Healy appointees OK his pick for Redevelopment Agency head

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy's choice to head the city's powerful Redevelopment Agency has been unanimously
approved by the agency's board.

The board, stacked with Healy appointees, approved Robert Antonicello Tuesday night to become executive director of the
JCRA, an autonomous government agency responsible for designating developers in the city's blighted areas.

"I am thrilled to have Bob Antonicello on board," Healy said in a statement yesterday. "He possesses over 20 years
professional experience in real estate management and development, making him an ideal candidate to spearhead the
city's growth as we move forward."

Healy initially wanted Antonicello to head the city Department of Housing, Economic Development and Commerce but
that was met with skepticism by several members of the City Council.

Five of the seven JCRA board members were appointed by Healy.

Antonicello will serve for 90 days and the board will vote again to lengthen the contract.

"I am happy it's just 90 days," said City Councilman Bill Gaughan. "I was against the appointment for HEDC, and I have
mixed feelings about the current appointment, but let's see how this works out."

Antonicello, who could not be reached for comment yesterday, holds a master's degree from New York University and has
more than two decades of experience in real estate as a broker and the head of several property management companies.
He has said he divested himself of his real estate companies.

His attorney in a number of business deals was Healy's former law partner, Oswin Hadley, and the two currently share
office space.

His former company, ACI Management Inc., filed for bankruptcy last year after a dispute over roughly $6,000 with a local
condominium association.

City Councilwoman Willie Flood, who also serves on the JCRA board, skipped Tuesday's meeting to attend a fund-raiser.

Healy taps pal for JCRA, won't need council vote

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy is tapping a local businessman and friend to head the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency,
a decision that comes on the heels of opposition from some City Council members to the idea of naming him to head the
 powerful Department of Housing, Economic Development and Commerce.

Healy will appoint Robert Antonicello to the JCRA, keeping the council out of the process. The autonomous JCRA board,
which must approve the nomination, is stacked with Healy appointees. A vote is scheduled for April 18.

The Redevelopment Agency is responsible for, among other things, designating developers for projects in the city's numerous
 redevelopment zones.

"I will submit his name to the redevelopment board and I am hopeful they will recognize his tremendous résumé and his
knowledge and ability," Healy said.

Healy said previously that he was looking at Antonicello to head either HEDC or the Redevelopment Agency, but several
administration officials said the mayor favored him for HEDC.

At least three council members publicly opposed Antonicello for HEDC, citing his work history, close ties to Healy and to
developers, as well as support for the acting HEDC Director Barbara Nechert.

"I think I would have gotten the five or six votes - I don't know exactly how many votes I needed - but that did not play a role
in the thinking," Healy said, adding that he will ask the council to approve Nechert as permanent HEDC director.

Five of the seven JCRA board members were appointed by Healy. The council would have had to approve Antonicello for HEDC.

"This is just circumventing the (council)," said Councilman Steven Fulop.

Antonicello holds a master's degree from New York University and has more than two decades of experience in real estate
as a broker and head of several property management companies.

His attorney in a number of business deals was Healy's former law partner, Oswin Hadley, and the two currently share office
space. Antonicello's firm provided office space for Healy's 2004 mayoral election campaign.

"At this point, I think the mayor should just appoint an immediate family member to head the Redevelopment Agency, since
we are no longer using qualifications and ethics as the standard, instead we are using personal relationships," Fulop said.

Antonicello has said he divested himself of all his real estate companies to avoid any conflicts. His former company, ACI
Management Inc., filed for bankruptcy last year after a dispute over roughly $6,000 with a local condominium association.
The association successfully sued Antonicello's company after he approved work without the board's consent.

"I trust Bob, and his résumé speaks for itself," said Healy. "Donald Trump filed for bankruptcy, and so do a lot of successful
businessman."

Antonicello filed bankruptcy to avoid suits

In 2003, the Highland House Condominium Association in Jersey City received a bill for nearly $6,000 that left its members
scratching their heads.

That's because their bylaws state that all expenses above $500 must be approved by the elected nine-member board.

"We had no clue what the initial bill was for," said James Cooney, the association's president.

Soon after, another letter came in the mail, this time a court summons from the plumbing company that did the work.

Cooney said the building's former property manager, Jersey City-based ACI Asset Management Inc., had approved the
work without the board's approval.

The management company's president was Robert Antonicello, the man who Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy now
wants to appoint to either the Department of Housing, Economic Development and Commerce or the Redevelopment Agency.

The condo association lost the lawsuit with the plumbing company, but it won a countersuit against ACI Management.

After two canceled deposition sessions, however, the company filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection on Jan. 24, 2005,
which meant the check was not coming.

"I just couldn't figure it out, this guy manages large properties in Jersey City and he's filing bankruptcy because of $6,000,"
said Cooney.

Antonicello acknowledged that he failed to read the part of the contract that required him to seek board approval, but said
the group met less than four times a year and he needed to get things done.

He said that he filed bankruptcy because he feared more lawsuits were coming, but he said he dealt with the association
fairly and honestly.

POISED TO PICK PAL

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy wants a local businessman - and longtime friend - to oversee much of the city's
economic development, even as at least two City Council members have expressed concerns about his past work experience.

Healy said Wednesday that he is looking to appoint Robert Antonicello as either the head of the Department of Housing,
Economic Development and Commerce or the Redevelopment Agency.

Antonicello has more than two decades of experience in real estate, from selling properties as a broker and redeveloping
blighted land to building a property management portfolio in excess of $200 million as the president of Jersey City-based
ACI Real Estate Group, according to a résumé he provided.

He also earned a master's degree from New York University in real estate development and a bachelor's degree from Rutgers
University in city planning and urban affairs.

"Robert is a great talent with a tremendous résumé and we are currently looking at the possibility of bringing him to City Hall
in a vital role," said Healy.

The HEDC oversees the city's Planning Division, which issues permits for development projects and distributes federal
Community Development Block Grants, among many other similar tasks.

The Redevelopment Agency, which is autonomous, creates redevelopment zones and selects developers for certain projects.

Two council members, who will vote on any appointment, said Antonicello's résumé doesn't tell the whole story.

One of his former companies, ACI Management, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in January 2005 after a judge ordered him to
pay a local condo association nearly $6,000, according to court documents.

Several officials also noted that Antonicello fought the city for $250,000 in 1999 after he spent four years helping to find a
location and developer for the municipal court. The city eventually agreed that he was entitled to the money as part of his
contract.

"I don't like the idea, and I won't be voting for him when it comes before the council," said Councilman Bill Gaughan, who
pointed to the bankruptcy and what he called Antonicello's lack of government experience.

Councilman Steve Fulop also said he would not support Antonicello.

"We should not be looking at someone who bankrupted his own company to run such an important department," he said.

Antonicello said he filed for bankruptcy because he believed the condo association planned to file more suits. He was
sued because he authorized spending money on a plumbing job without the association's approval.

Healy's former law partner, Oswin Hadley, has represented Antonicello a number of times. Healy said that Hadley
"supported" the potential appointment but that the decision is his alone. Antonicello's father provided office space f
or Healy's 2004 mayoral campaign.

"This is more of the same, and another mediocre appointment for Healy at best," said Fulop. "It's about time Healy looks
outside his own address book."

Responding to charges he is not experienced enough, Antonicello said: "If I am mediocre with 25 years of experience, a
master's degree from NYU, then I want to see what they consider outstanding." Both city agencies are currently run by
acting directors.

Barbara Netchert heads HEDC and Christopher Fiore runs the Redevelopment Agency.