Tensions Flare High At Council Meeting

Election day may have come and gone, but politics was still in the air at Wednesday night's council meeting. 

The agenda was short, with only four items on the consent agenda. The meeting ended around 8:30 p.m., which is very early for a town where council meetings usually last until midnight. After the public portion, the council went into closed session about potential litigation concerning the waterfront. 

Councilman-elect Tim Occhipinti, , didn't sit on the dais yet, because the election hasn't been certified by the County yet. , and sent his congratulations to Occhipinti through Council President Carol Marsh. 

Tensions flared high at multiple moments during the meeting, such as a back-and-forth between Councilmen Michael Russo and David Mello. 

Councilman-at-Large Mello, during the new business section of the meeting, expressed his disappointment with the fact that his name was captured on a fake tombstone at  during Halloween weekend. 

The tomb stone read "Dave, he gave and gave, wound up alone in a cave!" A photo of the tomb stone provided by Mello is attached to this article.

"I think I'm owed an apology and some of my council colleagues are owed an apology," said Mello. Mello said that by putting the council members' names on the tombstones, the reputation of the Russo Civic Association was sullied.

Mello said also that he wouldn't want his daughter to see her father's name on a tomb stone at a haunted house.

In return Russo accused Mello of unnecessarily including his father (former Mayor Anthony Russo who went to jail for mail fraud and extortion) in every conversation. "The man is married, David," Russo snapped. Mello countered by calling Russo's comment "juvenile."

First Ward Councilwoman Theresa Castellano, co-organizer of the haunted house, said it's a long standing tradition to have all council members' names on the fake tomb stones, and "the mayor in the coffin," she said. 

"You need to get some thick skin," Castellano told Mello.

As far as city business was concerned, an ordinance creating titles for two new positions in the 's office failed in a 4-4 vote. Russo, who said he objected to two new hires in the Corporation Counsel's office, suggested the issue should be tabled until Occhipinti would be seated on the dais. The council president decided to call the vote.

The political tension didn't just stay inside the council chambers. After the meeting, a group of Hoboken citizens—including Lenz supporters Patricia Waiters and Lynda Walker as well as Occhipinti supporter Perry Belfiore—got into a shouting match in front of City Hall. 

The next council meeting will be on Monday, Nov. 15. The meeting will be held on a Monday, because of the League of Municipalities later that week in Atlantic City.