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.Â
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. Â 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.