In addition to going to the Council meeting tomorrow night at 6pm at City Hall to support this ordinance, please email your council person and ask them to vote YES for the Animal Control Ordinance.

Wow, you're really convinced that cats are a threat to kids and pregnant chicks huh? You're a foolish fool, sucka.

Dump Healy's administration in Lincoln Park - That will solve a lot of problems in JC.

I'd hate to think what odds you would have walking your dog there with all the flee infested / bug ridden cats run around there.

PS - Kids and preg women stay out !

The Law Department has conceded that Fulop's ordinance creating an Animal Control Commission can lawfully be enacted by the Council, with some amendments. The ordinance is slated to be voted on tomorrow night (Wed June 3).

Specifically, language has been altered slightly to clarify that the Commission's purpose is advisory only, not administrative, i.e., the Commission will review existing policy within the Division of Animal Control and make recommendations on what policy changes should be implemented. Secondly, instead of creating a permanent body, the Commission will exist for a year and will expire at that time absent a renewal by the Council.

I hope you all will support this ordinance as it is an important step in creating more transparency and accountability within the Division of Animal Control. All are urged to contact their Council reps and ask them to vote "yes" tomorrow night.

Parking rules, animal panel on agenda
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
By AMY SARA CLARK
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
Two ordinances, one to bar the city from booting illegally parked cars unless the owner has three unpaid parking tickets, and the other to create an Animal Control Committee, will be introduced at tomorrow night's Jersey City City Council meeting.
Both ordinances are proposed by Councilman Steve Fulop.
"We're still booting on the first offense," said Fulop.
At last night's City Council caucus, Mary Spinello, who recently stepped down as Ward B councilwoman to take the helm of the Jersey City Parking Authority, said the city boots 100 to 200 cars a week.
The parking ordinance would also require the JCPA to refund money to drivers who are found not guilty of the parking violation by a municipal court judge.
In addition, it would allow residents to use their residential parking permits anywhere in the city except Zone 8, which is in the vicinity of New Jersey City University, at the request of Ward A Councilman Michael Sottolano. Currently, residents' permits are valid only in their home zone.
The ordinance creating an Animal Control Committee would replace a stalled ordinance that would create an Animal Control Commission.
Jersey City's legal department had argued against the commission, saying it would usurp power from the director of the city's Department of Human Services, which oversees the Animal Control Division.
The new ordinance, which was approved by the city's attorneys, makes clear that the committee will only serve in an advisory capacity. It also reduces the number of members from 19 to 13, and creates the committee, initially, for just one year.

Vote Jersey City Animal Control Commission tabled -- again

by Amy Sara Clark / The Jersey Journal
Wednesday May 20, 2009, 11:32 PM


Jersey City Ward E Councilman Steve Fulop's animal control ordinance was tabled again at tonight's city council meeting on May 20, 2009 at Jersey City Hall.

The Jersey City Municipal Council unanimously tabled a vote on the creation of an Animal Control Commission to oversee the city's Division of Animal Control.

The administration's legal department argued in a memorandum distributed before the meeting that creation of the commission would violate the Faulkner Act by usurping the power of the executive branch, but the ordinance's sponsor, Ward E Councilman Steven Fulop disagrees, saying the commission would only serve in an advisory capacity.

Fulop introduced the ordinance in April, shortly after the notorious Daisy-the-cat incident in which two animal control officers dumped an escaped pet in Lincoln Park instead of bringing her to a shelter.

Since then residents have been coming to City Council meetings to complain that Jersey City's Division of Animal Control isn't doing its job. Several residents complained of rude and unresponsive behavior from Animal Control Officers including one who said that at least two stay cats had been killed by a dog that Animal Control officers refused to trap.

Fulop said he agreed to table the vote to give his attorneys time to craft a response.

"We think that their memo is flawed," he said. "We just didn't want them to present a one-sided argument tonight."

If anyone wants to contact Harry Melendez and ask him why he keeps shilling for the dogcatcher, his email is harrym@jcnj.org.

Just think, the guy who can't even rein in the dogcatcher is responsible for protecting us from the swine flu. Did a chill just go down your spine, too?

Quote:

They would just dump all the garbage in Lincoln Park.

