City Council

The Reorganization Meeting of the City Council of the City of Hackensack was held at City Hall, 65 Central Avenue, Hackensack, New Jersey, on June 30, 2011 at 7:10 p.m. The City Clerk called the meeting to order and stated: “In accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, Chapter 231, Laws of 1975, adequate notice of this meeting was provided by sending a notice to The Record and the County Seat and by posting a copy on the bulletin board in City Hall.” The City Clerk called the roll: Present – Mayor Karen K. Sasso, Deputy Mayor Jorge E. Meneses, Councilman Marlin G. Townes, Councilman John P. Labrosse, Councilman Michael R. Melfi, City Attorney Joseph C. Zisa and City Manager Stephen Lo Iacono. Mayor Sasso asked everyone to stand for the flag salute and Ms. Kelly Meneses sang the National Anthem. Father Brian Tomlinson gave the invocation. Mayor Sasso read a letter that she had received from former Mayor Kazmier Wysocki and announced distinguished guests in the audience. Mayor Sasso said that the Council continues to move the City forward, although government moves slowly. She also said that the Council continues to reduce the City fleet and positions through attrition as well as reducing the budget and the City portion of tax bills while maintaining services. She further spoke about the opening of two facilities for the Boys and Girls Club, the rehabilitation of City parks and the transformation of the Masonic Lodge building into the Recreation/Cultural Arts center, but said that the most important accomplishment of the year is the designation of Main Street as an area in need of rehabilitation. Mayor Sasso thanked the City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk and all department heads and said that she was grateful for their commitment to the City. She also thanked all of the professional consultants for their guidance and said that the past year has given her the opportunity to get to know more of the City’s volunteers. Mayor Sasso thanked Gail Zisa and Lauren Zamulka as well as Joe, Marlin and Mike and said that no accomplishment is achieved overnight. She also thanked her friends and family and said that she was proud to have served twice as the City’s first female Mayor. She said that she looked forward to a year with even more stellar moments. The City Clerk read a letter of resignation submitted by Mayor Sasso effective June 30, 2011. The City Clerk then distributed ballots to the Council for them to cast their votes for the Mayor’s position. Mr. Zisa asked that the Council put their names on the top of the ballot. The City Clerk collected the ballots and there were four votes for Deputy Mayor Meneses and one vote for Mayor Sasso. Councilman Labrosse had cast the vote for Mayor Sasso. Mayor Sasso, Deputy Mayor Meneses, Councilman Townes and Councilman Melfi all voted for Deputy Mayor Meneses. Senator Robert Menendez was present to administer the Oath of Office to the new Mayor, Jorge E. Meneses. The Senator said that he had arrived this evening from Washington. He praised Mayor Sasso for her extraordinary job and recognized Lynne Hurwitz as the municipal chair. He also said that Mayor Meneses was an educator in Colombia and that his first job in the United States was washing cars. Mayor Meneses then went to New York University and was re-educated in America. He served on the school board and has been a City Council member for six years. Senator Menendez said that Mayor Meneses is an example of what America is all about. The Senator also presented Mayor Meneses with a flag that had been flown over the Capital. Mayor Meneses said that it is a privilege and an honor to have a second opportunity to serve in this community as the Mayor and that his first term was in July, 2007. He spoke about teaming with the Main Street Business Alliance to enhance the quality of life in the City of Hackensack. He also spoke about the commitment and wisdom of the people of Hackensack and thanked Senator Menendez for flying in from Washington. He thanked his friends for coming tonight and acknowledged a group of residents of the Ivanhoe, where he lives. He acknowledged Congressman Jaime Buenahora from Colombia and thanked Father Brian and Father Paul and thanked Mayor Townes, Mayor Sasso and Deputy Mayor Melfi for their support and commended Councilman Labrosse for being part of the City Council. He further expressed his appreciation to the City Manager and the City Clerk. Mayor Meneses thanked his mother and father who pressured him to study and to do the best that he could. He also acknowledged former Councilman Chuck McAuliffe who was in the audience. Mr. McAuliffe said that he is a cancer survivor who had been diagnosed with Stage 2 lung cancer and said that he had received chemotherapy. He thanked the Mayor and Council for supporting the Hackensack University Medical Center Cancer Center. Mayor Meneses also introduced his children and granddaughter. NO. 243-11 OFFERED BY: SASSO