Editing Secaucus, New Jersey (section)

===Local government===
Secaucus is governed under the [[Town (New Jersey)|Town]] form of New Jersey municipal government. The town is one of nine municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government.<ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/inventory_of_municipal_forms_of_government_in_new_jersey.pdf ''Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey''], [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and a Town Council made up of six council members elected from three [[Ward (United States)|wards]]. The Mayor is elected [[at-large]] directly by the voters. The Town Council includes six members elected to serve four-year terms on a staggered basis, with three seats up at the same time as the mayor and three seats the following year, followed by two years with no elections.<ref name=DataBook>''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', [[Rutgers University]] [[Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy]], March 2013, p. 142.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=5 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 5. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref><ref>Passantino, Joseph. [http://www.hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/22765081/article-Mayor-council-election-coming-in-November-Gonnelli-s-slate-holds-kickoff--Bueckner-will-not-run-again-?instance=menu "Mayor/council election coming in November; Gonnelli's slate holds kickoff; Bueckner will not run again"], ''[[The Hudson Reporter]]'', June 2, 2013. Accessed November 20, 2013. "In Secaucus' form of government, residents elect a mayor every four years, along with two council people from each ward. Secaucus has three wards. Three of the council people are up for re-election with the mayor this year, and three council people will be up for re-election next year."</ref>

{{As of|2022}}, the Mayor of Secaucus is [[Independent politician|Independent]] Michael Gonnelli, whose term of office ends December 31, 2025. Members of the Town Council are James J. Clancy Sr. (I, 2022; Ward 2), Robert V. Constantino (I, 2025; Ward 1), Mark Dehnert (I, 2025; Ward 2), John Gerbasio (I, 2022; Ward 1), William McKeever (I, 2025; Ward 3) and Orietta Turci-Tringali (I, 2022; Ward 3).<ref name=MayorCouncil>[https://www.secaucusnj.gov/government/mayor Mayor & Council], Town of Secaucus. Accessed April 29, 2022.</ref><ref>[https://www.secaucusnj.gov/government/documents/financial-documents/2021-2/799-2021-adopted-budget/file 2022 Municipal Data Sheet], Town of Secaucus. Accessed April 29, 2022.</ref><ref name=HudsonDirectory>[https://www.hudsoncountyclerk.org/elected-officials/ Elected Officials], [[Hudson County, New Jersey]] Clerk. Accessed April 27, 2022.</ref><ref name=Hudson2021>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Hudson/111524/web.278093/#/summary General Election November 2, 2021 Official results], [[Hudson County, New Jersey]], updated November 17, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref><ref name=Hudson2018>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Hudson/92899/Web02.222611/#/c/C_4 November 6, 2018 General Election], [[Hudson County, New Jersey]] Clerk, updated November 29, 2018. Accessed January 1, 2019.</ref>

Orietta Tringali was chosen in January 2018 to fill the Ward 3 seat expiring in December 2018 that had been held by Susan Pirro until she resigned from office.<ref>Villanova, Patrick. [http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2017/12/secaucus_councilwoman_resigns_from_post_amid_breas.html "Secaucus councilwoman resigns amid breast cancer fight"], ''[[The Jersey Journal]]'', December 26, 2017. Accessed February 17, 2018. "Citing her ongoing battle with breast cancer, Councilwoman Susan Pirro has resigned from her post on the town's governing body.... Her resignation is effective Jan. 1, 2018.... Mayor Michael Gonnelli has announced Orietta Tringali, second grade teacher at Huber Street School, is his choice to fill the third ward vacancy."</ref> On June 9, 2018, the Office of Emergency Management Building was dedicated to Pirro, who died on March 18, 2018.

