Jorge Gomez, the former Hudson County Office of Emergency Management Deputy Coordinator – also the nephew of former West New York Mayor Sal Vega – has been hired as the town’s recreation director.ÂÂ
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Gomez, 30, also the Deputy Chief of Staff/Social Media Coordinator (a part-time position) for Assemblywoman Angelica Jimenez (D-32), started work today at West New York Town Hall.
He will be earning a salary of about $60,000 a year, according to town spokesman Pablo Fonseca.
Tiffany Marcano, who dated Joseph Roque – Mayor Felix Roque’s son – for several years, is now the director of cultural affairs.
Fonseca said she was balancing responsibilities between both the recreation and the cultural affairs departments, so the position has now been split into two separate jobs “for more accountability and responsibility.”
“Tiffany was in charge of both the rec. & cultural affairs departments and reported to two commissioners,” Fonseca explained over the phone.
“In our form of government, it is more favorable for directors to report to one commissioner for more accountability and productivity.”
“Jorge will now lead and direct recreation activities and report to Commissioner [Cosmo] Cirillo and Marcano will report to Commissioner [Margarita] Guzman regarding cultural affairs activities.  Now, there will be no cross-activity between any two commissioners at all.”
He also clarified that Marcano will now be earning a salary of roughly $65,000 after working for the town since 2013.
Fonseca said the fact that Gomez is a relative of Vega, and also a close friend of Cirillo – actually the best man at his wedding – is irrelevant to his employment with the town of West New York.
“This new administration was elected to bring the best services to the residents to West New York. It’s not about politics, it’s not about friendships: it’s about governing. This is beginning of many steps to create the productivity that goes along with good government.”
Additionally, Fonseca clarified that Gomez was “definitely” interviewed for the position, as well as the fact that the town’s hiring freeze ended with the 2014 calendar year, as opposed to the fiscal year (which ends on June 30).
“I look forward to working with Jorge. I think he’s a great addition to our staff and I know he’s going to be very helpful in increasing the services of our recreational department in West New York,” Cirillo added.
…because that’s how we do things in Hudson County…
The guy worked at the dmv inspection station what business does he have in charge of the children’s programs in our town. This is a discrace on all levels.
tiffany marcano is a waste of 65K and now with less responsibilities
You are so ignorant its unbearable. You know nothing about nothing. The fact that you think you’re in a position to sit there and judge and comment about things you know absolutely nothing about is just mind-boggling. You have an idea what her responsibilities are or what she does on a daily basis so who are you to say she is a waste of 65k. But you’re right we’ll just let Nicole run the town again because we all know how great that went.
“Rebecca”… Remember, recreation was running just fine under Nicole. Roque made up that title and position to give to his son’s girlfriend a job. And if Tiffany was doing so fantantic, she wouldn’t have been transferred, now especially, with the busiest season being upon us. But I guess it’s hard to pretend you’re doing a good job when you hardly show up and then have high school kids pick up your slack while you’re “busy” making up for lost aka stolen time. People have been watching and are aware.
“Yessenia” glad to see you know how to use quotations kudos to you. Recreation was crap before Tiffany Nicole had drug dealers and crack heads running her programs while she sat there stuffing her face with cheeseburgers. So if you consider that a good program you have more issues than you know. But that’s none of my business. There’s people who can help you with that. You really have no idea what your talking about and it makes you sound like such an idiot. You’re probably one of Nicole’s people, and you’re probably sitting right next to her eating the crumbs falling from her sandwich like a dirty pig
only thing different about rec is that there is a painting class that gets cancelled every other week
Your a waste!
John, I feel that it was unnecessary to mention in your article that Ms Marcano dated the Mayor’s son it’s irrelevant. I feel that her personal life was not needed to make your article. That being said, she performs an amazing job both in cultural affairs as in recreation, not saying that George will not follow in her footsteps.
isn’t that the reason she was put there in the first place
Of course it’s relevant that she dated his son – that’s the only reason she was hired. She doesn’t even live in NJ, much less WNY – at least she didn’t when she was hired – and her hiring was illegal.
