HANGING OUT WITH

Story by Tara Ryazansky

Photo by Max Ryazansky

The folks at San Vito Restaurant all seem to know Jackie Weimmer, but not because she’s their Second Ward Councilwoman.

“Everyone here still says, ‘Hi, Aunt Jackie,’” she says. “I’ve known this family for almost 40 years. I mean, it’s almost like Cheers, you walk in, and everybody knows you. We still have that closeness here, that wonderful sense of belonging.”

Jackie doesn’t just mean San Vito’s. She means Bayonne, especially the Second Ward. She says that same feeling carries on down the block at other favorite spots like El Aguila Dorada Mexican Restaurant, Kuhl’s Tavern and Pompei Pizza. “The owner grew up working there part-time as a kid through school and now owns it. These are the stories that you love to hear. They’re comfort pieces of knowledge. When you’re born and raised here, it gives you a sense of pride. They’re all still here, and so am I.”

Now, Jackie lives in a house three doors down from the home she grew up in. But she did live outside of town for part of her life.

“I married, and I moved out of Bayonne.” She says that even during that time away, she frequently found herself coming back to town to see old friends or to visit her family. “I would come back on Sundays to go to Mass with my mother and teach Sunday school at Saint Michael’s Church.”

When she later divorced, she came back to Bayonne for good. “When it became that the decision was solely mine about where I would go and continue to raise my daughter, I decided that I would come home, and I did,” Jackie says.

While Jackie is old-school Bayonne, she’s new to her political role.

“I’m sort of in my infancy in this role,” Jackie explains, adding that she has a career in trust and estate planning for handicapped and disabled people. “I’m trying to see how I can best help the public. I feel like there are so many endeavors out there that really could use some dedicated time and assistance. The city council is fi ve people and you can’t change the world tomorrow. It’s a slow process and I struggle with that.”

Jackie says that she focuses on the young and the old. “I try to dedicate as much time as I can to young people, and to be a positive infl uence in our schools and things of that nature,” she explains. “Then, I try to dedicate as much time as I can to our seniors, because I feel like oftentimes they’re a forgotten generation. In the senior buildings, where I go as often as I can to hand out food donations and to be a part of everyday interaction there, they’re so appreciative. They look for someone to increase the little joys in their lives. It just doesn’t happen with enough regularity.”

This gave her the idea to bring the two populations together.

“I would love to create a senior-tosenior partnership. I would love to see our high school seniors partner with our senior citizens, maybe for two hours a week to teach them some increased technology. They can help them to access Facebook to meet with their loved ones or get some pictures that way,” she says that she hopes to get her civic association up and running in the new year.

When it’s time to place our order, Jackie has some suggestions. “I have to share with you that I live most of my life on a diet. I’m forever watching what I eat.” She says that she usually goes for the broccoli oreganatto and grilled chicken, but sometimes she gets something a bit more indulgent if someone splits the dish with her. “My life partner Mark, who is an absolutely wonderful man who supports me and puts up with all of the crazy things I get us into, we will oftentimes share a cold antipasto and a hot antipasto, and that’s more than enough food for me. Just add a glass of wine, and I’m all set.”

That sounds great to me.

“You can dine here, you can live here,” Jackie says, adding that the Second Ward has plenty of options when it comes to both. “The Second Ward has a good number of our new developing buildings. These are luxury apartments. One is nicer than the next. What I really like is that the city seems to be making the request, and the developers are really considerate of public space. They’re putting up buildings and creating really nice sitting areas that become public space for everybody to enjoy.”

And it’s easy to see why new residents would choose Bayonne.

“If you’re a professional and you’re commuting to New York City, to Jersey City, or to Hoboken, the light rail is here. It’s all accessible. It’s convenient,” but Weimmer says that Bayonne has more going for it than simply location. “Bayonne is growing. We’re evolving, but there’s still a rich sense of community here. That’s what makes Bayonne special.” — BLP