Update:
GA just spoke to HHA Chair Dana Wefer who clarified the HHA has filled $500K of a $2.5M hole in the reserves inherited from former Executive Director Carmelo Garcia. The reserves had been "plundered" to cover budget overruns.
According to sources, under new management "[the HHA] saved $100,000 by locking the inventory door."
GA has updated original post accordingly.
Original post:
Just when we thought Al Sullivan's article about 6th Ward Councilwoman Jen Giattino and other Hoboken moms' quiet act of charity was embargoed from Hoboken forever...
Matzner to the rescue!
It doesn't matter WHY the paper decided to run the story in the Hoboken edition one week after it ran in Jersey City, it matters that they ran it where it belongs.... in Hoboken. On the cover.
GA asked Jen if she had complained to the HR about the article's omission last week. Her answer: "nope."
Perhaps they understood how badly the Hoboken embargo had backfired. Who knows. Giattino is extremely popular- within her ward and out. Unlike many Hoboken political figures, Jen is not a loud-mouthed gasbag with a slew of paid political operatives and consultants; she is a mom who quietly goes about doing 'her thing.' Jen's 'thing' is helping the Hoboken community. Yeah, she's Republican. So what. GA would choose Giattino over 1,000 self-serving Democratic Party gasbags without blinking an eye.
Speaking of embargoed information...
It is curious that The Hoboken Reporter's page 4 news "Brief" titled "Dana Wefer re-elected as Hoboken Housing Authority board chair" left out a huge piece of news. In fact, it is a huge story. To-date, the story has only been covered by MSV.
MSV's story is titled: "HHA Shocker: $2.5 million reserve loss turned into 500K surplus"
That is incredible. Huge. Here it is:
How could that happen? This story merits coverage in The New York Times. And a federal investigation.
One example of how $2,500,000 'walked out the door' under Garcia control might be the $38.5K the HHA spent on diapering one elevator.
Remember that? In 2011 the HHA spent $385,000 replacing vinyl flooring in 10 elevator cabs. When questioned about this expense, the HHA Board was told that the new floors were required to keep pee-pee from dripping onto the cab sub-floor and into the mechanicals.
Excellent! Remember: the pee-pee belongs inside the elevator. Next time you pee in an elevator, check that it's wearing a vinyl diaper. Okay?
This is Hoboken, where certain news doesn't get the front page- or any page.
GA congratulates HHA Chairwoman Dana Wefer, Finance Chairman David Denning, Commissioners Dave Mello, James Sanford, Judy Burrell and Interim Executive Director Bob DiVincent for using federal money on much-needed capital improvements to the Hoboken Housing Authority and not on vinyl diapers.
Remember to pee on VINYL, not linoleum.
GA just spoke to HHA Chair Dana Wefer who clarified the HHA has filled $500K of a $2.5M hole in the reserves inherited from former Executive Director Carmelo Garcia. The reserves had been "plundered" to cover budget overruns.
According to sources, under new management "[the HHA] saved $100,000 by locking the inventory door."
GA has updated original post accordingly.
Original post:
Just when we thought Al Sullivan's article about 6th Ward Councilwoman Jen Giattino and other Hoboken moms' quiet act of charity was embargoed from Hoboken forever...
 |
| "Moms make lunch for the homeless" appears in this week's Hoboken edition |
Matzner to the rescue!
It doesn't matter WHY the paper decided to run the story in the Hoboken edition one week after it ran in Jersey City, it matters that they ran it where it belongs.... in Hoboken. On the cover.
GA asked Jen if she had complained to the HR about the article's omission last week. Her answer: "nope."
Perhaps they understood how badly the Hoboken embargo had backfired. Who knows. Giattino is extremely popular- within her ward and out. Unlike many Hoboken political figures, Jen is not a loud-mouthed gasbag with a slew of paid political operatives and consultants; she is a mom who quietly goes about doing 'her thing.' Jen's 'thing' is helping the Hoboken community. Yeah, she's Republican. So what. GA would choose Giattino over 1,000 self-serving Democratic Party gasbags without blinking an eye.
Speaking of embargoed information...
It is curious that The Hoboken Reporter's page 4 news "Brief" titled "Dana Wefer re-elected as Hoboken Housing Authority board chair" left out a huge piece of news. In fact, it is a huge story. To-date, the story has only been covered by MSV.
