Otto's Kiss of Death

 This Application is being heard at the Planning Board tonight.  

Just in the nick of time!  

Tonight the Hoboken Planning Board holds its first meeting of 2019, and it's got a new Council Planning Board designee: 2nd Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher.  Fisher can only be an improvement over her predecessor, who had spotty attendance and was riddled with donor-Applicant conflicts (see above).

Yep, it's a new day with a new Planning Board. Last night we found out that all but one of the mayor's appointments are Planning Board veterans: good ole' Jim Doyle is back,  Kelly O'Connor and Lea Cloud were reappointed and Caleb Stratton was moved to fill the Brandy Forbes vacancy.  

However, there is one Planning Board newbie: Jon Otto.  Otto, who had served for 2 years as 4th Alternate on Hoboken's Zoning Board of Adjustment, had not been reappointed by the Council majority. Word is, his board service was impeccable, so what happened?  

GA, who knows Jon Otto only through Facebook, reached out to ask. Here's what I found out. 

Otto is a happy guy today-- really happy-- that he landed on Hoboken's Planning Board, especially after the Council majority snubbed his Zoning Board reappointment. Otto's term as a 4th Alternate had expired, so he'd really hoped to be reappointed. Thus when he saw he was not on the Jan 2 Agenda, he was thoroughly dismayed, and contacted his ward councilman, Fisher, for an explanation. She replied that "with the business of the holidays and year end and the new rules around timing of applications" she was sorry, and wished that he had gotten his application in earlier, because she would have supported him.     

Hmmm. Late, huh. If not a late application, what else could have gotten Jon Otto booted from a board he'd served on with honor?  

Could it be that his political affiliation with the mayor and rejection of the DeFusco and Giattino campaigns was the Kiss of Death? 

Yes, rejection...

Mike DeFusco had asked Otto to run on his slate for Mayor.   "I turned him down after a few meetings with him and people helping run his campaign." 

Otto also declined to endorse Jen Giattino.

But he did endorse Ravi Bhalla, even helping him get access into Otto's building to canvas door-to-door.  Jon told me that Fisher found out and "wasn't happy."

So people, do you think that Jon got the boot from Zoning because his application was late?  That opinion and a nickel will get you... a nickel.  Thankfully, the value of a guy who takes public service very seriously, is thoughtful, intelligent and supports good government is being recognized.  Otto's is no crony appointment. He has a record. I know he will do well on the Planning Board.

It is a shame that this council majority cares more about politics than recognizing the value and service of good people, irrespective of whomever they endorsed for mayor. When I served on the Zoning Board, we were a mix of Russo and Zimmer appointees; we left our politics at the door.  Really. Booting good board members because they did not support your campaign is a terrible message to send to the public.  

Fortunately, this booted zoning member's saga has a happy ending. Not so much for Gary Holtzman.