Bayonne Mayor Davis slams Supt. McGeehan for trying to evict local P.A.L.

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Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis slammed Superintendent of Schools Patricia McGeehan for trying to evict the local Police Athletic League (PAL) from their building at 550 Avenue A that they’ve had since 1947. Davis-McGeehan

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

“On May 18th representatives of the Bayonne School District met with me to go over their plan to institute an after-school program run by the Board of Education,” Davis began in a statement.

“During that meeting I voiced my concerns that such a move would adversely impact currently existing, and highly successful programs throughout the City. These programs (e.g., those run by the P.A.L., the Jewish Community Center, the Bayonne Family Community Center and many others) have provided a quality service to the youth of Bayonne for generations.”

Davis further explained that he was informed earlier this week that McGeehan issued an eviction notice on May 26th to the PAL, which he referred to as “a staple of the Bayonne community, with a long and honored history,” effective August 31st.

The mayor also called the timeline for relocation “completely unreasonable” and questioned how such a decision could be made behind closed doors, without a public hearing and vote by the board of education trustees.

“This vote, to my knowledge, was not made in public session. There was no public comment, nor was there public discussion on the matter. If true, this was a controversial move made behind closed doors,” he added.

“Part of my support for an elected school board was to avoid the perception, or in this case, the reality of these types of actions.”

Davis concluded by asking McGeehan and the BOE as a whole to reconsider the decision.

Yesterday, Bayonne resident Robert Mastromonaco started an online petition on change.org asking to “Save the Bayonne PAL.”

“The Bayonne PAL has been a valuable child care, educational, athletic and recreational facility in this town since 1947. Once again Superintendent Patricia L. McGeehan is trying to close the doors of the Bayonne PAL,” the cause description says.

“The PAL has received notice from McGeehan that we must vacate by August 31, 2016. This letter was written and sent without the vote of the Board of Education. Please sign this petition to help us continue to provide services for the children of BAYONNE!”

The petition aims to get 1,000 signatures and already had 716 as of this writing.

Basketball, boxing and daycare services are just a few of the activities offered at the PAL.

An email inquiring about the situation sent to Bayonne BOE Secretary Dr. Gary Maita earlier this afternoon was deferred to McGeehan’s office, who did not return a message seeking comment.


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9 COMMENTS

  1. There is no reason to close the PAL. The PAL had a building on the grounds that MCS was built on but with one condition , that the PAL always had a place in that building MCS. Did Mrs. McGeehan forget that, maybe she should pay the PAL restitution for the building that was knocked down for the school. You must honor that agreement , it shouldn’t be left like that , the community needs that day care and the children need someplace to stay off the streets and keep safe.

  2. I understand the concern that the PAL will have no where to go, but MCS has been very kind in allowing it to stay this long after all these years. It’s time that MCS gets its school back. All after school programs for MCS has to work around PAL. That should not be the school belongs to the students of that school. Why should the students that attend MCS have to forfeit there own school to make room for PAL. It’s time that PAL gets its own building and can run how it chooses and MCS should get there school back. If it’s so concerning to Mayor Davis then it’s time to allot money so PAL can have a building of there own….why should the students, teachers, and all staff at MCS give up there space and time any longer… I think from 1947 to now has been enough time that PAL should have built or rented space of there own. Let’s be real it’s time the free ride stops so PAL needs to move on…

  3. Every kid in Bayonne has at one time or another played at the Bayonne P.A.L. many parents have always been glad they were there and they helped hundreds of kids have benifitted from the time spent there. Closing this would be a detriment for the city.

  4. this lady is bananas hated her when she was principal at Mary j Donahue still hate her today over 35yrs later mr Davis should have her fired and removed from her position along with others in the school system period anyone on here says she’s a great woman your delusional

  5. unknown your an idiot it did have its own building but of course they had to build that giant school where the building used to stand you obviously haven’t lived in Bayonne your entire life so of course you comment what you did and your children must be typical Bayonne thugs or wannabe wiggers like everyone else that resides their today Bayonne has become garbage with all the condos that are being built Broadway is basically shut down last I checked my former hometown used to be called Bayonne not little Hoboken the nerve you have saying they should build their own building how about you post your name instead of hiding and maybe they can have you removed from Bayonne hopefully someone knows who you are and berates you for your dumbass comment assclown

  6. and again they did have their own building it was demolished when that school was built lame brain hello it was the white and green building that sat on Ave A between 23rd and 24th st you either smoke entirely to much pot or like I said a fresh face to Bayonne who hasn’t lived there long enough to know what the building looked like it was a place for us kids back then to go to so we weren’t turning into what your children have become today google it so it refreshes that thing in your skull you call a brain…….

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