MSV's story is titled: "HHA Shocker: $2.5 million reserve loss turned into 500K surplus"
That is incredible. Huge. Here it is:
"...the Hoboken Housing Authority announced its second quarter financials at its monthly meeting yesterday and the results are a stunner. Last year, the agency left in shambles under controversial Executive Director Carmelo Garcia rode through a $2.5 million hit on the agency reserves. With temporary ED Bob Divincent and HHA commissioner David Dening, the head of the finance committee, the agency announced it completely eliminated the hit on those reserves losses with numerous problems reversed and retains $500K in reserves. The amazing turnabout comes in less then a single calendar year."Wow. After Garcia was fired. In less than one year.
How could that happen? This story merits coverage in The New York Times. And a federal investigation.
One example of how $2,500,000 'walked out the door' under Garcia control might be the $38.5K the HHA spent on diapering one elevator.
Remember that? In 2011 the HHA spent $385,000 replacing vinyl flooring in 10 elevator cabs. When questioned about this expense, the HHA Board was told that the new floors were required to keep pee-pee from dripping onto the cab sub-floor and into the mechanicals.
Excellent! Remember: the pee-pee belongs inside the elevator. Next time you pee in an elevator, check that it's wearing a vinyl diaper. Okay?
 |
| page 3 of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) Annual Performance Report 2011 |
This is Hoboken, where certain news doesn't get the front page- or any page.
GA congratulates HHA Chairwoman Dana Wefer, Finance Chairman David Denning, Commissioners Dave Mello, James Sanford, Judy Burrell and Interim Executive Director Bob DiVincent for using federal money on much-needed capital improvements to the Hoboken Housing Authority and not on vinyl diapers.
Remember to pee on VINYL, not linoleum.
We can. We will. Just watch us!
ReplyDeleteThe changes in the HHA are fast a furious.
Records being kept, money being found and spent to make the lives of the HHA residents better. Drug dealers being arrested by the dozen. Streets being paved and drainage problems addressed., New sidewalks. Community garden fixed up and this is just the start.
All it took was kicking one rotten piece of dead wood to the curb to get the good stuff happening.
I loved her in Star Trek, but why so mean to Bill Shatner?
ReplyDeleteThat Jen Girl is awesome and Hoboken has benefitted greatly seeing her public and not so public private service to the Homeless Shelter over many years.
ReplyDeleteNo press releases, no vile political operatives breathing Masonic political operations on Hoboken411 and elsehwere, just good governance for anyone interested in seeing.
The Hudson Reporter got nailed for its considerable anti-Reform hatred. Called out the Councilwoman and former City Council President Jen Giattino on her volunteerism and was smacked down so hard by the truth, it took the weird editorial decision to not only bury the news but censor their own story right out of Hoboken!
Caren Matzner, Gene Ritchins, Dave Unger and company have a lot of explaining to do but this one was a doozy. They proved beyond any reasonable doubt how far they will go to support the Old Guard in Hoboken. Shoot, it's an election year with six ward seats up on the City Council. This is what the Hudson Distorter does best!
That they missed another huge story staring them in the face at the HHA is not a surprise at all. Every time Reform has taken the reins over a public budget in Hoboken, the corruption is sure to be revealed.
The Hudson Reporter hates that story because it's the truth and bad for business with their Old Guard friends.
Did they ever cover or mention the damning results of the HHA audit last year? That huge news story was only covered by Horsey.
When it comes to handing over an big exclusive or covering up the truth, the Hudson Reporter has a consistent track record. The truth goes kaput.
It did here: http://www.hobokenhorse.com/2014/07/hha-audit-findings-spell-trouble-for.html
Great job exposing both the Hudson Distorter and that little girl Petro and his vicious Curious Girl wearing dress in the same week! What a coup!
Thank you very much Grafix Avenger!
yoo hoo...Smarty we can see you...
DeleteTroll alert! Not Brice, but nice try.
DeleteGiattino doesn't have an ounce of pretension in her body. Doesn't want the spotlight. I guess it drives the bad guys nuts.
ReplyDeleteThey also ran a letter to the editor from our least favorite former head of the HHA while ignoring the dramatic turnaround in the HHA's finances.
ReplyDeleteAnonymouse wasn't the housing meeting on Thursday night? Th e paper comes out on Saturday, not a lot of time you are giving them, remember they are a weekly ? I think the practice of calling them out without waiting a week or two is not going to look good especially if they are just planning to do it the next week for what ever reason. We don't get to make them do it in a short turnaround, if they don't do it at all then complain. Taking the credit when they run it, if they may have been planning it a week or two later anyway, I don't know, its not the best looking practice. looks like you are trying to force them to speed up something when they don't always seem to do that.
ReplyDeleteUmmm...so why didn't they cover the news on their website, huh? No need to wait for the printed weekly paper. It's 2015, get used to it.
Delete