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: Status Quo

: Urban Times News
: 07/02/04 - 07/08/04

: Adding further distance to the division that marks the current administration, the City Council decided to maintain its newly established order by foregoing their option to vote in an interim Mayor or choose another Council President. At the City Council meeting last Wednesday, attendees were taken aback, first by the declaration of Acting Mayor Council President L. Harvey Smith and then by the exclusion of the Teardrop Monument issue from the evening's agenda. All council members were present save for Ward E Councilperson Junior Maldanado.

: The happy mood opening the proceedings, would not continue for long. The Council first recognized Detective James Corley, a decorated robbery detective now retiring from the Jersey City police force. Councilwoman Richardson read the resolution she sponsored honoring her friend and former co-worker, hes­itating to no avail as murmurings between Councilman Gaughan and Council President L. Harvey Smith continued in the back­ground. Upon completing her presentation, Council President Jr. Harvey Smith took stage as Acting Mayor, offering an additional proclamation that also rec­ognized Mr. Corley's 25 years of devoted service. With this happy chore complete, Council President L. Harvey Smith noti­fied the crowd that the Teardrop Monument, heavily advertised with flyers and anti-statue word­of-mouth was not an issue listed on the agenda this night. An impromptu survey showed that nearly 75% of the crowd was there to speak on the issue, explaining the standing room only crowd that filled the Council chamber.

: The announcement being made, some of the audience started to disperse, but the room did not empty. The same citizens pres­ent for the monument discussion stayed to witness the fate of another memorial - the dedica­tion of Montgomery Street to be known also as, Glenn D. Cunningham Way.

: Seizing the moment, Councilman Lipski quickly moved for a vote on an interim Jersey City mayor, nominating Council President Smith for the position. The councilman noted the legal­ities of the current administra­tion were not the question. He positioned that though the council is not required to replace the acting mayor, it is provided the opportunity within the first 30days, and should take it. Lipski appealed to the Council and Council President to maintain the spirit of checks and balances separating the leg­islative branch of government from the executive and vote for separate leadership in the best interest of the people. There is a real separation of power neces­sary. Glenn Cunningham was not sitting in this seat, presiding over this body as mayor."

: The audience responded enthu­siastically, a response that even the casual observer would notice, did not sit well with the dual presiding officer. Council President Acting Mayor L. Harvey Smith, responded, like a candidate on the campaign trail, "The record was clear in '85 and '92 as to what the law says we must do, statutes and city statutes are clear. I am handling the situation with no difficulties. "We've done a lot of good things. Settling disagreements with United Water (UW) and the Municipal Utility Authority (MUA); a good review from Moody's; we need to move for­ward with what we've been doing. To elect an interim mayor we have to establish a vote for two positions instead of one. I'd ask my colleagues to let the 3O days move forward."

: As arguments against continuing in both his current positions continued, Council President Acting Mayor L. Harvey Smith fumed, calming long enough to state his position, but eventually accusing Councilman Lipski of "plotting against him" directly. "This is a calculated plot by my colleague. I didn't say anything (regarding the separation of offices) and didn't want to create a rip. I think we have a spirit of cooperation and I think the city is best served by the status quo."

: A small but very vocal contin­gent of (presumed) citizens who were seated in the front row, whooped and hollered in sup­port of Mr. Smith. The rest of the audience listened as Councilwoman Viola Richardson ardently added her own opinion for the record.

: "Something is inherently wrong with the head of the legislative branch being able to veto as head of the executive branch. This is not a plot. It is my hope that we would have a mayor and a council president. The Council President's name has been put out there as a viable candidate." The rest of the Council did not receive this effort favorably. "I think this is politically motivated," said Councilman Gaughan. "Are we now to believe that Councilpersons Lipski and Richardson support the Council President?" Councilman Lipski retorted that he was, "deter­mined to not dismiss any idea that is helpful to the people of Jersey City".

: When Councilman Gaughan asserted that this call for a vote was additional "pressure" on the acting mayor, Councilwoman Richardson responded vehe­mently. "You are doing the same thing you did while Cunningham was in office," asserting, that he (Gaughan) and the other (anti-Cunningham) council members were the "pressure" that contributed to Cunningham's demise. This spurred words from the Mr. Smith that speak volumes to his latent anger while dismantling the inclusive policies of the previ­ous administration.

: "I was a supporter (of Cunningham) until September of 1992 when he came in here with citizens saying I had sold my people out!" Smith declared. Composing himself, he preached retrospectively, "We need to bury the hatchet and not in anybody's back." Councilperson Richardson, respond­ed, "I am having a great deal of trouble burying the hatchet after one month, when for two and a half years, the hatchet was buried in Glenn Cunningham's back." Council President Acting Mayor Smith did not appreciate the applause heard 'round the cham­ber, but let it subside so other members could speak.

