Hoboken’s search for a new city spokesman has ended, opting to hire Santiago Melli-Huber, the younger brother of his predecessor, Juan Melli, to fill the pivotal City Hall post.Â
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“I welcome Santiago to my Administration and I thank him for stepping up to serve our community,” Mayor Ravi Bhalla said in a statement yesterday.
Santiago will play a key role in connecting city government with the Hoboken community at large. I look forward to him helping move the City forward.”
Melli-Huber most recently worked as an on-air TV reporter for an NBC affiliate. He earned a B.A. in Journalism & Media Studies from Rutgers University, as well as a Masters in Journalism from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
Melli-Huber’s prior experience also includes freelance reporting for the Washington Blade and managing communications for the national non-profit Hispanic Heritage Foundation.
“I am looking forward to serving the City of Hoboken and bringing new ideas for improving communications with residents, businesses, and visitors,â€Â added Melli-Huber.
Juan Melli stepped down as city spokesman on March 5th and has since become the Mercury Public Affairs vice president.
Meanwhile, Melli-Huber will begin his new job on Wednesday, March 28th.
Search has ended? Was there actually a search?
Imagine if an old Hoboken politician did this?
“He earned a B.A. in Journalism & Media Studies from Rutgers University, as well as a Masters in Journalism from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.”
If they hired someone with these credentials I think people would have been impressed.
People always have credentials when they are hired for patronage, doesn’t mean they’re the best person, just the most related.
Anyone willing to serve in an environment where they know going in that they’ll have to endure relentless sniping from people unfit to lick their boots gets bonus qualification points just for being willing to smile and nod at some of the worst people in the world. All for having the audacity to serve their community for a salary well below what they’d command in the private sector.
Snipe all you want, you’re barely worthy of his attention, but he’ll treat constituents with equal respect because he’s a professional.
Pathetically transparent sour grapes from the Butthurt Bunch.
It’s a pretty great hire.
Nepotism is alive and well for the “reformers.â€
Ravi has done more than his share of shady but this isn’t one of them.
The young man is qualified. Good luck to him.
As long as he’s honest and smart that’s good. Even better if he doesn’t take direction from Sham the Shady