Tues. Nov. 15, 2022 Mayor & Council Meeting Cancelled

The last meeting of the Mayor & Council of Harrison was on October 4, 2022.  The business portion of the meeting was 14 minutes and the public comment period was 27 minutes. Topics covered during the public session were the following:

• Closure of the Jackson Street Bridge for 11 hours before New York Red Bulls during games which the Harrison Police Chief David Strumolo stated was caused by international games and that during regular games there are closures for shorter periods of time.
• Library hours of operation and the extended closure of the Children’s library which was located in the basement of the Library but was closed during the summer because of flooding. The Library currently closes at 4 p.m.
• Traffic on Somerset Street because it is a narrow two-way street and a drop zone for the hotel. What has been described as a “really bad” area where people get stuck and then start screaming at each other.

• The red Light at South Frank E. Rodgers and Angelo Cifelli drive is malfunctioning (the pedestrian light does not turn Green) and persons are opting to run across Frank E. Rodgers at Somerset Street.
• The sidewalk in front of Harrison Yards is extremely narrow with no barrack to prevent someone from being pushed into traffic, especially during Red Bull Arena events.
• A request by a resident that the Mayor & Council apply pressure on the Port Authority of NY & NJ to open the entrance to the Path Train on the west side of South Frank E. Rodgers Blvd where the old Harrison Path Station was knocked down to build a new entrance. Mayor Fife stated that he had little influence with the Port Authority of NY & NY. Mayor Fife’s statement goes against prior statements that he was involved daily with the Port Authority of NY & NJ to complete the new Path Station on a timely basis (source: campaign literature from 2018).
• A supporter of Mayor Fife looking for the Mayor’s website and information on how Mayor Fife was planning for the future. The supporter stated she had seen a lot of support on behalf of former Councilman Anselmo Millan but none from Mayor Fife’s Team. The Town Clerk stated that although it was a public session discussion of the upcoming election was not allowed during the public session.  Mayor Fife stated that there was literature that was going to be mailed to voters. In addition, despite the Town Clerk’s statement that discussion of the upcoming election was not allowed during the public session, Mayor Fife falsely stated that “Whatever Mr. Millan says, he can say but he has not been around for 3 years so he has done nothing. So, you will be receiving some literature from us and what we will be doing for the next four years.  We will be continuing good government like we have, with no quarreling  I don’t want to make any political speeches right now.” Former Councilman Millan has been involved with the community through the non-profit Harrison Fest, with assisting families in need during Thanksgiving and during Holiday time around Christmas.  Former Councilman Millan never stopped assisting the community even when he was a citizen and not an elected Councilman.  Mayor Fife is fully aware of former Councilman Millan’s contributions to the community.  Anselmo Millan’s website which Mayor Fife’s supporter referred to is ForABetterHarrison.com Ironically, Anselmo MIllan is President of non profit Harrison Fest and events headed up by Anselmo are available on the HarrisonFest.og website  for anyone to review. Mayor Fife continues to lie while calling others telling the truth liars. Mayor Fife said he was not going to make a political speech within minutes of just giving a negative and untrue political statement about his opponent former Councilman Anselmo Millan.  It is the same type of behavior demonstrated after the election where he and his supporters said Mayor Fife ran a positive campaign and former Councilman Anselmo Millan ran a negative campaign.  The screenshots from Social Media tell a very different story of who was negative and who discussed facts and the issues faced by the Town of Harrison.  Mayor Fife’s Team did not even bother to put a website together.  Never discussed an issue or a plan as their supporter wanted them to. They hired a political operative to run a negative campaign which got a very late start because they expected something that never occurred – a negative Anselmo Millan campaign.
• Second Ward Councilwoman Ellen Villalta asked whether the barrier that is taking up one traffic lane on Bergen Street as part of the demolition of the Vo-Toy Building and depriving residents of street parking could be taken down since the demolition has been completed. Mayor Fife stated that the Builder was going to start building and that “No” it could not be taken down.  Councilwoman Villalta was then cut off from any response as the meeting had been adjourned.  Apparently, the builder takes priority over the residents as far as Mayor Fife is concerned, and even if a councilwoman who lives across the street is asking for the protective barrier to be removed for parking spaces and traffic flow, it does not matter. As Mayor Fife previously stated he runs a Mayor & Council meeting where No Quarrels are allowed.

 Another Cancelled Mayor & Council Meeting

The Mayor & Council Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, November 15, 2022, has been canceled. The Mayor & Council Meeting for Tuesday, October 18, 2022, was also canceled.  The Mayor & Council have not met for over a month.  The next meeting of the Mayor & Council will be Tuesday, December 6, 2022, which means the Mayor & Council will not have met for two months.  Look out for a special meeting of the Mayor & Council before December 6, 2022, at an off hour to reduce the chances that the public will participate.

The Harrison Planning board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 15, 2022, starting at 5:45 p.m.  The Harrison Planning board meeting is the only Town of Harrison meeting that is in person and does not have a Zoom option.  The Meeting will be held in the Mayor & Council Chambers on the 2^nd Floor of Harrison Town Hall.  The public can attend the caucus portion of the meeting that sometimes is held on the 3^rd Floor of Town Hall in the conference room between the Mayor’s office and the Town Of Harrison Attorney’s office.

The Harrison Redevelopment Agency meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 16, 2022, at 1 p.m. via Zoom.

The Harrison Zoning Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 16, 2022, at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom.  

Let Us Know Your Thoughts on the cancellation of this weeks Mayor & Council meeting  on our Community Discussion Board.  If you have not signed up yet to participate you can Sign Up now. Sign Up for Free.