road response to the beloved Cunningham, she found her only smile among her stalwart responses, "Glenn was a different kind of man. This is the way he would have wanted me to behave. He would not appreciate me acting up. I'll just have to be patient."

With that spirit, and the love of her family, perhaps Willie Flood can regroup and return to fulfilling her American dream. Perhaps through her efforts and the Reform Democrat Committee, we will again see a public official using their office to ensure that all cititzens can achieve the American dream, rather than usurping the public trust to spitefully push opposition into an American nightmare.

Follow Ups:

Christie for Governor ??? Chakotay 22:02:45 07/07/04 (0)

Naughty naughty Willie ! Dr. Nick Riviera 21:57:25 07/07/04 (0)

Re: Vengeful Acting Mayor UTN Lies Again 16:30:58 07/07/04 (0)

Post a Followup

Name :
E-Mail :
Subject :

Comments:
: Vengeful Acting Mayor

: By UTN Staff

: Urban Times News
: July 2, 2004 -- July 8, 2004

: At the Mayor-elect's funeral, US Attorney Christopher Christie provided a litany of reasons why Glenn Cunningham stood out among the corrupt politicians associated with Hudson County, "Often people who serves us (in political office) disappoint us, but when people from other places lament about politicians who line their pocket, or politicians who lie and steal, or politicians who abuse the public trust, Jersey City residents can say, 'Not us, we have Glenn Cunningham!"' That was then. We now have L. Harvey Smith.

: Mr. Smith has worked hard in front of the cameras these past weeks. He has met with municipal combatants, posed for drug busts on TV, replaced and reorganized staff, always repeating his catchphrases, "...best for the city", and "...maintaining order".

: Generally, imitating the actions of a beloved predecessor will sufficiently convince constituents of your sincerity, but we had Glenn Cunningham. Despite his public postures, Jersey City residents know Mr. Smith to be a malevolent individual, evidenced first by his snatching of power in the midst of the city's grief, and evidenced even now, as he lashes out at Cunningham compatriots too devastated to fight.

: Willie Flood was the closest aide to Mayor Cunningham in City Hall. A soft-spoken yet effective woman, she can now listen to the happy Cunningham anecdotes so many wish to share, but its bitter sweetness still remains. When the Mayor died, Willie had just come out of the hospital after more than three weeks of recuperating from her own illness. On June 4th, not a week after the Mayor-elect's funeral, a handdelivered note was sent from the acting mayor's office. Retelling the tale, Ms. Flood still chokes a bit, recalling her memory of seeing the car Glenn rode in so often, again stop at her door. But this time there would be no good news. An aide stepped out, delivering a letter saying she was fired. The numbness of Cunningham's passing did not allow her to react. Two days later when she received a registered letter, she signed for what would be a duplicate copy of the same. Mr. Smith in his anxiousness had to re-send his bad news, this time making it "official". Ms. Flood was not surprised, having seen the true behavior and heard the true voice of today's acting mayor.

: However, when Ms. Flood went to City Hall to clear her desk and gather her final paycheck, she was told she would not receive one. The administrator politely informed her that her check was being held. She requested the check from her insurance policy, a policy that she paid into with each check that would cover her hospital expenses. Ms. Flood was told that those funds were being garnished as well. When asked for an explanation, she was told that she would have to pay back her accumulated sick time. She had sixteen (16) days of sick leave, she used thirty-four (34). Ms. Flood was under the impression that her co-workers had donated their own sick days on her behalf. That was the benevolent example followed by a Cunningham-run office, a gift from co-workers who loved her and wished her well. It was also pre-Smith.

: After re-organizing the office and reassigning office personnel, Smith decided to penalize the last person standing, Willie Flood. As she was told, there is no indication that days were donated to her. Instead, the new administration claims, her sick days came out of the general pool, and she had to repay them. That justified keeping her regular paycheck. Further, the administration asserts, Ms. Flood deducted insurance premiums from her paycheck. To "make up" for the legitimate sick days they think should not have been taken, her insurance benefits check, sent to the office, would also be held.

: Ms. Flood has tried to seek reasonable remedy for this action. The open-door policies of the truly acting mayor have repeatedly been closed to any discussion on this matter. The personnel office when questioned by this paper cited "protocol" as their reason for their actions and sent us to the office of the acting mayor. When he was unavailable we were connected to the office of his aide with no phone pick-up. Messages from this paper continue to be left, unanswered. The open door is obviously shut when it doesn't benefit Mr. Smith.

: When asked why she thinks Mr. Smith is using his office to wreck such havoc against her, Ms. Flood, like former Mayor Glenn D. Cunningham, takes the high road (perhaps the reason Mr. Smith so calculatingly chose her as his target). "I understand he doesn't want to be reminded of Glenn or anybody who associated with Glenn. I was his aide. I worked closely with him. Ms. Flood expresses no vehemence toward the acting mayor offering some balance to accusations of "trying to get her". "Sure he (Smith) put other people in different places, but he fired some people too", offering some balance to accusations that this might be personal. When asked why she doesn't get people to say they donated their days on her behalf, her response was equally noble, "I don't believe in disrupting people's lives for my sake. I am not that kind of person." Those familiar with their relationship confirm that Flood did..not really speak extensively with Smith, before or after Cunningham's passing. At the start of all this, she was out on sick leave. She was devastated by the loss of her friend. She was the least likely to be vocal in fighting back, and he did not like her, the presumption being that she was too close to the political predecessor of the acting mayor council president.