In October 2016, Gary Jeffas resigned from office to fill the position as Town Administrator; his Ward 1 seat expiring in December 2018 was filled by John Gerbasio, who served on an interim basis until the November 2017 election, when he was chosen to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref>Meyers, Samantha. [http://www.hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/27295722/article-Replacement-for-Drumeler-found--Gary-Jeffas-to-be-Town-Administrator--John-Gerbasio-may-be-new-councilman-?instance=latest_story "Replacement for Drumeler found; Gary Jeffas to be Town Administrator, John Gerbasio may be new councilman"], ''[[The Hudson Reporter]]'', October 23, 2016. Accessed February 7, 2018. "Mayor Michael Gonnelli and the Town Council have announced that Councilman Gary Jeffas will have to resign to replace Town Administrator David Drumeler this January.... Also in the announcement, Gonnelli said that current Board of Education President John Gerbasio will be considered to fill Jeffas's term."</ref><ref>Pries, Allison. [https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/2016/10/12/trustee-hopeful-to-quit-race-join-secaucus-council/93046588/ "Trustee hopeful to quit race, join Secaucus Council"], ''[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]]'', October 12, 2016. Accessed February 7, 2018. "Gerbasio and First Ward Councilman Gary Jeffas are part of a role shuffling that will occur at the start of 2017. Jeffas will resign his elected position and be hired as town administrator and Gerbasio will be appointed to Jeffas' council seat, Mayor Michael J. Gonnelli said."</ref><ref name=Hudson2017>[http://assets01.aws.connect.clarityelections.com/Assets/Connect/RootPublish/hudson-nj.connect.clarityelections.com/Election_Archive/2017/General/OFFICIAL-District-Canvass-General-Election-Results-2017.pdf Hudson County General Election 2017 Statement of Vote November 7, 2017], [[Hudson County, New Jersey]] Clerk, updated November 17, 2017. Accessed January 1, 2018.</ref>

Richard Steffens was chosen unanimously by the council in August 2009 to step in as mayor to finish the term of [[Dennis Elwell (politician)|Dennis Elwell]] who resigned amid corruption charges on July 28, 2009, and was later convicted.<ref>Kim, Jennifer. [http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2009/08/richard_steffens_gets_sworn_in.html "Richard Steffens gets sworn in to fulfill former mayor Dennis Elwell's term"], [[NJ.com]], August 26, 2009. Accessed September 1, 2014. "With his wife Kathleen Steffens, former Secaucus library director, by his side Richard Steffens, a former two-term Democratic councilman and a former board of education trustee, was sworn in by Assemblyman Vincent Prieto with a 6–0 vote at last night's council meeting as mayor to succeed Dennis Elwell."</ref> Michael Gonnelli then won a full four-year term in November 2009 and was re-elected for another four years in 2013.<ref>Klein, Daniel. [http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2010/01/michael_gonnelli_sworn_in_as_m.html "Michael Gonnelli sworn in as mayor of Secaucus in wake of corruption scandal"], ''[[The Jersey Journal]]'', January 2, 2010. Accessed September 1, 2014. "Michael Gonnelli was sworn in as mayor of Secaucus today, starting a new era for the town in the wake of former Mayor Dennis Elwell's arrest as part of the massive New Jersey corruption scandal."</ref>

In 2018, the town had an average property tax bill of $6,258, the lowest in the county, compared to an average bill of $7,762 in Hudson County and $8,767 statewide.<ref>[https://www.state.nj.us/dca/divisions/dlgs/resources/property_docs/18_data/18taxes.xls 2018 Property Tax Information], [[New Jersey Department of Community Affairs]], updated January 16, 2019. Accessed November 7, 2019.</ref><ref>Marcus, Samantha. [https://www.nj.com/politics/2019/04/these-are-the-towns-with-the-lowest-property-taxes-in-each-of-njs-21-counties.html "These are the towns with the lowest property taxes in each of N.J.'s 21 counties"], NJ Advance Media for [[NJ.com]], April 30, 2019. Accessed November 7, 2019. "New Jersey's average property tax bill may have hit $8,767 last year — a new record — but taxpayers in some parts of the state pay just a fraction of that.... The average property tax bill in Secaucus was $6,258 in 2018, the lowest in Hudson County."</ref>

====Fire department====
[[File:Washington Hook n Ladder 1 jeh.jpg|thumb|Washington Hook & Ladder Co. # 1 Firehouse]]
Secaucus is served around the clock by five volunteer fire companies that make up the Secaucus Fire Department, with a combined fire apparatus fleet of four Engines, two Ladders, one Rescue, one squad/brush unit, and one fireboat, operating out of five fire stations located throughout the town.<ref>[http://www.secaucusnj.gov/departments/fire/ Secaucus Fire Department], Town of Secaucus. Accessed July 7, 2016.</ref><ref>[http://www.secaucuseng1.com/ Home Page], Secaucus Engine Co. 1. Accessed March 5, 2012.</ref>