Mayor-in-Chief
Feb 9th, 2010 | By Greg Hazley | Category: On tap, SecaucusSecaucus Mayor Mike Gonnelli was reinstated to the Secaucus Fire Department Tuesday night as chief after resigning from the upper firefighting ranks amid legal and political pressure last year.
Gonnelli is sworn in as fire chief by town clerk Michael Marra as wife Linda Gonnelli holds bible.
Gonnelli, dressed in uniform, flanked by department leadership and with his life, Linda, holding a bible, swore an oath before the business portion of the council meeting began Feb. 9 and received a sustained standing ovation.
“”That was a tough 14 months,” said Gonnelli. “Thank God that’s over and I have 10 months to serve out the remainder of my term, which I intend to do the way I’ve always done it — to the best of my ability and serving the people of Secaucus well.”
With those 10 months now left on his interrupted term as a chief, the reinstatement is a long-fought victory for Gonnelli after a protracted legal battle that saw the previous administration take him to court successfully charging a conflict in serving both the council and fire department.
The state legislature made it legal last month to hold both offices after two unanimous votes — 76-0 in the assembly and 37-0 in the senate — paving the way for Gonnelli, who testified before both houses, to return as a fire department officer.
Gonnelli officially rescinded his previous resignation and accepted the position as chief, which the department unanimously voted to offer him if he chose to resume his three-decade career as a firefighter in town. A unanimous vote by the town council to accept Gonnelli as chief was passed on a voice vote Tuesday night and met with applause from the public and the mayor’s fellow firefighters.
Former Mayor Richard Steffens, a Democrat who won praise for reaching across the aisle to Gonnelli’s Independents as he finished the term of ex-Mayor Dennis Elwell last year, praised Gonnelli’s return to the upper ranks of the fire department, saying the longtime firefighter had the goal of leading the department decades before politics was on his radar.
“Notwithstanding court battles, the governor having to sign a declaration, court cases in Hudson County, they all took the news,” he told Gonnelli in being the first citizen to congratulate the newly installed chief. “But the real news tonight is that you’re the chief. It’s something you aspired to long before this office.”
The bill allowing municipal office holders like Gonnelli to hold emergency services posts was co-sponsored by Assemblyman Vincent Prieto, a Secaucus resident and code official in town who heads the local Democratic committee.
Loading ...
Welcome back Mike! It’s about time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
eSecaucus should run a “First 100 Days in Office” for Mayor Mike. This is what I’ve got so far:
- Accepted petition for controversial firefighters to come back on force and sought legal advice on the issue
- Promotes one of them to DPW Supt.
- Promotes himself to Fire Chief
I mean, has this guy done anything for the town yet???
it’s all about Mike. I hope he remembers that as Mayor you need to help your town. It’s not suppose to be about himself.
DLo, First off the mayor did’nt accept a petition. It was a letter from the fire company asking to reinstate the firefighters and was forwarded to the town attorny. Next he promoted the most quaified to be DPW Super. And last he did not promote himself as fire chief, he was voted in 55 to 0 by his fellow firefighters. Stop drinking Shinnicks Cool-Aid. Lets look a the first and last 9 years Dennis Elwell was in office.
Good for Mike he is and has always been one of the hardest workin men in this town. He is always there to lend a hand not only should ne serve the rest of his term but they should vote on giving him one more year that was taken away from him . Keep up the good work mike
Let’s see…Will save the town about $270,000 annually with professional contracts as per Hudson Reporter. DPW payroll savings of $200,000 annually as per last council meeting. Saved town $50,000 annually utilizing the county health program and Finally will have televised meetings as of next week. Pushed and passed pay for play ordinance last year which led to the savings this year. All of this in 41 days and lets see 59 days to go and I’m sure they will add to that list. Nice job fellas!!!!
Again, 270K is like pennies in a municipal budget. Start subtracting from that 270k for all the raises he just handed out to his buddies so he could pad their pensions, for the vehicle the town just purchased for Chucky Snyder and more to come. Mike, it is good for you that most of your supporters that praise you as their hero, lack education because the only people that you appear genius to, haven’t a clue.
“Start subtracting from that 270k for all the raises he just handed out to his buddies so he could pad their pensions”
You wouldn’t be saying that if you were actually at the council meeting to hear that being addressed… (and if you were there you must not have been paying attention)…. The amount being handed out in raises does not come close to the amount being saved. This point was specifically tackled.
$270K is a start. Change takes time and the budget won’t be in surplus overnight. Of course everything thinks that you flip a switch and the town starts getting rich. Its a savings of $250k here… $500k there.. and a few for $50k that make a difference.
It really seems like everyone’s issues and complaints are based on personal feelings instead of real facts. Take a look at it from the the standpoint of people’s qualifications, work history, and hard numbers instead of who is a friend… and who doesn’t like who. It seems like certain people will never be happy.
Sorry I meant everyone** thinks
I guess people were right about motives here. Atleast we had a little vacation from drama with the interim mayor. Back to bad press for Secaucus.