+1


Quote:

Now that everything is out in the open and we know that cat-dumping was Frank's policy (since 1976 apparently!), I wonder what, if any, controls have been put in place to monitor Frank and create more accountability? I mean, Harry Melendez is fighting the creation of the Animal Control Commission claiming it interferes with his job to oversee the Dept. of Health. So my question to Harry is

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE LATELY TO ENSURE JOE FRANK IS BEING PROPERLY SUPERVISED?

IF the answer is "nothing," then Harry should shut up and let the Council create the Commission.

He can't have it both ways.

Harry is also the one who can answer the question posed by many here, as to why in the hell Frank still has a job. Harry's the one who keeps defending Joe and protecting him.

I had no doubt that Joe the leash puller was full of it. As I said, he should be fired and so should the idiots that hired him - the dumb-ass dudes that 'followed' orders should be removed and be employed as manual street sweepers only.

Quote:

Obviously we have another patronage job.

"Listen, my nephew Joe, he's not so bright, he needs some work. Maybe you can help him out? Remember that thing we took care of for you? Well a little favor in return would be nice. He's too big for the Police or Fire Dept but maybe you got something else? I don't know, maybe dog-catcher?"

How many people working in our city are unqualified? As I mentioned in another thread just look at our Parks Dept. Do any of these people have any education in the fields they work in? It comes down to who they know not what they know. So sad. Our city jobs are nothing more than a form of welfare.

As of Tomorrow 4/29 I will be fostering the youngest and second to last of the remaining cats trapped in Lincoln Park, a kitten named Pink. She is available for adoption through Liberty Humane Society. Pink is a sweet cat, though very shy. She was fostered by one of our great volunteers for about a month and had to be returned to the shelter recently because her foster could no longer keep her. At home she was very well behaved and had no issues other than her trust with humans. Back at the shelter, she is once again very scared and is not coping with shelter life. Because of her inability to cope in the shelter, I will be adopting her out off-site only. So that she doesn't take a turn for the worst, I will be fostering Pink until she is adopted. Pink loves to be held, but seems unsure of her surroundings out of human arms. She quickly runs back to her cage when left loose on the floor. She's tidy with her litter box and has already been spayed and vaccinated. Pink's adoption fee will go 100% to Liberty Humane Society. You will receive an adoption contract with her vaccinations/spay records, one month of pet insurance through Shelter Care, a goody bag with material from LHS, a collar, and a bag of food to start off with. If anyone is interested in giving Pink the spoiled life she deserves, feel free to email me at dogdayafternoonjc@gmail.com and I will be more than happy to let you meet her in my home after she has adjusted and has gained some self confidence.

The Mayor?


Quote:

Quote:

+1 And who the hell is keeping him in control??

Thank you for posting that link. That Joe Frank is one piece of $h!t. Who the hell put him in control.

Wow, Joe Frank gives a whole new meaning to the phrase, "babbling idiot."

As much as it gives me satisfaction to watch Joe Frank admit he lied the first time around when he said cat-dumping was an "isolated incident" and not City policy, I'm amazed at how easily he throws his long-time friend and defender, Health Officer Joe Castagna, under the bus, blaming him for the policy.

And what about those poor guys who got a 5-day suspension for following this policy?

All of you who came out early on defending Joe Frank, saying you "couldn't believe" he would have knowingly condoned this -- how do you feel about him now?

Let's all email the link to the Council and Mayor. How can they keep denying they need more oversight of Animal Control???

City Hall, 280 Grove Street
Room 202
Jersey City, NJ 07302
Tel: (201) 547-5268
Fax: (201) 547-4678

Mariano Vega
email: mariano@jcnj.org

Hilario Nu?ez, Council Aide
Tel: (201) 547-5458
email: hnunez@jcnj.org

Peter Brennan
email: BrennanP@jcnj.org

Robert Noakes, Council Aide
Tel: (201) 547-5363
email: NoakesR@jcnj.org

Willie Flood
email: FloodW@jcnj.org

Yvette Gore-Bell, Council Aide
Tel: (201) 547-5108

Michael Sottolano
email: SottolanoM@jcnj.org

Robert Rybinski, Council Aide
Tel: (201) 547-5060
email: RybinskiR@jcnj.org

Phil Kenny
email:

