Tuesday, March 20, 2018

The Resolution Regarding the HHA Board

Tonight, the Common Council voted on the resolution, introduced by Alderman Tiffany Garriga (Second Ward), asking the mayor to remove the current members of the Hudson Housing Authority Board of Commissioners and appoint new members. Prior to the vote, Council president Tom DePietro reminded the aldermen of the rules of order they had agreed to, specifically Rule No. 9 and more specifically this language: "under no circumstances can he or she attack or question the motives of another member." His caution may have been inspired by the revelation, reported in the Register-Star less than two hours before the Council meeting began, that in November 2017 the HHA board had asked Garriga to move out of her apartment in Bliss Towers because it had been discovered that she had for three years been co-owner of a house on State Street, a fact she had not disclosed, as required, to the housing authority: "Housing board claims alderwoman owned home while living at Bliss Towers."

After DePietro's reminder and before the roll call vote, Alderman Kamal Johnson (First Ward) wanted to confirm that the vote would not be binding on the mayor. The vote then took place. Garriga, Johnson, Calvin Lewis (Third Ward), and Shershah Mizan (Third Ward) voted in support of the resolution. Rob Bujan (First Ward), Eileen Halloran (Fifth Ward), Dominic Merante (Fifth Ward), John Rosenthal (Fourth Ward), Dewan Sarowar (Second Ward), and Rich Volo (Fourth Ward) voted against it. With the exception of Bujan, each alderman prefaced his or her no vote with a statement about how a visit to the building had revealed that progress was being made in improving living conditions and that a change now would be a disservice to the tenants.

 After the resolution failed 6 to 4, former Second Ward supervisor Ed Cross demanded to know if anyone had talked with the tenants. DePietro told him, "I think most of us have." DePietro then went on to say, "The resolution has already accomplished much of what it was intended to do. We have put [the HHA board] on notice."
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6 comments:

  1. VincentMarch 20, 2018 at 11:25 PM

    O.U.C.H.

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  2. OldtymehudsonMarch 21, 2018 at 5:43 AM

    Ms. Garriga should be removed from the Common Council.

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  3. unheimlichMarch 21, 2018 at 8:04 AM

    Fortunately the public is free to question the motives of an Alderman, and this story is just ... wow. It belongs in the Questionable Motives Hall of Fame.

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  4. PewtetraMarch 21, 2018 at 8:35 AM

    Has not Garriga thus committed fraud ?

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    Replies
    1. unheimlichMarch 21, 2018 at 5:34 PM

      We learned through Hudson's sewer separation proposal, which Garriga supported, that there's no such thing as fraud when it comes to HUD.

      Delete
  5. SlowArtMarch 21, 2018 at 10:24 AM

    This blog and the Register Star article contains false and misleading information that was intentionally disseminated to the media for the sole purpose of damaging the reputation of Alderman Garriga and influencing the vote of the Common Council. Alderman Garriga is one of Hudson's most devoted social servants, she has worked tirelessly for years fighting for the most vulnerable and defenseless members of our community. Fighting for her constituents, she has gone above and beyond her obligations as Alderman and has done this at great personal sacrifice and for little or no compensation. The weak minded and selfish individuals who have orchestrated this assault on her character have done so to mask their own incompetence and total disregard for the safety and welfare of the residents of Bliss Towers. Information put forth by by individuals in the public hot seat to distract from their own digressions should be scrutinized and confirmed before immediately being published as fact.

    ReplyDelete

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