The Jersey City Independent "

The fourth time was indeed the charm for Ward E councilman Steve Fulop and three ordinances he’s been pushing since early 2010, with the City Council passing all of them into law shortly after noon on Wednesday. The Healy administration, however, says one of the three bills is “beyond the scope” of the council’s authority and is reviewing its legality.

UPDATED AUGUST 30 at 2:05 PM: The initial version of this story misquoted Ward A councilman Michael Sottolano, and misrepresented what he proposed regarding the board members’ benefits. The story has been corrected, and we apologize for the error. Two days before Ward E councilman Steven Fulop’s proposal to eliminate health benefits for board members [...]

Is the fourth time the charm? Ward E councilman Steven Fulop certainly hopes it is for several cost-cutting proposals he’s been pushing for 18 months, and he got some good news Wednesday night, when the City Council voted to introduce the three ordinances.

The Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA) will spend more than $52 million on sewer repairs and upgrades and pay a civil penalty of $375,000 after repeated violations of the Clean Water Act, according to a settlement with the federal government made public today. The MUA has violated the landmark environmental law by releasing untreated [...]

Jersey City has settled an eight-count civil suit brought by Jennifer Bloom, the former Director of Administration and Financial Management for the Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA) for $87,500, with the MUA itself kicking in another $50,000 in settlement money.

United Water and the Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA) will be shutting down a 30-inch water main on 18th Street near Newport overnight, leading some “customers in the Newport area” to have no water, low water pressure or discolored water. Tonight’s shutdown, which begins at 7 pm and will be in effect until 8 [...]

- Cardwell Resigns MUA Post: Political consultant Joe Cardwell, who pleaded guilty last week to accepting a $10,000 bribe, has resigned from his seat on the Municipal Utilities Authority board. – Crime Rate: Violent and non-violent crime saw a modest overall drop in Jersey City in 2010, continuing the downward trend for a second year, [...]

- Cardwell Pleads Guilty: Longtime political consultant Joe Cardwell has pleaded guilty in federal court in Newark to one count of bribery in connection with Operation Bid Rig. As of today, Cardwell has still not resigned his board position at the Municipal Utilities Authority. – Alston vs. Cunningham: Bruce Alston’s fight to unseat state Sen. [...]

As we reported last week, Ward E councilman Steven Fulop reintroduced three of his cost-cutting ordinances to the City Council this week after waiting out the now-required six months since the last time the bills had been voted on. As the Downtown councilman tried to get them introduced this evening, though, all three proposals — [...]

After several ordinances introduced by Ward E councilman Steven Fulop were defeated at a February City Council meeting, he vowed to get them on “every council agenda for the next three years.” But that promise was soon snuffed by the quick passage of a bill backed by council president Peter Brennan that prohibits the council [...]