Jersey City POBA pres. appointed to Hudson County Schools of Technology board

Jersey City Police Officers Benevolent Association (POBA) President Joe Cossolini was appointed to the Hudson County Schools of Technology board at Thursday’s meeting.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

“As someone who has a lifelong interest in education and community involvement, I’m excited to take on this new role. I look forward to learning from my fellow board members in any way I can,” Cossolini, who helped negotiate a memorandum of understanding between NJCU and his union earlier this month, told HCV over the phone today.

His appointment to the nine-member, volunteer board was approved by a vote of 8-1 by the Hudson County Board of Commissioners on Thursday, January 25th, with Commissioner Bob Baselice (D-8) voting no.

Hudson County Executive Craig Guy, who was endorsed by the Jersey City POBA, recommends the HCST members and the board of commissioners then votes on them.

In Cossolini’s case, his term runs through October 31st, 2027, replacing Secaucus Town Attorney Kerri Ann Eglentowicz, who resigned in light of pursuing a Hudson County Superior Court judgeship.

He is the second new member appointed to the HCST in 2024, with the commissioners naming Julietta Vogt, Guy’s deputy chief of staff, to the HCST board on January 11th.

She fills the seat that Guy held on the governing body when he was chief of staff to then-County Executive Tom DeGise.

Furthermore, Cossolini’s appointment came one week after the HCST failed to pass an add-on resolution to remove personnel responsibilities from Board Secretary Joey Muniz.

The motion was made by Assemblywoman Barbara Stamato (D-31), also the Jersey City Democratic Organization chair, and seconded by Vogt.

With Eglentowicz absent, the motion failed 4-4, with Board President John Minella, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop’s chief of staff, and Trustee Geraldine Perez, the Union City assistant superintendent for student services, voting yes.

Vice President Hugo Cabrera, North Bergen commissioner, Trustee Monica Fundora, a Guttenberg councilwoman, Arthur Pettigrew, the Harrison Board of Education vice president, and Hector Zulueta, a Guttenberg business owner, voted no.