Search for Legal Counsel at Housing Authority To Start Over

After multiple heated meetings and hours of discussion, the Hoboken Housing Authority now has to restart its search for a permanent counsel to the board and the authority.

While Charlie Daglian was re-appointed in a meeting a few weeks ago, it has since become clear that the process followed was "legally flawed," according to a ruling from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Garcia said that the request for proposal needs revisions, because it didn't follow the exact guidelines as dictated by HUD.

In an email earlier in the week, Chairman Jake Stuiver — who has been vocal in his objections to reappointing Daglian — wrote that "HUD ruled that the attempted appointment of Mr. Daglian was 'legally flawed' because of numerous improprieties in the process followed by the Executive Director, and that 'the general counsel's presence and statement at the 2/7/13 meeting is self-serving and may also violate the attorney's code of ethics,' adding that 'the matter is of great concern to us.'"

Garcia said he inherited the procurement process and the way RFPs are sent out from his predecessor.

Commissioner David Mello, who is also a Hoboken councilman, said that when it comes to sending out these requests, "everybody involved, from the board of commissioners to (Garcia) should be more educated."

Lawyers and firms interested in responding to the RFP have 30 days to do so, which will likely mean that the board will vote on a new lawyer in May.