Bayonne City Council puts animal control services back out to bid

By
John Heinis
-
39

The Bayonne City Council opted to put animal control services back out to bid via a resolution that was added on the spot at last night’s meeting.

[fve]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yizKxkjLWHM&feature=youtu.be[/fve]

The resolution specifically called for “the advertisement of the request for qualifications/proposals for professional animal control and sheltering services.”

The city has been using Geoff Santini’s New Jersey Animal Control and Rescue, who received an $87,500 contract at the council’s November 10, 2015 meeting.

This led to a protest in front of City Hall and several angry residents speaking out against having NJACR replace Jersey City’s Liberty Humane Society at the next council meeting in December.

The measure passed by a vote of 4-1, with 1st Ward Councilman Tom Cotter voting no.

No one from the governing body or the audience spoke on the resolution, though there was some brief applause in the crowd after the matter was approved.

After the meeting, Cotter declined to go on camera, but agreed to go on the record to explain why he voted no – stating he’s received zero resident complaints regarding animal control since Santini’s company received the contract.

Santini, who sat through the meeting but did not address the council, told Hudson County View that his contract was for two years and he will weigh his options after speaking to his family about the matter.

LHS Executive Director Irene Borngraeber did not immediately return a call seeking comment this morning.


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39 COMMENTS

  1. So I guess my email addressed to every city council member including the mayor complaining about animal control a few months ago doesn’t count? It was about a bull dog mix that AC demanded to be turned over which is against the law. I believe I still have that email.

  2. Good afternoon Donna,
    You sent an email to every council MEMEBR about a bulldog.
    Let’s get the facts straight .
    A young teenager said she found a dog and she was holding for two days and could no longer hold it.
    “AC” a licensed animal control officer and Animal cruelty investigator gets called by the Bayonne Police department and sends her to get this stray dog.
    AC arrives and the young girls boyfriend pretty much threatens this woman that’s she’s not getting the dog.
    The dog eventually goes with animal control .
    Gets checked out by Veternarian and then a few days later gets adopter with shots by a Byonne resident . NO FEES FOR ADOPTION NO FEES FOR VETERNARIAN ADOPTS BEUTIFUL HEALTHY BULLDOG FOR FREE!!
    Where is it in this story something is not right.
    It’s so easy to twist the facts .
    Always remember what you put in writing or say you can be held liable for false information.
    At the end of the day the animal was rescued and adopted out to a life home .
    The end

    • You may say what ever you need to help you sleep at night. The fact is, there were two people who were ready to take this bull dog. The person who was holding this dog was told to hand the dog over to animal control otherwise the police will get involved. However, if that person had known at the time, that it’s not against the law to hold a stray dog as long as the police are notified and are provided with a picture as well as the resident’s personal information, it is ok. Also the dog was held for more than a week and if everything was being handled properly, than I should have received some type of email response from your company instead of reaching out to the mayor and city council, no? Thank you for responding to my comment but please don’t threaten me Mr. Santini, not very nice.

    • They only charge for adoption fees and rescues in certain towns where they can get away with it, like Cliffside park Guttenburg North Bergen & West New York so on & so forth isn’t that right Mr. Gazillo (Good Zillow)

  5. Peter please don’t try and be coy
    Things are working out great
    Do your homework before you comment.
    Your slick remarks are not professional and tells people your real character.
    You are not about saving and helping animals.
    You spend time spreading hate and deceit and lies.
    Volunteer at an animal shelter volunteer at a nursing home do POSITIVE THINGS IN YOUR LIFE PETER stop trying always to have controversy.
    You can have peace in your life without drama.
    While I was at the meeting you were in Facebook telling people ” he’s here”
    Why did you want more people to come and stir up drama.
    We do great job in Bayonne and other municipalities . Have a great day Peter and find some peace in good things like trying to help a helpless animal instead of Facebook lies and non sense.

  7. Geoff,

    I don’t have a personal issue with you. I’m actually flattered that you follow my social media updates. I don’t think anyone in Bayonne has anything against you personally. Professionally, that’s a different story.

    The substandard service you have been providing makes me and many other residents frustrated as taxpayers and as animal lovers.

    The way you talk to and treat people in our city who raise these questions and concerns about the quality of the service and the capacity of licensed sheltering “facilities” is uncalled for.

    I don’t know how things are done in North Bergen, West New York, Union City, Harrison, Guttenberg, or Lodi (Well maybe not Lodi anymore) but this is Bayonne. We hold our contractors accountable. When things aren’t right we speak up and out. And most importantly we stand by one another.