SECONDED BY: TOWNES ________________________________________________________________ BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Hackensack that Michael R. Melfi be and is hereby designated to act in place and instead of Jorge E. Meneses, as Mayor of the City of Hackensack and that he be given the title Deputy Mayor of the City of Hackensack and that there be conferred upon him all rights and privileges incident to his appointment. Roll Call: Ayes - Labrosse, Townes, Sasso, Melfi, Meneses Freeholder Chairman John Driscoll administered the Oath of Office to Deputy Mayor Melfi. Deputy Mayor Melfi thanked his family for supporting his efforts and said that it is a true honor to sit on the Council. He said that he never envisioned when he was growing up that he would have the honor of serving his City. He also thanked the Council for their support as well as the City Manager, the City Attorney and the City Clerk. He said that he had invited his first grade teacher, Ms. Story, to be here tonight and introduced her to the audience. He also thanked her for her dedication to the children of Hackensack and thanked the Freeholder Chairman for being here this evening. He said that he is looking forward to another exciting year. NO. 244-11 OFFERED BY: MELFI SECONDED BY: TOWNES _______________________________________________________________ BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Hackensack that the appointment of Councilman John P. Labrosse, Jr., as Council representative to the Local Assistance Board, for a one year term, made by the City Manager, be confirmed. Roll Call: Ayes – Labrosse, Townes, Sasso, Melfi, Meneses NO. 245-11 OFFERED BY: TOWNES SECONDED BY: MELFI _______________________________________________________________ BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Hackensack that Deputy Mayor Michael R. Melfi be appointed as a Planning Board Class III member; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Hackensack that Councilwoman Karen K. Sasso be appointed to the Planning Board as the Mayor’s designee. Roll Call: Ayes – Labrosse, Townes, Sasso, Melfi, Meneses NO. 246-11 OFFERED BY: MELFI SECONDED BY: SASSO ________________________________________________________________ WHEREAS, R.S. 40:2-35 provides that monies held in any separate fund shall be treated as monies held in trust and shall not be diverted to any other purpose. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the following banks be made the depositories for various accounts effective immediately; Bank of New Jersey Capital One Bank TD Bank Lakeland Bank Wachovia/Wells Fargo Bank of America TD Bank North MBIA Class Program New Jersey Cash Management New Jersey Asset & Rebate Management Program PNC Bank Pascack Community Bank/Hackensack Valley National Bank Oritani Savings Bank Washington Mutual Mariner’s Bank North Jersey Community Bank Bank of Hackensack Greater Community Bank BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Custodian shall be Tammy Zucca and that all disbursements shall be made by checks signed by Mayor Jorge E. Meneses, City Treasurer Tammy Zucca and City Clerk Debra Heck or in her absence City Treasurer Tammy Zucca. Roll Call: Ayes- Labrosse, Townes, Sasso, Melfi, Meneses  NO. 247-11 OFFERED BY: SASSO SECONDED BY: MELFI ________________________________________________________________ BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Hackensack that the following liquor license be issued in the City of Hackensack, effective July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012, applicant having complied with the ordinances of the City of Hackensack and any special conditions which may be determined by the City Council, and having paid the required fee: 0223-33-011-005 Yoshida Enterprises, Inc. $1,500.00 21 Mercer Street Roll Call - Ayes: Labrosse, Townes, Sasso, Melfi, Meneses A motion was made by Deputy Mayor Melfi and seconded by Councilwoman Sasso to open the meeting to the public. Mark Stein, Heath Place, president of the Board of Education, thanked the Council for the excellent working relationship that they have with them. Chief Freeman, Hackensack Fire Department, congratulated the Mayor and Deputy Mayor on behalf of the Fire Department for their full support as always. He also thanked former Mayor Sasso for her support this past year and particularly during the garage collapse and for her subsequent recognition of all first responders. Captain Tomas Padilla, Officer in Charge of the Hackensack Police Department, congratulated the Mayor and Council on behalf of the Police Department and said that they would continue to work together for the betterment of the City. He also said that he appreciated all of the support for the Police Department over the past year. Jaime Buenahora, member of the House of Representatives from Colombia, recognized Karen Sasso for her accomplishments and said that there are many opportunities in the United States. He also said that