Wednesday, 10 January 2024 n www.TheObserver.com n Volume CXXXVI, Issue No. 36
UNDER THE COVER Hudson Greenway finally hosting public meeting in Kearny for Kearny. Find out when & where so you may attend it. Page 5
BELLEVILLE n BLOOMFIELD n EAST NEWARK n HARRISON n KEARNY n LYNDHURST n NORTH ARLINGTON n NUTLEY
Doyle, Solano, da Silva, Harris & Ryan sworn-in to new terms; Costello administers most oaths
Doyle, granddaughter Kelsey, Costello
By Kevin A. Canessa Jr.
I
Photos by Barbara B. Goldberg
t was the tale of two meetings. Or maybe three. Councilmen Dennis Solano and Renato da Silva and Mayor Carol Jean Doyle were formally sworn into their offices; Deputy Mayors George Harris (a retired Kearny Fire Department deputy chief ) and Melanie A. Ryan took their oaths for their mostly ceremonial and advisory positions to which they were appointed by the mayor; and a ca-
Solano with Costello
da Silva with Costello
lamity of appointments were made with a lot of yelling, screaming and utter chaos in-between it all. Of those who took oaths, it was Solano and Doyle who did so having won elections Nov. 7, 2023. da Silva was sworn-in formally following his appointment a month ago. And both Harris and Ryan took their oaths for the very first time. Council president vote During the meeting, meanwhile, what appeared at first to be routine after the first few rounds of votes
Harris with daughter Lori
turned into a three-ring circus thereafter once the position of Town Council President came up for a tally just a few votes in. Doyle initially nominated Fourth Ward Councilman Jerry Ficeto for the position. However, Second Ward Councilman Richard Konopka abruptly and sternly interrupted and he instead proffered an amended resolution before a vote could be taken on Ficeto. “So far as I understand it, the council president has always been the longest-serving member of the Town
Pronti, NA addressing spike in car thefts & larcenies
Ryan with sons Charlie and Joey
Council, so I nominate Eileen Eckel for the position,” Konopka said. Stunned, several at the dais made it known to Konopka the council president has never had to be the longest-serving councilmember. In fact, in the earlier years of Mayor Alberto G. Santos’s 23-year mayoralty, his dear friend, the-late Councilwoman Barbara A. Cifelli-Sherry, served as council president while not being the most tenured. Additionally, there is no See REORG, Page 19
He’s such a nice Guy that Craig
New Pitman scheduling calls for more police on streets By Kevin A. Canessa Jr.
N
kc@theobserver.com
orth Arlington Mayor Daniel H. Pronti is addressing an ongoing concern over a recent trend of car thefts and thefts from vehicles locally and statewide, announcing a stronger police presence throughout the borough. There are many contributing factors to the rise in car thefts, Pronti says, such as information being posted on the internet showing stepby-step methods to enter and to steal certain makes and models of vehicles. New Jersey’s
changes in bail reform — releasing individuals jailed while awaiting trial for low-level offenses — may also be leading to more crimes of opportunity, including vehicle theft. Thieves seem to be targeting neighborhoods such as North Arlington, where there is historically less crime, in anticipation of some property owners being less proactive in protecting their vehicles. “Across the State of New Jersey, arrest rates are on the rise while prosecutions are down,” Pronti said. “Many people throughout law See THEFTS, Page 18
Vision Media
Gov. Philip D. Murphy swears-in Hudson County Executive Craig Guy last week. See the full story on Page 8.