Judge rules Menza can keep his team in place - for now

A Superior Court Judge this afternoon in Elizabeth tossed the Hillside Township Council's request for a court injunction and restraining order against Mayor Joe Menza to prevent him from keeping three key cabinet members on the job and attending council meetings - at least until a court date on Sept. 2nd.

In office a little over a month and at odds early with the Township Council, Menza invoked his duty under the Faulkner Act when he selected a township attorney, acting business administrator and auditor.

The council by a 5-2 vote simultaneously maintained its right to oversee those hires, and moved to restrain Menza from making his appointments.   

"They wanted the judge to declare that my appointments were not valid until the court date, but the judge declined to do that, and my appointments will hold," Menza said.

The council is hopeful the court will ultimately decide in the council's favor.

"It's important that we have the right to give advice and confirm," said Councilman John Kulish, who was council president when the council grated up against former Mayor Karen McCoy Oliver, a onetime rising star who ran afoul of the local Democratic Party machine.

The same machine - operated by Union County Democratic Committee Chair Charlotte DeFilippo - still controls the council.

An independent who ran with the backing of GOP gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie, Menza is expected to make an official endorsemnt of Christie sometime in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, the town currently has two attorneys - one selected by Menza and one retained by the governing body.