Sonia Schulman, Council Aide
Tel: (201) 547-5101

Steve Lipski SUPPORTS ORDINANCE CREATING ANIMAL CONTROL COMMISSION
email: LipskiS@jcnj.org

Irina Zaki, Council Aide
Tel: (201) 547-5172
email:

Steven Fulop AUTHOR OF ANIMAL CONTROL COMMISSION ORDINANCE
FulopS@jcnj.org

Althea Bernheim, Council Aide
Tel: (201) 547-5283

Bill Gaughan HAS TRIED TO STALL ORDINANCE
email: bgaughan@hcnj.us

Bridget Dickson, Council Aide
Tel: (201) 547-6817

Viola Richardson SUPPORTS ANIMAL CONTROL COMMISSION ORDINANCE
email: RichardsonV@jcnj.org

Lorenzo Richardson, Council Aide
Tel: (201) 547-5361
email

Arnold Diaz accomplished in 5 minutes what Joe Frank couldn't do in a lifetime: he brought out the truth.

as a Jersey City resident and animal lover, I am ashamed.

Here is the updated story by Arnold Diaz / Shame on You

http://www.myfoxny.com/subindex/news/shame

Quote:


+1 and 2 cats

I think everyone should be FIRED.

JC's Animal Control and all these guys are just incompetent.

You know... in WW2... German Officers said they "Were just following orders".

They got hanged in the gallows... following orders was NO EXCUSE.

And now OUR OWN public officials are saying they are just following orders....

Established in the 1970's? Come on.

Please...

TIME TO FIRE THESE FOLKS....

No more following blind, STUPID and out dated orders

FG

Joe Frank should be ashamed of himself. SHAME SHAME SHAME on you, Joe Frank.

Glad the investigation revealed the truth. Pathetic as it is.

bump - it's on right now

Arnold Diaz again, YES!!!! some1 please bump this again Monday so we can all remember to watch!

Arnold Diaz, Shame on You, Fox TV is airing an updated report Monday night at 10pm. He's knows what is happening and he has the State letter.

Please write all the members of the Council, the Law Dept, Mayor Healy and Melendez and to tell them we are on to them and that we will not be voting for them.

Lindad, you are absolutely correct. This issue is not just about animals. Everyone should be concerned about this. It's a good lesson in what this administration does when confronted with problems or ineffective government.

First, they deny anything is wrong, and lie to throw the public off track. Then, after public pressure, they admit maybe something might be wrong, but they minimize it, punish a couple of low-level employees, and claim "everything's fine now." They put the guy responsible for the problem in charge of "investigating" it -- clearly to get a preordained result. More self-serving slaps on the back that "everything is fine now." Then, after more public pressure and a public expose by Arnold Diaz, they admit maybe more oversight is needed, but drag their heels about passing the Commission/Ombudsman ordinance. They keep insisting they've "taken care of this" and it was an "isolated incident," and "everything is fine now."

Next, the State DOH investigates and concludes this was no isolated incident but Joe Frank's POLICY -- an illegal policy. The State DOH orders Melendez to a meeting to review all AC policies. More slaps on the back that "everything is fine now," and the Commission isn't needed. Public pressure mounts. The Council finally begins to realize this isn't going away.

So...the Law Dept on the eve of the second reading comes out with an opinion that Fulops' ordinance is "legally deficient" (a conclusion which other outside counsel dispute) and they will rewrite it. How convenient. In the face of intense public pressure, and with egg on their faces for how they handled this up till now, the Council is now enthusiastically in support of more oversight and looks forward to the new ordinance -- which will be here after the election. Surprise, surprise.

Is this the way government should operate? I don't think so, do you?

As The Jersey Journal warned, it was tabled although the reason given was not that oversight was no longer necessary but legal reasons. It is significant that the new version comes out AFTER Election Day. When one speaker pointed out the obvious, they hastened to cover their butts by blubbering they are all not running on the same tickets.

The one bright spot is that although the same amount of people were present, there were nine or ten speakers. In addition, everyone present did all they could to make the Council aware of how many of us were there and supported this. Best presentation hands down goes to Tim or Tom R, who told a story that would have made a stone weep.

