Venezia quits JCPA's board in shocker; says aided King probe
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
By EARL MORGAN
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Executive Director Robert Dalton wasn't the only one saying good-bye at Monday night's meeting.

Dalton's resignation was expected - but board member Carmine Venezia's announcement came as a surprise to many.

In his letter of resignation, Venezia cited pressing "family responsibilities" as the reason he was leaving.

Before the meeting, Venezia told The Jersey Journal he was the one who gave the U.S. Attorney's Office the findings of an investigation into the JCPA's finances during the tenure of former executive director Jimmy King. Venezia said he sent the findings after the board took no action to discipline King and allowed him to resign in good standing with a $12,000 settlement.

Venezia, himself a former JCPA executive director, heaped praise on Dalton for his performance as executive director of the agency. "He did a great job," Venezia said. "He will be sorely missed."

King has referred all calls for information on any federal investigation to his attorney, Sam DeLuca. DeLuca would only say King has been talking to the FBI, but wouldn't say what they were asking him about.

Theresa Perri, who briefly held the director's chair several years ago, was made interim director until next month, when a new appointment will be named to the post.

While the board would not comment on who will be appointed to the job, sources say that retired police Capt. Mark Russ is one of those under consideration.

Yes, without question, Robert Dalton was a bright spot in the current administration. He took on a lot in his brief tenure.

The Mayor should be held accountable and answer for Dalton's short tenure along with other short term appointments (good or bad like the Police Chief).

mrrogers - can you tell us more about the parking lot for Newark Ave? where? downtown/uptown?

Quote:

Gee, guy takes over agency with deficit and a shady history,turns it around so it has a surplus and gets forced out.Sounds about right for J.C.

Any predictions on what relative of a mayoral staffer will get to run this agency back into the ground.

The bad part for downtown is that Dalton had been working on a newark ave parking lot.His replacement will no doubt work on more important matters like selling tickets to fundraisers.

Dalton makes it official
Parking agency's chief says last day is Dec. 18
Thursday, November 30, 2006
By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Robert Dalton, director of the Jersey City Parking Authority for the past 16 months, submitted a letter of resignation this week, citing "personal reasons" for his departure.

A lifelong Greenville resident and retired police lieutenant, Dalton, 53, is widely credited with bringing accountability and profitability to an agency that had lost its way. Dalton's last day on the job will be Dec. 18.

"It's very sad to be leaving," Dalton said yesterday, ticking off several accomplishments and initiatives he's put in the works, including plans to build a 450-space parking garage on Oakland Avenue near the State Highway.

"I'm grateful to the mayor (Jerramiah Healy) for giving me the opportunity to head this agency," Dalton added. "There's a lot of work to be done."

On Saturday, Jersey Journal columnist Earl Morgan suggested Dalton was leaving because he had tired of "certain staffers" using their influence with Healy "to obtain pay hikes and other perks," and recent changes on the agency's governing board, including Healy's appointment of former police chief Robert Troy to the body.

Dalton maintained yesterday he's leaving strictly for personal reasons, but declined to elaborate.

In an e-mail statement yesterday, Healy wrote of Dalton: "He has done an excellent job at creating a surplus for the first time in five years in the JCPA's budget."

The mayor declined to name candidates he's considering to replace Dalton.

"It is a big loss," Downtown Councilman Steve Fulop said about Dalton's departure. "Bob Dalton it is going to be a tough act to follow."

Dalton has had enough of JCPA
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Jersey Journal

A fter less than two years on the job, Bob Dalton, the executive director of the Jersey City Parking Authority, is expected to resign soon, sources say. When he was asked at Monday's JCPA board meeting about resigning, Dalton would only say "No comment."

In a surprise move, former Jersey City Police Chief Robert Troy, who served as a member of the JCPA board until his retirement from the JCPD in July, was named by Mayor Jerramiah Healy to replace longtime commissioner Doris Suarez, whose appointment expired last month. Suarez, who served nearly 12 years, was the board's only Hispanic commissioner.

Troy is the latest of several recent appointments to the board. Several months ago Healy named Michael Malloy to replace longtime commissioner Rosemarie Yorey. Yorey served as a JCPA commissioner for more than 25 years. Two other new commissioners, former Councilman James McLaughlin and Christine Pisano, began serving on the board in the past few months.

The agency has been running a deficit for several years, but at Monday's meeting the board handed out bonuses ranging from $500 to $2,000 to 10 staffers in the enforcement and operations departments.

Dalton said he recommended the bonuses to reward someemployees for work performed beyond their normal duties.

In Dalton's brief time as executive director, the agency slowly dug its way out of a nearly $1 million deficit.

During his report, Dalton unveiled plans to purchase a parking lot the JCPA is leasing from Lum, Manzo, Brasco and Positan. The authority has lost money on the operation of Newark Avenue location for years and has been trying, in vain, to find a way out of the lease.

Colin Danzis, a deceased partner of the Roseland law firm that owns the lot, had told JCPA officials they could take the lot off his hands for $1 million. Several months ago, Dalton asked for and got permission to buy the property, claiming it was the only way to extricate the JCPA from the agreement.

Under Dalton's watch the agency is trying out a new collection system that could eliminate parking meters at some of its facilities and is reviewing a new vehicle booting system.

Dalton is also moving ahead on plans for the agency to issue bonds to pay for a new parking facility that would also house the agency's headquarters. That would eliminate paying the substantial rent the authority currently shells out for the 392 Central Ave. building it now leases.

So, why is this paragon of efficiency departing the JCPA? Sources say Dalton has wearied of fighting with certain staffers who use their influence in the Mayor's Office to obtain pay hikes and other perks for themselves.