In an amended lawsuit, former Bayonne Business Administrator Melissa Mathews is alleging that the Marist High School land was “upzoned to benefit local developers.”
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“In or about the Winter of 2022, Plaintiff complained to Defendants, James M. Davis, John Coffey and Donna Russo, with respect to the transfer of the purchase contract for the property at Marist High School which was then upzoned to benefit local developers,” the four-count lawsuit, filed in Hudson County Superior Court on Wednesday, says.
The claim is particularly topical since the New Jersey Turnpike Authority is in the process of utilizing eminent domain to acquire the property for $31.1 million from a subsidiary of the Alessi Organization, which they purchased for $11.4 million, as HCV first reported.
The land deal has faced some level of scrutiny since early 2022.
On February 16th, 2022, the Bayonne City Council approved a redevelopment plan for the Marist High School property. Then-City Council President Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski, a mayoral candidate, asked if they should be voting for something that is under investigation.
Coffey replied that the Law Department had not received any correspondence about an investigation, only an anonymous letter that was sent to city officials, the U.S. Attorney General, and the Office of the State Comptroller.
Typical backroom politics. Koodoes to Miss Mathews. She should run for mayor.
This definitely needs to be investigated! As I commented a couple of days ago, how does a property purchased by speculators increase 3 fold in value in only a couple of years???? And purchased for eminent domain which is supposed to be “in the public interest”. Something really stinks here!! Good luck Ms. Matthews.