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  • Hoboken has 3 choices for a state monitor -- Really???

Hoboken has 3 choices for a state monitor -- Really???

Former Local Finance Board official Judy Tripodi appears to be the DCA's choice for Hoboken"s monitor.

Hoboken has 3 choices for a state monitor -- Really???

Wednesday, October 01, 2008, Amy Sara Clark/The Jersey Journal
 
The state was supposed to give Hoboken three candidates to choose from for the "monitor" who will be overseeing the city's finances as part of the city's punishment of state "supervision" imposed after Hoboken failed to pass a budget.

And the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs did give Hoboken three choices, one who would charge $130,000 a year and two that would charge $500,000 a year. Hmm, I wonder who the DCA is backing?

In addition, the candidates were just added to tonight's City Council agenda earlier today, giving council members no time to interview the candidates.

Plus, the names were added during Rosh HaShanah, a Jewish holiday that ends at sundown tonight, meaning Jewish council members couldn't do any advance research even if they were able, said Councilwoman Beth Mason.

The DCA did not respond to a request this afternoon for comment.

Mason said she would ask that the vote be postponed.

"I believe it is highly insensitive for the State of New Jersey to demand the city council vote on such an important appointment at the conclusion of one of the most solemn holidays on the Jewish calendar," she said in a news release.

"There has not been adequate time to review the candidates for this important position, and there has been no interview process that would allow the city council to determine the best candidate for the job. There is no job description accompanying the position. It is precisely this kind of hasty, ill-informed decision-making process that has helped create Hoboken's financial crisis," she added.

She also said, "It is obvious that Judy Tripodi has been the favored choice of the state Local Finance board for this job. And since it was the state's intention all along to install her in this position, why did they wait four months?"

Here are the three candidates:

• Judith Tripodi, who recently stepped down as deputy director of the state's Division of Local Government Services. She served at the DLGS for 22 years. Before that served as the Chief Financial Officer for Andover and Green Township; and

• Dean Kaplan and Dorothy Johnson, both of the Philadelphia firm, Public Financial Management, Inc. 

 

 


Resource Box

Hoboken City Council
Meeting of October 1, 2008

08-327

 ---By Councilman Russo:

APPOINTING A FISCAL MONITOR FOR THE CITY OF HOBOKEN PURSUANT TO THE STATE SUPERVISION ACT.

WHEREAS, on September 10, 2008. the Local Finance Board of the Division of Local Finance in the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs ("Board") placed the City of Hoboken under its supervision pursuant to the terms of the "State Supervision Act" N.J.S.A. 52:27BB-54 et. seq; and 

WHEREAS, the Local Finance Board specifically placed into effect in the City of Hoboken the provisions of N.J.S.A. 52:27BB-80, which provides for the mandatory appointment of a “fiscal control officer” by the governing body; and,

WHEREAS, this statute further provides that the Local Finance Board submit (3) names of individuals who have been found by the Board to be qualified to perform the duties of "fiscal control officer" for the municipality; and

WHEREAS, the Board has submitted the names of three individuals it has found to be so qualified, Judith Tripodi, Dean Kaplan and Dorothy Johnson, and has directed that the City Council name one of these individuals to the position of "fiscal control officer" at the Council meeting to be held on October 1, 20087; and,

WHEREAS, the Board has further directed that the "fiscal control officer" be paid out of the funds of the municipality in an amount by the governing body and approved by the Board.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Hoboken hereby appoints Judith Tripodi, to serve as the Fiscal Control Officer for the City of Hoboken, pursuant N.J.S.A. 52:27BB-81; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the individual be compensated at an annual amount of $130,000; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this appointment shall continue until his or her services are terminated by the governing body, with the consent of the Board, or the City is no longer subject to the "State Supervision Act;" and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the bond requirement N.J.S.A. 52:27BB-80 is waived, subject to the approval of the Board.

Before the vote was taken the following spoke:
Richard Tremitiedi, 2 Constitution Court;
Lane Bajardi, 70 Park Avenue.

---Motion duly seconded by Councilman Ramos and Councilman Cunningham.
---Adopted by the following vote: YEAS: 7 - NAYS: 1 - ABSTENTIONS: 1
---Yeas: Council persons Cammarano, Castellano, Cunningham, LaBruno, Ramos, Russo and President Giacchi.
---Nays: Mason.
---Abstentions: Zimmer

Meeting of October 1, 2008

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