Does that matter to you, Jennie?
Roque didn’t even advertise the position, or give people from WNY the opportunity to apply, as state law requires. He just made up the job for his son’s girlfriend, once again spitting in the faces of the people of WNY.
Don’t know this kid but I’m sure he will do a fine job.
Of allllllll the things happening is WNY right now, this is what you people are concerned with? Damn. You should be worried about who’s recording who. You should be worried about how high your taxes are going to raised. You should be worried about your mayor and his friends. But nahhh you all are worried about a guy they hired. You should be worried about the reason he was hired …… to replace the girlfriend or the ex girlfriend (who can keep track) of the mayors son who obviously couldn’t do her job because she needed to be replaced. You should be worried that her and her high school staff show up when ever they want and then get paid overtime, drive around in the town car blasting music and even got excused to leave work early so they could attend luis’ mom’s wedding and got paid for it. But nahhh… Too logical I presume. Blame the politicians all you want but it’s YOU, the people of Wny, who are to blame because you all can’t get out of your own way. GOOD LUCK and GOOD RIDDENCE wny.
truth hurts!
Wow another ignorant person who has no idea what they’re talking about. You sound insane. How would you even know all of that information do you work for them.
Isn’t it great…. All the cheerleaders are out sticking up for Tiffany. This is laughable. Wny paid her salary while she was cheating on Joe with Chris. And all of us parents got to watch it unfold before our eyes. Can’t make the $hit up.
Maria you are laughable! Let me send you some toilet paper so you can wipe your mouth. Her personal life has nothing to do with her job. Mind your business!
Your are wrong, Maureen. Her personal life is the only reason she got her job, because she dated Roque’s son.
NJ State Law requires that town jobs be given to town residents but Roque has never cared about the law. He just does what he wants.
She lives in NY state, not NJ, at least she did when she was hired. Somebody should look into where she lives now, if she has another town job. More illegality.
Ayy of only this website would let me write what I would really want to write I would have all you imbeciles sitting in a corner with your foot in your mouths.
Concerned citizen…you are obviously scared to show whom you are, but we can assume who you are or whom told you to write what you did. Regardless if she is or isn’t the mayors sons girlfriend she has & continue to do her job. what no one
Had done before! Jealousy speaks for itself. Ignorance is bliss!
dating the mayors son is the only reason she got a job
at least this director will know what an actual football is unlike the last one.
I’ll bet this job wasn’t advertised so the citizens of West New York could apply, as the law requires. Roque just dished it out to another crony like the dictator he is.
Vega’s nephew, huh? Looks like Roque and Vega are friendlier than we thought.
Does Jorge Gomez at least live in West New York?
FYI more than half the people who work in town hall don’t live in WNY. Also where they live has nothing to do with how they do their job
You are wrong, Rebecca. There is a state law that requires that town positions be offered first to residents of the town.
Roque never advertises these positions so that the people of WNY can apply. He just doles them out to his friends and supporters. That is illegal.
Maybe you and Roque don’t care about the law, but some people do.
I don’t care if Tiffany was Serena Williams. She doesn’t live in WNY and should never have been hired as Recreation Director. It’s that simple.
And if she still doesn’t live here, she should not be Director of Cultural Affairs either.
If you are a resident of this town, it should bother you that the mayor does not follow the law and give the jobs to the people of this town. Or maybe you have a town job and don’t live here either.
Maria you sounds a lot like someome in town whos husband is a coach whining about people in town not getting a job and saying there wuz no interview. They aint even interview the commissioners they juat all appear on a ballet. Moat having no degree or background in the department they in.You need to get up off your azz and stop playing both sides of the fence always being to scared to stand up a pick a side like a coward. Grow a pair and make a difference instead of standing on the sidelines. Too scared walking around town with your stroller.