What's the difference, the vote was unanimous, even if Ryan recused himself, it would not have changed anything. The complaint should be filed to enforce the law, the actual outcome should not be challanged.

Good for Civic JC. These guys would get away with anything without watchdog groups like them. Okay, maybe they still get away with anything, but at least attention is being drawn to it!

Maybe Grove Path's on to something with a name change...

This is the text of Civic JC's press release on this issue -

Civic JC
PO Box 248
Jersey City, NJ 07303-0248

Contact:

Daniel Levin, president, dlevin@civicjc.org

Andrew Hubsch, vice president, ahubsch@civicjc.org


Press Release

November 28, 2006

CIVIC JC ASKS ETHICS BOARD TO APPLY STATE CONFLICT
OF INTEREST STATUTE TO ALL MUNICIPAL BOARDS


Jersey City, NJ - Civic JC has submitted a two part request to the Jersey City Ethical Standards Board.

The first part of the request is for the Ethical Standards Board to determine if a specific vote of the Planning Board violated N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22 N.J.S.A 40A:9-22.5(d) which states:

?No local government officer or employee shall act in his official capacity in any matter where he, a member of his immediate family, or a business organization in which he has an interest, has a direct or indirect financial or personal involvement that might reasonably be expected to impair his objectivity or independence of judgment?

The second part of the related request is for the Ethical Standards Board to clearly determine whether the entire statute provision cited is applicable to all sitting city board members, and have an appropriate amendment added to all local board rules, which parallels the state statute for the purpose of clarity.

Daniel Levin, Civic JC president said, ?we must implement enforceable rules to prevent conflicts of interests that could distort municipal board decisions that especially in the case of the Planning Board are irrevocable and involve billions of dollars in development.?

Civic JC is a non-partisan, community-based initiative, designed to promote a comprehensive, positive vision for the future of Jersey City as a ?World Class City? and promote good government practices.

Civic JC's request to the Ethical Standards Board may be viewed here - civicjc.org

I don't know JC Civics sounds very sporty!

-- Kind of like a basketball team.


Quote:

Note that the name of the organization was mangled in the article -- JC Civics should be CivicJC. See civicjc.org.

Michael Ryan, owner of P.J. Ryan's - a favorite nightspot for local politicians - voted in ..

Only in JC!

Powerhouse vote target of an ethics complaint
Saturday, December 02, 2006
By JARRETT RENSHAW
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
A local government watchdog group has lodged an ethics complaint against the chairman of the Jersey City Planning Board, arguing that he should not have voted on changes to the Powerhouse Arts District redevelopment plan because he owns a bar within its boundaries.

Michael Ryan, owner of P.J. Ryan's - a favorite nightspot for local politicians - voted in August to drastically alter the plan after the area's historic designation was stripped by a judge. The changes came following a lawsuit filed against the city challenging the historic status of the district by Lloyd Goldman, owner of 111 First St., a former warehouse that had long been home to artists' studios.

The planning board vote was unanimous.

The group that filed the complaint last week, JC Civics, wants the city's Ethical Standards Board to rule on whether Ryan violated state ethics rules and, if so, whether the entire vote should be thrown out.

The group cites a state statute that says government officers or employees should not act in a matter affecting their business interests.

In addition, JC Civics is asking the ethics board to rule on whether Ryan should recuse himself from future votes regarding the Powerhouse district.

Ryan said in an interview two weeks ago - before the complaint was filed - that he was aware of some displeasure concerning the vote and that he planned to recuse himself from future votes.

However, he did not return phone calls seeking comment this week.

"We really are not just trying to go after Mike, we really see this as a bigger problem that needs to be addressed," said Daniel Levin, the president of JC Civics.

? 2006 The Jersey Journal
? 2006 NJ.com All Rights Reserved.