West New York’s controversial ex-deputy Mayor Silvio Acosta, who currently serves as the acting superintendent of the Department of Public Works, may be leaving the position soon based on a resolution in front of the board of commissioners tomorrow.Â
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
According to the agenda for Wednesday evening’s meeting in West New York, resolution number 25 says “authorizing search committee for DPW Supervisor.”
As only Hudson County View reported, a similar resolution was on the agenda for last month, but it was pulled after just a matter of minutes.
While the clerk’s office said a copy of the resolution was not yet available, sources tell Hudson County View that the measure will give an interim DPW superintendent a few months to get acclimated to the new gig before Acosta retires at the end of the year.
A lightning rod of controversy, Acosta helped the feds take down former Construction Code Official Franco Zanardelli and had building violations accrue to over half a million dollars (h/t The Jersey Journal).
Nevertheless, he has been a top ally of Mayor Felix Roque for years, even prior to him running for mayor in May 2011.
As Roque faces another indictment, the town of West New York is once again under the microscope as Business Administrator Matthew Watkins and spokesman Pablo Fonseca have planned their exit strategies from the administration.
Ousting Acosta would mean that Roque’s inner circle would no longer include anyone that helped him dethrone his predecessor, Sal Vega.
Many politicos believe that the latest housecleaning effort was masterminded by Town Attorney Donald Scarinci, who has been clashing with Acosta and Fonseca behind closed doors ever since the Team Roque victory on Election Day.
Resolution number 29 vaguely states “concerning funding for town attorney,” meaning that the in fighting probably won’t be over by Thursday morning.
Under the Walsh Act, which mandates the commissioner form of government, a resolution must be approved by a board majority in order to take effect – where at least three commissioners cast a yes vote.