  8. Peter once again it is only you saying sub standard .
    My COMPANY provides exceptional service.
    Every town I work for expects the best service.
    As far as Lodi, I’ll only answer your slick mouth comment this one last time,
    Lodi went with the County facility.
    As you know New administration ,expired contracts , they wanted to go with the county Not becuase of my company not performing.
    As always Peter find peace with yourself it sounds like you have a lot of anger when things don’t go your way especially when everybody isn’t cheering for you.
    Ive never seen you at an animal rescue hoarding case , which I’ve been at to many.
    Come to my shelter volunteer , oh you can’t your to busy on Facebook bashing me .
    AND PETER DONT FLATTER YOURSELF I DONT FOLLOW YOU OR ANYONE ON SOCIAL MEDIA , Dear friends send me your crude and distasteful posts about me .
    This is the first time I am engaging in your nonsense .

  9. Don’t worry Peter. We save all the screenshots, especially the ones from NJACR employees spreading false lies about you. Keep fighting the good fight. The people of Bayonne are grateful.

    I’ve read all about this crook on BayonneAnimalControl.com. He is nothing more than a bully who appears to have met his match with you.

  10. Peter I saw your last post as saying your a tax payer I looked up all tax records from Bayonne your not a home owner you RENT so why would you LIE and say your a tax payer when you rent and your landlord is the tax payer . Oh because this is what you do , you spin things and make them
    Larger then what they really are.
    Maybe you should get a job in the stock market on Wall Street and spin that into making money and you can buy a home in Bayonne .
    Then you would be a tax payer.
    And as far as you holding Contractors to a higher standard I only see you bashing Animal Control are all the contractors in line with you do you have them working to your specifications. What a joke
    You are.

  11. Geoff,

    I’m not going to debate with you about Lodi. I obtained copies of an OPRA request containing all of the correspondence from LPD, the Health Officer, Construction Official, and complaints.

    I have correspondence from Open Public Record requests I filled out here in Bayonne from our city law department. Specifically in a letter dated May 18, 2016 the law department determined there was a material breach of the contract. “An employee of your company indicated to a resident than an animal was being transported to and sheltered at a facility in Lodi.” This facility was not listed in your response to the RFP or included in the list of licensed shelters you were required to provide according to the contract you signed. Based on the documents from Lodi you were only granted a C.O. for office space not a shelter. Your attorney failed to address this in the June 2nd response.

    On Feb 9, 2016 the Bayonne law department issued a letter requesting the names of 3
    licensed animal shelters, NJACR, has contracted for service originally referenced in paragraph 3 of the contract you signed Dec 23, 2015.

    On Feb 17 you provided 3 names. Only one of which was licensed by the state of New Jersey, and another doesn’t have a physical address. According to their website and the state of New Jersey, Second Chance Pet Adoption League is a Rescue Group not a licensed shelter.

    On March 18th the law department sent another letter asking for a copy of the contract between your company and the 3 licensed shelters referenced in your Feb 17 letter. You were asked to provide this information within 10 days.

    On May 18th 2016, the city law department notified you by certified mail that they still has not received a response to their March 18 letter requesting the above information. You were given 14 days to respond and satisfy the request or the city would exercise its termination clause.

    15 days later your attorney faxed in documents. 2 of which contained agreements that were suspected to be transfer agreements not sheltering contracts. As far as the lone licensed shelter you claimed to have been using, Bergen County Protect and Rescue, you only provided a letter from them, no contract agreement for sheltering.

    In addition you did provide a certificate of occupancy for the new West New York shelter to which you are the proprietor beginning on June 2nd. Coincidentally the same date of your response our city has been waiting months for. While being a proprietor of a shelter now does NOT explain where our animals were going since Dec 23rd of last year.

    What would you call that Geoff? When you are expected to provide information from Dec 23rd 2015 and as I type this at this very moment 10:50 am on July 23rd 2016, you still have not provided such information. Misleading? Material Misrepresentations?

    In my opinion your RFP was incomplete. It should have been thrown out and you never should have been awarded this contract in the first place. According to one of our elected officials at a December council meeting, you have put the city at risk of liability, when you had operated in Bayonne before a contract was ever signed and liability insurance was ever provided.

    For 9 months it is my opinion you have demonstrated an unwillingness to cooperate with our city officials and an inability to meet the requirements outlined in the contract you signed. I believe your contract should be terminated as it says in the law department’s last correspondence with you but I do not have such authority to make such a call or influence over such a decision.

    In closing, I really don’t care what you say about me personally. As I have absolutely no personal feelings toward you. I do care about my city. I do care about the quality of service we are getting in exchange for our tax dollars. I am concerned with the capacity of your shelters and I am concerned with the complaints people have made. If my concern upsets you, I am sorry, it’s not personal.

  13. Carolyn M
    When you call someone a Crook.
    Don’t hide with an initial put your full name there .
    So when I contact my attorney for a defamation lawsuit against you , we can have your full name .

  14. Peter,
    Just one more thing .
    You are not the only one who can do OPRAS.
    I’ve done some research on you as well.
    Again find peace in yourself Peter.
    And as far as me talking about you Peter, that’s not what I do . I don’t talk about you I don’t talk about anyone .
    I keep my head up , and keep my opinions about people to myself.
    You on the other hand have so much to say about me , it seems like some sick obsession.