Someone has already posted the article. In my opinion, the Council. who initially treated this as a joke - Brennan actually referred to killing these as EUTHANASIA at one point - regretted their light-hearted approach as the speakers kept on coming.....Even someone who came to speak about another issue decided to chime in. The Council became more placating and gave us a partial preview of what was to come in an attempt to do damage control.

Although we will not have the same leverage we have after the election, the pressure should be kept up all the way through to May 20th. Even if you do care about animals, AC's mishandling of stray animals are public health and safety issues, too. The more cats dumped into parks, the more likely your garden will be hit. The more calls regarding stray dogs are ignored, the more likely a child will get mauled. If you haven't written or emailed your representatives, do so and keep doing so. Complain to the Mayor's Actionline. Write or email letters to the local media - The Jersey Journal and The Hudson Reporter.

This last one is particularly important for those who do not live in Jersey City but have an interest in the proper resolution of this issue. Even if you can not vote, your words can influence those who can.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... y_council_tables_par.html

Jersey City Council tables park and Animal Control ordinances, amends budget
Posted by asclark April 23, 2009 00:28AM
AMY SARA CLARK / THE JERSEY JOURNALLaura Gosa, left, of the Brunswick Street Community Garden asks the council to make sure the garden is protected from state interference as garden volunteer Barbara Landes, right, holds up photos of the garden at a City Council meeting on April 22, 2009 at Jersey City Hall.
The Jersey City Council tabled two controversial ordinances tonight and killed a third outright.

The first tabled ordinance would designate two community gardens as protected parkland. The second would create a commission to oversee the city's Animal Control Division, and the third, would have created an Animal Control ombudsman within the Mayor's Action Bureau to handle animal control complaints on a day-to-day basis.

Community Garden Concerns

The city proposed registering the gardens at 174-176 Brunswick St. and 285 Ogden Ave. under New Jersey's Green Acres Program, making them eligible for grants.

But volunteers of the Brunswick Street Community Garden said they were concerned that registering it under the program would lead to state interference.

"We would like to get assurance for the record that the garden will be protected," said Laura Gosa, "We don't want any changes to the structure as to how it will be run."

The formerly empty lot was converted to a garden in 1999 and the group rents it from the city for a dollar a year, Gosa said.

The garden is locked, to "protect it," she said, but is open to the public two Saturdays a month for at least three hours at a time, and whenever a volunteer is there working. In addition, community members can join the garden association for $15 a year and get their own key.

There is concern that if the garden is registered under the program it will be required to be open to the public most of the time, so the council voted 8-1 to table the ordinance to look into the matter.

Council President Mariano Vega dissented, saying the proposal would merely make sure the land "remains forever green" and that tabling it was "overly cautious."

AMY SARA CLARK / THE JERSEY JOURNALCouncilman Steve Fulup argues in favor of his ordinance creating

Animal Control Ombudsman

The council unanimously voted down an ordinance to create an Animal Control ombudsman due to legal concerns that the position would violate the Faulkner Act by usurping power from the executive branch of government.

But Councilman Bill Gaughan was quick to assure the public that the council was in favor of more oversight for the Division of Animal Control in general.

"We are absolutely not defeating this on the substance. I don't want to send the wrong message," he said. "It is legally deficient and we're defeating it because it is legally deficient."


Animal Control Commission

Finally, the council voted unanimously to table the ordinance creating the Animal Control Commission, and then introduced a new version of the ordinance. The council couldn't vote on the amended version because the changes were too substantial, said City Clerk Robert Byrne.

Changes include reducing the numbers of members from 19 to 9 and eliminating certain duties such as evaluating the job performance of animal control officers.

The new version will receive a final vote at the next council meeting on May 20.

Several community members came to the meeting to encourage the council to adopt the ordinances.

"The spirit of this commission is (that) we want to work together to improve what we have now," said Companion Animal Trust president Carol McNichol. "We have a lot of experience to bring to the table ... (and) We need a place where people can air their grievances."

David Norman, president of Hudson Animal Control Advocates, said that the there weren't really any legal concerns and that tabling the ordinance was simply a political move to avoid voting down a popular proposal before the election.

