City Has Spent $16K on Doyle Case So Far
According to invoices presented by one member of the public.
Photos
The law suit between Mayor Dawn Zimmer and the four minority council members has cost the city more than $16,000 so far, according to two invoices provided to the city council and Patch.
Former zoning Board Member Phil Cohen presented the documents to the council. One invoice is for $13,242.27. and another for $3,030.
The invoices are dated 12/11/12 and 1/28/2013 and ordered by special counsel McManimon & Scotland LLC.
The four council minority members sued Zimmer as well as the city clerk and the city attorney, claiming that Jim Doyle's appointment was invalid. After many rounds of court, the case is now in front of the appellate division.
Meanwhile, Doyle's seat remains vacant.
Cohen made his comments during the public portion. Afterward, the city council broke out in several minutes of fighting, with multiple members yelling at each other in disregard of Council President Peter Cunningham's gavel.
DaHorsey, SmartyJones of MSV
9:06 am on Thursday, February 21, 2013
As an addendum, the invoices cover the first two months of the cost to the people of Hoboken fighting to have the legal appointment of Jim Doyle to the council completed. There are additional months of costs since.
More on this with the 11 minute brawl on video when it hit the fan on the manufactured lawsuit by MORTe:
http://www.hobokenhorse.com/2013/02/the-brawl-war-on-suing-people-of.html
Remarks by Phil Cohen (written and video) setting off the brawl:
http://www.hobokenhorse.com/2013/02/phil-cohen-denounces-morte-chutzpah-for.html
Scott M. Siegel
1:13 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013
The minority will continue to waste money on Jim. Isn't this what the Old Guard is famous for?
franksinatra
9:25 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013
Scott - i think you have it backwards. It's Dawn and her council people who are wasting this money, and as a taxpayer I deeply resent that they're wasting our money on this fruitless effort. If they hadn't tried to illegally ram through Doyle's appointment none of this would have happened. Point the finger at yourself.
And it's not the minority any more. It figures to be a 4-4 tie until November.
InfotainMe
9:41 am on Friday, February 22, 2013
Judge Bariso likewise seems to 'resent' the case:
"This court cannot countenance the notion that the Municipal Vacancy Law was intended to encourage gamesmanship. Council members should not be permitted to undermine the deliberative process and trump the intent of the legislature."
pdq
9:41 am on Friday, February 22, 2013
The four minority council members sued their opponents on the city council, Mayor Dawn Zimmer and City Clerk Jimmy Farina to have Doyle removed", Hoboken Patch.
The four council minority members sued Zimmer as well as the city clerk and the city attorney, (not noted above:Dave Mello, Jen Giattino, Ravi Bhalla,Peter Cunningham and Jim Doyle), claiming that Jim Doyle's appointment was invalid. After many rounds of court, the case is now in front of the appellate division.
Jay Rattigan
12:21 pm on Friday, February 22, 2013
FS, why do you describe the appointment as illegal? The judge's order said otherwise and pointed gamesmanship on the part of the minority. Assuming the majority wins at the appellate level, will you conitue to call the appointment illegal? Jay
DaHorsey, SmartyJones of MSV
9:46 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013
Someone doesn't know the facts and clearly did not read the court decision. Jim Doyle is the legally appointed City Councilman. Period. End of story.
The lawsuit was manufactured by your friend Beth and Ma Russo, Maureen.
Bethy will be touched by your loyalty to her checkbook.
Grafix Avenger
12:21 pm on Friday, February 22, 2013
GA's posted the invoices- the amount of taxpayer money that Mason, Russo, Occhipinti and Castellano are spending on their political jihad (Judge Bariso called it "gamesmanship") is an astounding $16,272.27 and counting...
So where was Beth Mason on October 3, 2012- the night of the Doyle vote?
http://grafixavenger.blogspot.com/2013/02/in-italy-or-on-business.html
CuriousGal
12:30 pm on Saturday, February 23, 2013
Interesting how Grafix Avenger and others find $16,272.27 in lawyer fees to be unacceptable but none of them had a problem with a law firm going $500,000 over "do not exceed" limits.
If dawns pawns hadn't tried to illegally ram through Doyle's appointment none of this would have happened.
Ojo Rojo
9:43 am on Monday, February 25, 2013
If spending $500K keeps us from having to pay tens of millions of dollars to pay off those notes the city was backing for the hospital then I am all for it. How about before you complain about those legal bills for the hospital bankruptcy you go ask Ms. Mason's husband how much his firm makes on the average bankruptcy. You will find it is many times the $500K you are moaning about.
And thank God Zimmer thwarted your side's attempt to kill that hospital. Tens of millions in tax hikes averted and 1,000 jobs saved no thanks to you guys.
pdq
9:43 am on Monday, February 25, 2013
Ramos after 8 years as councilman.
2006-"The next fiscal year could be the first time in over 30 years that our budget does not have to depend upon one-shot revenues," Ramos vowed, although other Hoboken officials have vowed that in previous administrations. Ramos said he is optimistic that the upcoming budget will be approved before January, which would be the earliest he has seen in his eight years on the council.
Read more: Hudson Reporter - It s October Do you know where your budget is Four Hudson County towns are always late and your wallet suffers
In the end, he fully supported the late, underfunded budget presented (and has a history of 10( or more) years of voting for such budgets). His long service and voting records supporting underfunded budgets, culminated in an 84% increase in municipal taxes.
Budgets have been fully funded and ontime since 2010. Seems that Mayor ZImmer was the first Mayor to provide that fully funded, on time budget.
demosthenes
9:43 am on Monday, February 25, 2013
I think there's a wee bit of difference between spending money on saving our hospital and saving the City from a potential $100 million default and spending money on a lawsuit that resulted, in Judge Bariso's words, from the illegal gamesmanship of Beth Mason, Mike Russo and their cohorts.
But keep talking about it please. You have a gift for always talking about the issues that make your "they don't pay me for friendship" friends look as bad as possible. Keep up the fine work.
FYI - there will be an election this November like there is every year. Did you remember to vote last November or did you think that was one of those years when we didn't have a november election? If you missed it - your guys lost badly on everything.
Remember to vote this time!
Cheers
Demo
Scott M. Siegel
1:32 pm on Tuesday, February 26, 2013
OOC: yes. Also wasn't Raia elected with Kids First? Sometimes it takes a little while for reformers to spot a wolf in sheep's clothing.