  17. Geoff,

    As I said before, I have no personal issue with you. I have never stated anything inaccurately or misrepresented you or your company.

    On here you keep insinuating that I’m a guy in need of peace and I’m obsessed with you.

    I’m obsessed with the fact that we are 8 months into a contract you signed and agreed to but still have not met the requirements.

    And by the way, Caroline, makes a great point, “if only you were this responsive to Bayonne.”

  20. Geoff,

    Are you saying for now on everything will be in order? I’m confused as everything could not possibly have been in order since we do not have the required copies of agreements with 3 licensed animal shelters.

  21. Obviously there is a problem wirh animal control and the contract. The city council would not have voted to look for another provider if there were not a significant amount of complaints. I would like an explanation from Mr Santini as to why a call about an injured cat on E 30th was not answered for several days. I was contactef over July 4th weekend for a trap because when animal control finally arrived to the home after health dept was contacted, and they didnt even have a trap. Homeowner finally got cat with my trap and animal control transported to Dr Mammas. First words out of ac was euthanize. Do you guys ever try to help an animal or reach out to Bayonne rescues for help ?? Peter Franco has done a great job sifting thru the contract to make sure the provider is compliant and not wasting taxpayer money but above all we want a provider who actually cares about the welfare of the animals. You handle too many towns and not enough shelter space.

  22. Kathleen ,
    I’m glad you finally entered the arena .
    Please also get your facts straight .
    If an animal is injured it immediately brought to the Vet.
    And Kathleen I’ve never seen you reach out especially when we have these hoarding cases.
    When my animal control officers respond to complaints they are professional they have uniforms in identifying who they are and there only mission is to help the animals.
    You and your friends only mission is to bash NJ Animal Comtrol and myself.
    Peter my contract and my bid are in order they are not now in order they ARE IN ORDER.
    The shelter can handle all animal complaints and has the capacity to do so.
    Wait you wouldn’t know that becuase you and your two or three Facebook rebels wouldn’t know that becuase you never volunteer or help the animals

  23. Peter and Kathleen

    The council put out a RFQ THAT IS A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS.
    ITS NOT TO GET RID OF OR CANCEL THE EXISTING TWO YEAR CONTRACT.
    Please get your facts straight

  24. Kathleen ,
    You have since day one bashed me my name Geoffrey Santini
    You have called me a piece of sh**.
    I have hat saved.
    You want what you want but not what’s good for All the animals .
    Please keep your crude comments about me personally to yourself .
    I have children who can read your crass comments Ben ask there father why this woman is saying terrible things about there father.
    They see me leave all hours of the night to help out injured and sick animals .
    I’ve never seen you or Peter at a fire rescuing animals .
    24 years and you few and far between are the only ones complaining .

  27. Peter,
    Find peace in yourself .
    Get your facts straight.
    The only one that spins the story is you and your not even a DJ.
    You have copies of my contract , you pretty much CSI’d all my documents.
    You are in Bayonne town hall so much the employees thought you got a job there.
    ITS A TWO YEAR CONTRACT PETER.

  29. Geoff, you never answered my question on the cat from E.30th st. The police said you were not responding to the call so you need to get your facts straight. I have been critical of you and your agents for good reason. Where is Lisa?? Or was that just another one of your lies.?

  30. Jeff Santini aka Geoffrey Gazetti aka convicted felon. Who also has a brother in law who is the bambi deer slayer. You can say as you please, but everyone is well aware of who you are, and you commenting that you aren’t a convicted is beyond hysterical. Here is a list of aliases you have gone by, charming! Or how about this, the ILLEGAL bail bonds agency you had, and was caughting cheating a little old lady whose license you were working under. http://www.leagle.com/decision/In%20BCO%2020090526423/IN%20RE%20SANTINI?

    Shall I continue or have you had enough???

    Geoffrey M Santini
    Jeff Gadzillo
    Jeffrey M Gazillo
    Jeffrey Gazzello
    Jeff M Gazzillo
    Jeff Gazzillo
    Jeffery Gazzillo
    Jeffery M Gazzillo
    Jeffrey Gazzillo
    Jeffrey M Gazzillo
    Jeffrey Gozzillo
    M Gazzillo Jeff
    G Santini
    Geoffery Santini
    Geoffrey N Santini
    Geoffrey S Santini
    Geoffry Santini
    Groffrey M Santini
    Jeff M Santini
    Jeff Santini
    Jeffrey Santini
    Jeffrey M Santini
    Geoffrey Satini

  31. Hey geoff, aren’t you a convicted felon? have you tried to file for chapter 11 after fraudulently taking money from someone?
    You have no integrity. what is your real name or the one you were born with?

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