Several speakers complained of Animal Control officers being rude or unresponsive on the phone, and one said that that such unresponsiveness led to the deaths of at least one cat.

Timothy Redel said that he was taking care of a stray cat who had taken up residence outside his home. But one day he found it mauled to death by what appeared to be a stray dog. Redel said he called Animal Control on a Friday morning asking for the dog to be trapped, but was told he would need to talk to Chief Animal Control Officer Joe Frank, who wouldn't be in until Tuesday.

He didn't get a trap until five days after he called, and in the meantime a second cat had been killed, Redel said. Redel then saw that the door to the trap was chained shut and he was told that was due to "inclement weather." Frustrated, Redel remarked that it would be easy to cut the lock himself, and 30 minutes later two Animal Control officers arrived and removed the trap altogether.

"All these cats died very violent, painful and slow deaths," that could have been avoided, Redel said.


Budget Hearings

In other news, the council officially amended the FY 2009 budget and set a public hearing on the budget for May 7 at 6 p.m.

Chromium Concerns

Members of the neighborhood group GRACO were back in front of City Hall before the meeting protesting the city's proposed settlement to cleanup 16 acres of chromium-tainted land at a former industrial site at 880 Garfield Ave, which the group calls woefully insufficient.

Several members also spoke during the public portion of the meeting.

"I implore you to encourage Mayor Healy to disavow the proposed settlement," said GRACO president Felicia Collis.

Several speakers pointed to an article in today's Jersey Journal reporting that scientists have concluded that the state's allowable standard for chromium cleanup is not strict enough.

"I'm basically asking the council to look at the science," said Ed Vergara.

Jersey City's top attorney, Bill Matsikoudis, responded that the settlement includes a stipulation that if the state makes its standard stricter, PPG would be held to the new regulations.



Remembering Irene Carson

The council also passed a resolution eulogizing Irene Carson who died April 10, 2009. Carson served on the Jersey City Housing Authority from 1992 until 2008 and is remembered for her dedication to improving the lives of residents of public housing.

"In so many ways she was the face of public housing and she continues to live in spirit," said City Council President Mariano Vega.

"Irene Carson is an icon in the city and she will never ever be forgotten," said Councilwoman Willie Flood.



www.downtowndogwalk.weebly.com
~ My Pet Care Company ~

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/DOGJC/
~ Our Dog Community ~

http://animaladoptions.weebly.com/
~ Local Rescue & Adoptions ~

Theres something in todays Jersey about whats going on now with this!

At the City Council meeting tonight the Animal Control Commission ordinance was revised and it will have a second reading in two weeks. It appears we will have an Animal Control Commission afterall based on what the Council said tonight. Good news! Watch here and the papers for this new iteration.

On another subject, also watch the papers for a story on another bad experience with animal control that resulted in three dead cats in Liberty State Park.

In addition to coming to the meeting tomorrow night at 6pm at City Hall and supporting the ordinances we still need to tell our council persons to vote YES for them.

Please contact your representative in advance and let them know you support these two ordinances and ask that they vote YES for the ordinances.



Mariano Vega
Tel: (201) 547-5268
Fax: (201) 547-4678
email: mariano@jcnj.org


Peter Brennan
Tel: (201) 547-5319
Fax: (201) 547-4678
email: BrennanP@jcnj.org

Willie Flood
Tel: (201) 547-5134
Fax: (201) 547-4678
email: FloodW@jcnj.org

M. Sottolano
Tel: (201) 547-5098
Fax: (201) 547-4678
email: SottolanoM@jcnj.org


Phillip Kenny

Tel: (201) 547-5092
Fax: (201) 547-4678


Steve Lipski
Tel: (201) 547-5159
Fax: (201) 547-4678
email: LipskiS@jcnj.org

Bill GaughanTel: (201) 547-5485
Fax: (201) 547-4678
email: bgaughan@hcnj.us

Steve Fulop
Tel: (201) 547-5315
Fax: (201) 547-4678 (fax)
FulopS@jcnj.org

Viola Richardson
Tel: (201) 547-5338
Fax: (201) 547-4678
email: RichardsonV@jcnj.org