The Jersey City Independent "

A new majority faction on the City Council emerged at Wednesday night’s meeting when an ordinance was introduced to cut short Council President Peter Brennan’s term as president at a vote of 5-3-1. The law would also change the length of future terms from four years to two years going forward, but the crux of the issue is the direction of current Council leadership, which Ward C Councilwoman Nidia Lopez, the bill’s sponsor, had described as “lacking vision.” Along with the votes came sharp rebuke of Corporation Counsel Bill Matsikoudis’s memo questioning the legality of the ordinance, a legal opinion most of the Council said failed to address the question put before him.

Share/Save A foreclosed home in Jersey City will soon be acquired and revitalized by the Jersey City Episcopal Community Development Corporation (JCECDC) thanks to a $75,000 grant from the people at Wells Fargo Housing Foundation. The grant for the two-story home comes as part of an effort to make affordable housing more attractive to first [...]

Share/SaveWard C Councilwoman Nidia Lopez says she’s fed up with the “unprofessionalism” in the way the Council is being led — from Council President Peter Brennan’s “lack of time” in the office to a lack of vision for the city’s needs — and is proposing an ordinance that will shorten the length of the council [...]

Share/SaveJersey City Council Faction Seeks to Oust Council President: Ward C Councilwoman Nidia Lopez is seeking to oust Councilman at large Peter Brennan as council president two years before his term is up and replace him with Councilwoman at large Viola Richardson. Look for more from JCI later today. PSE&G Wins Special Incentives for Transmission [...]

Share/SaveMichele Massey Sworn in as Ward F’s New Representative on City Council: Jersey City Councilwoman at large Viola Richardson “passed the torch” yesterday to Michele Massey, who succeeds Richardson as the council’s Ward F representative. At Some Jersey City Service Stations, Gas Dips Below $3: Several gas stations recently lowered the price of regular unleaded [...]

Share/SaveAt-Large Councilwoman Viola Richardson’s Civic Association, in conjunction with the Light Rail Cafe, will wrap up their 10-day toy drive Sunday, December 18th. Stop by the Light Rail Cafe (237 Randolph Avenue) to drop off you unwrapped present or a $10 donation for the holidays and the Light Rail Cafe will give right back with [...]

Share/Save Michele Massey, long the preferred choice of At-Large Councilwoman Viola Richardson for her former Ward F seat, as well as Mayor Healy’s nominee, was elected unanimously to the vacated seat at Wednesday night’s Council meeting by the eight seated council members. Massey will hold the position until next year’s election on November 6th, 2012, [...]

Share/SaveFood truck and cart owners have already waited 9 months for the City Council to create new rules and regulations for food truck operation, a move deemed necessary following the discovery that a city health inspector had gone rogue and illegally granted licenses to anyone with a food truck. Now, after new complications arose that [...]

Share/SaveLast week when Mayor Healy announced he would be nominating Michele Massey, the executive director of the Monticello Community Development Corporation, for the vacant Ward F council seat, he cited her experience working towards neighborhood revitalization. And when At-Large Councilwoman Viola Richardson, Ward F’s previous councilwoman, explained why she had submitted Massey’s name to Healy, [...]

Share/SaveJersey City Board of Education Selects Interim Superintendent: The Jersey City Board of Education has tapped Associate Superintendent Franklin Walker to be the 29,000-student district’s interim superintendent until a permanent replacement is found for the departing Superintendent Charles T. Epps Jr. Look for more from JCI later today. Two Weeks Left to Fill Ward F [...]