the Council has been persistent and wished them the best. Larry Eisen said that in 1922 his father came to this country as a ten year old boy with no money and that he made a success of himself. He also said that America still represents this. On behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Eisen thanked the Council for all of their support for the business community. Jesus Galvis, former Councilman, congratulated the new Mayor and new Deputy Mayor and the rest of the members of the Council. He said that this year will be a very interesting year for the Council with reference to the future of the City and also that three important positions in the City are represented by Latinos. Freeholder Chairman John Driscoll said that everywhere he went in the City, Mayor Sasso was there and that she is Hackensack. He said that he is proud to have served while she was Mayor and that he is proud that Hackensack is the county seat. He further said that the things going on on Main Street are astounding and that this is the best county in the state of New Jersey. He also said that Hackensack and Bergen County are working hand in hand to decrease taxes.  Ed Trawinski, County Administrator, said that he is here this evening on behalf of the County Executive and that he is also a councilman from Fair Lawn. He spoke about six words in the Oath of Office that all serve “under the authority of the people” and that if we never lose site of that we will not fail the people or fail ourselves. He also thanked the City for sharing Councilman Townes with them. Sid Wilson, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Bergen Community College, congratulated Mayor Meneses. Jack Zisa, former mayor of Hackensack congratulated Mayor Meneses on his appointment as mayor of the City of Hackensack. He said that it is overwhelming to think of the promises and dedication that you have made to this community and that America is a great place. He also said that Karen Sasso’s tenure as Mayor has been a blessing for the City of Hackensack and expressed his gratitude to everyone for their recognition of his father, former Mayor Frank Zisa, who recently passed away. Mayor Meneses said that Mayor Zisa gave him the opportunity on the Recreation Board and that started everything, then the Board of Education and Council, all of which was an honor and privilege. Len Nix, 83 Elm Street, said that he still doesn’t understand the City charter and how we keep getting another mayor every year. He said that his mother was born here and so was he and that he has never seen a town in such shambles as this town has been. As no one else wished to be heard, a motion was made by Deputy Mayor Melfi and seconded by Councilwoman Sasso. Former Mayor Sasso thanked everyone who came up to congratulate the Council and also acknowledged more dignitaries. Councilman Labrosse thanked Mayor Sasso for this last year of service and offered his congratulations to Mayor Meneses and Deputy Mayor Melfi and also said that he is looking forward to working with them. He also said that being the minority councilman he looks at some things differently even though he has been part of the Council for two years. He said that he is against the rotation of mayors and wanted to look at it to see how everyone does but that to him Karen Sasso stood out and did an outstanding job. Councilman Townes thanked his family and said that when you are part of the Council your time is not your own and that it is time that you would spend with your family but you are out attending meetings. He thanked his wife Ojetta and his children Marlin and Chelsea who push him to fulfill his commitment. He congratulated Karen Sasso, his running partner, and congratulated all employees in the City that make sacrifices and that doing more with less is a wonderful thing. He asked Mr. Lo Iacono to let all of the employees know this and also thanked him for his guidance through the years. Councilman Townes also said that during the last two or three weeks the City telephone system has been upgraded. He said that it is an honor serving and that he loves the City of Hackensack as it has been good to him and his family. City Attorney Joseph Zisa said that it was a pleasure working with Karen Sasso over the past year and that he is here for Mayor Meneses. Mayor Meneses thanked everyone again for coming tonight and invited everyone to come to the Civic Center for refreshments after the benediction, which was then given by Father Paul Prevosto.  A motion was made by Deputy Mayor Melfi and seconded by Councilwoman Sasso to close the meeting at 8:15 p.m. ___________________________________ MAYOR JORGE E. MENESES ________________________________ DEPUTY MAYOR MICHAEL R. MELFI ________________________________ COUNCILMAN MARLIN G. TOWNES, JR. _________________________________ COUNCILWOMAN KAREN K. SASSO _________________________________ COUNCILMAN JOHN P. LABROSSE, JR. _________________________________ DEBRA HECK, CITY CLERK