Nutley: Parks commish seeks third term

NUTLEY - Mauro Tucci, the 55-year old Commissioner of Parks and Public Safety, is seeking re-election to a third term in office. A retired township manager, Tucci owns Nutley Pool and Spa, and four years ago was the second highest vote-getter.

Born in Newark where he grew up playing football with future County
Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, Tucci said as far as he knows he is only the second commissioner in Nutley’s history who is not a Nutley native.

Running on his record of helping to secure over $1 million in state and county grants for town projects, and maintaining the town’s green character, including its bike and walking paths, Tucci said no one prevails in elections here unless he or she is in touch with the residents. He prides himself on that contact.

“There’s still a lot to do,” Tucci said of his decision to pursue another term. “We’re in a changing and a trying time, and we need steady, confident leaders.

“Nutley is the quintessential neighborhood family town,” Tucci said. “You won’t find greater volunteerism. We have beautiful public buildings. We have people who care about the town. We’ve had good, honest and straight government, and I would like to continue to be a part of that.”

Recognizing that dollars won’t be coming from the state, Tucci said he spearheaded a study to develop a town redevelopment plan so that Nutley can better generate rateables, but does not end up with rateables that could destroy the town’s residential core.

“We do need something,” he said. “Children are coming back and finding it harder and harder to afford to live here, and seniors are having a tough time.”

In addition to enticing rateables consistent with a community vision here, one of the commissioner’s ambitions is to install solar energy panels on public buildings. installing solar energy panels.

“Where they’ve installed panels on 13 buildings in Hudson County they’ve been able to save half a million dollars in energy costs,” said Tucci. “It’s a no-brainer. Oil’s the way of the past.”

He also hopes the town can generate revenue from a hockey rink in Nutley’s projected town pavilion.