: Other councilpersons weighing in on the issue seemed more con­cerned about the convenience of their own efforts than the implica­tions for a fair and democratic process. Each of the remaining councilpersons parroted the theme first heard by the Municipal Council president. Statements from Councilpersons Gaughan and Healy most suc­cinctly described the general reaction of the Council, "We would have to vote for an interim mayor and then another Council President. This aspect would make the council's adjustment more difficult." As per Councilperson Healy, "We have a law. It states what is necessary, and I have no problem with the status quo." Discussion was abruptly ended by a quick vote defeating the motion to nominate the Council President as interim mayor, lending tacit support an interpretation of council responsi­bilities that will likely be ques­tioned in November.

: Second reading ordinances passed with little fanfare. Ordinances 04-061 through 04­063 were all passed. These authorized the transfer of city owned property within the Boland Street Redevelopment area to the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency (04-061); amend Chapter 157 of the municipal code to exempt city community centers from fees (04-062); and a supple­ment to the code amending park­ing prohibition for street cleaning purposes (04-063). Ord. 04-066 authorizing the conveyance of 265 Martin Luther King Drive was tabled as per the Council President's request in the Council Caucus meeting. He insinuated then that he was "working toward agreements to make everyone happy," and will surely put on his mayor's hat in order to moderate negotiations away from the public eye. Public commentary regard­ing Ord. 04-065 brought endless accolades to the performance and legacy of the honorable Glenn D. Cunningham. Some speakers focused on the applicability of such a tribute when speaking about a Jersey City native who rose to be: the city's first African American Mayor, the first state Senator to be a mayor of Jersey City, the first African American to run the New Jersey office of the US Marshall Service, a decorated JC police detective, and faithful soldier of the United States Marine Corps. Others based their support on the love of a man who embraced all races, brought com­munities together and worked toward the welfare of their chil­dren and city. Some were simply bold enough to unveil their threats and remind the council that they would have the last vote in November, assuming the City Council would not do the right thing.

: In addressing the public before their vote, some Council mem­bers were uncharacteristically uneasy in voicing their opinions. "I want to address the black race," Council Brennan mistakenly blurt­ed. Correcting himself he added, "We disagreed, but I am still a friend to Glenn and Sandy (Mrs. Cunningham). Councilwoman Donnelly was also flustered. "I am hurt by the insinuation that I am racist if not voting, yes." Councilman Gaughan quickly voted aye, as did the ordinarily obtuse and consistently verbose Councilman Vega. Councilman Healy, the only vocal supporter of the original resolution other than Lipski and Richardson, voted in the affirmative, quickly adding that the Mayor deserved such a tribute. Both Councilpersons Lipski and Richardson were vocal in their support for the bill. Citing his many achievements and sacri­fices, Councilman Lipski spoke fondly, "..he was one of the few Americans that has served on the municipal, county, state and fed­eral level. He lived the tenets of Dr. King by judging his fellow man not by the color of his skin but by the content of his charac­ter." Councilwoman Richardson also voiced her opinion though with less sentimentality. "If you are my friend; show me now. Don't be my friend after I'm dead. I'm expecting that Glenn Cunningham will never be forgot­ten as long as I am around to do anything about it. He treated all races as if they were his own, and there will be many tributes to honor him." The ordinance passed unopposed.

: Additional speakers were focused on the Teardrop Memorial regardless of its agenda status. Most citizens focused on the selection process citing regulato­ry issues that were ignored. Others focused on the Russian artist, Zurov Tsereteli, creator of the Teardrop. One speaker com­piled a lengthy portfolio of his previous works that were disliked by other cities and even cited articles where his work was rejected in his hometown.

: Concerns regarding the Stop'n'Shop development were addressed with the Council President claiming the were very, very close to a solution.

: Councilwoman Donnelly also took initial step to address the waste transfer issue, circulating petitions outside the council chamber. A short recess followed giving everyone time to regroup before tackling a lengthy number of resolutions, in fact, thirteen more than originally enumerated in the Caucus meeting just two days before.

: Stand-outs among these resolu­tions made more acting mayor appointments to various munici­pal boards including (04-400) Mary Donnelly to the Jersey City Planning Board; (04-440 and 04­441) Phillip Webb replacing Oren Dabney and Margaret DiNardo replacing Arthur Zigman on the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency. Resolution (04-398) changes the location and time of the next regular Council Meeting to: Public School #28 (South Street in the Heights, near Central Ave.), Wednesday July 14th at 10:00 am.

: All resolutions were voted through with limited scrutiny.


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