The Board of Commissioners of the Bayonne Local Redevelopment Authority (BLRA) last night voted to appoint Joseph G. Nichols as its Interim Executive Director.

The appointment is effective immediately. Nichols replaces Nancy A. Kist who stepped down after serving the past five years as the BLRA’s Executive Director.

The BLRA will conduct a formal search to find a permanent replacement.

Nichols brings a wealth of relevant experience to his new assignment.

For the past seven years Nichols has served as the city’s Tax Assessor where his responsibilities included assessment of a diverse mix of residential, commercial, industrial, apartment and mixed-use properties comprising more than 13,000 line items, including a Special Improvement District (SID) and several redevelopment projects.

During his tenure as the city’s Tax Assessor Nichols, an attorney, also served as General Counsel to the Bayonne Municipal Utility Authority (BMUA).

Prior to that Nichols served as Law Director of the City of Bayonne. Appointed in 1994, Nichols served for six years as the Director of legal affairs for the City during a key transitional period involving the closure of the former Military Ocean Terminal, the creation of the BLRA and BMUA, and the first zoning and master plan revision in many years. As Law Director, Nichols also provided oversight over a wide range of municipal legal issues, including: land use planning, municipal finance, municipal liability and environmental matters.

“I am deeply grateful for Joe’s willingness to accept this new challenge as he has so many times before,” said Mayor Terrence Malloy. “His intelligence, integrity, and experience, not to mention his abiding love for Bayonne, make him an excellent choice as Interim Director.”

“We’re very happy to have someone of Joe’s caliber available and willing to serve in this interim capacity,” said Howard Fitch, Chair of the BLRA Board of Commissioners. “We will be moving quickly to find a permanent replacement.”

Nichols earned his BA at Rutgers University College and his JD at Rutgers Law School. He was admitted to the New Jersey Bar in 1986.

Nichols became a NJ Certified Tax Assessor and earned a Diplomate in NJ Municipal Law in 1996. He has also served on the District VI Attorney Ethics Committee.

Nichols resides in Bayonne with his wife Kathleen.


 

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