Paving of Multiple Hoboken Streets Put off After Failed Vote

A resolution to pay for the engineering cost related to the re-paving of multiple Hoboken streets failed due to a deadlocked vote on Wednesday night, causing the delay of the repaving of multiple roads in town. 

A resolution on Wednesday night's agenda called for the approval of $44,000 in engineering cost necessary to do the paving.

The resolution failed in a 4-4 vote, with the mayor's supporters on the council — Jennifer Giattino, Peter Cunningham, David Mello and Ravi Bhalla — voting "yes," while her opponents — Tim Occhipinti, Beth Mason, Terry Castellano and Michael Russo — voted "no."

Mayor Dawn Zimmer on Thursday afternoon said that the city had planned to start repaving roads in town starting next week.

"That is now delayed," said Zimmer in a phone interview. The streets that are scheduled to be paved include parts of Monroe, uptown Madison as well as Hudson Street to Sinatra Drive.

Zimmer said she isn't sure when the paving will be done.

Russo, one of the council members who voted agains the resolution, said that he isn't against paving streets in town, but against how it's funded.

While Russo said he won't approve any more bonds to pay for capital improvements around town, Zimmer said that the paving will be paid for through a Department of Transportation Grant.

"It wasn't proposed as a bond," Zimmer said.

The accompanying engineering cost will be paid out of the city's budget.

Currently, the city uses Boswell Engineering as its engineer for projects around town. Occhipinti, another council member who voted down the paving resolution on Wednesday, said that he wants the city to hire one engineer for the entire year.

"We'd like to see one city engineer for 2013," Occhipinti said, "that can handle the work in the city."

Occhipinti said the paving was originally scheduled for the Fall of 2012, but was delayed because of Hurricane Sandy. 

"It's the same job," Occhipinti said, disputing that the delay was caused by the city council vote. "What in the world is going on here?"