: This is not to say Ms. Flood is any shrinking violet. She is in fact one of the leaders of the Hudson Reform Democrat Committee. While non-confrontational in her own right, she supported Cunningham wholeheartedly, particularly when her party rejected Smith in his rift with former Mayor Glenn D. Cunningham. At the June 23rd regular council meeting, responding to Councilwoman Viola Richardson in a heated exchange, Council President Acting Mayor L. Harvey Smith stood up to return, "I was a supporter until September of 1992 when he (Cunningham) came in here with citizens (HRDC and others) saying I had sold my people out!" It is disconcerting to know that from 1992 to 2004, this remains on the mind of Jersey City's purported new "man of the people". This vengeful blurt speaks much more truthfully about the motivations of Acting Mayor Council President L. Harvey Smith than any accounting error or misunderstanding about sick days.

: While imitation of previous successes is the best tactic for duplicating that success, it also the sincerest form of flattery. Flattering the honorable Glenn D. Cunningham is the last thing the acting mayor of Jersey City wants to do. The facade of AMCP L. Harvey Smith will continue to crumble under the pressure of duplicating the benevolent integrity of Mayor Glenn D. Cunningham. Few who paid attention during the previous administration are fooled. The actions of the multidimensional Mayor resonate deeply with all who saw or met him. Glenn was a law enforcer, so it made sense that when a crime was solved, he appeared at the crime scene. Glenn was a man of faith, so it made sense that when he attended church, clergy welcomed him with open arms. Glenn was a man of all the people. He made no distinction based on race, creed, color or political allegiance. That is why so many former Hudson County Democrats defected to his favor! People came to him when they were hurting. People knew he would use his power to help them. The Glenn D. Cunningham, who will now be memorialized via Cunningham Way, was beloved because he made politics second- I ary to improving the lives of Jersey City residents. Using his political power for revenge and spite was beneath his character. What is more, it was contrary to his belief in the responsibility given to him by the people of Jersey City.

: Perhaps if he answered to the people of Jersey City rather than the City Council, the acting mayor would appreciate his power and responsibility too. Perhaps if he walked their neighborhoods and helped calm their fears, the people would find him believable when he claims to care about crime. Perhaps if Mr. Smith was a giving soul, rather than a spiteful one, churches would support and welcome him with open arms. Perhaps if he responded to supporters and detractors with equal respect, citizens could rest assured that their mayor is truly working toward their benefit, not just acting the part, for those on his side. But perhaps is not the reality of now. The reality is that we have an acting mayor, who acts like none of these things are important.

: We once had Glenn D. Cunningham and a city that was a shining example of what unity can achieve. We now have a doubly powerful fill-in working with the Council to quickly make selfish dreams come true, goals previously thwarted by an administration determined to represent all the people. Hopefully, this mayor act will close in the fall. Hopefully, November will bring voters that remember a golden age when "our" prosperity meant all Jersey City citizens, not just its elected officials. Hopefully we will find a candidate that does not abuse the public trust with personal attacks on infirmed woman who are not "on his side".

: Better now, when asked if she might pursue a legal battle Ms. Flood was uncommonly poised and gracious, "I have notified my attorney, but she is presently out of the country." Ms. Flood has weathered such storms previously. "I had to go through the same thing when I was fired by Hudson County for no reason (though reportedly, no reason translated into her involvement with the antiHudson County activities of the Hudson Reform Democrat Committee). We won our case then. You just have to be patient. In this business (politics), things change, and you have to understand that these people are doing what they believe is right."

: When this reporter noted the similarity of her high-road response to the beloved Cunningham, she found her only smile among her stalwart responses, "Glenn was a different kind of man. This is the way he would have wanted me to behave. He would not appreciate me acting up. I'll just have to be patient."

: With that spirit, and the love of her family, perhaps Willie Flood can regroup and return to fulfilling her American dream. Perhaps through her efforts and the Reform Democrat Committee, we will again see a public official using their office to ensure that all cititzens can achieve the American dream, rather than usurping the public trust to spitefully push opposition into an American nightmare.

Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL:

Hoboken Guide

Jersey City and Hoboken Real Estate
Waterfront Apartments and Condominiums

Featured Link

Featured Listing Advertising Program
Business name, Web Site Link and a brief description or motto – runs for one month in the Page (or Pages) of your choice.

Sales Associates Wanted!
GET NJ seeks sales associates to market ads on a commission basis. For more information, e-mail your resume and contact information to sales@getnj.com – Be sure to mention the area of New Jersey and/or the market segment that you plan to serve.

GRAVE ROBBER Jersey City Computer Repair
297 Griffith Street, Jersey City, NJ - 201-798-2292 - In the Heights just off of Kennedy Blvd. - Very close to Journal Square and Union City, just five minutes away from Hoboken, Downtown Jersey City, Newport, the Waterfront, Secaucus, North Bergen and Weehawken - Tech support for The Jersey City Mayor's Office during the administration of Bret Schundler - PC repair - Tivos, too!, upgrade, hardware install, software install, data recovery, spyware removal, virus removal, replace hard drive, replace motherboard, copy files from notebooks, backup information from dead laptops

Wanted! Used Computers!
Used computers bought and sold. Located in Jersey City, NJ - convenient to the Hoboken 2nd Street Light Rail stations and the Journal Square PATH subway station. E-mail graverobber@verizon.net with an itemized list (description) of what you have for sale and the price. Pickup in the New York City Metro area -- minimum 10 units. Secure, guaranteed data removal is available.