Councilman Michael Yakubov Submits Resignation

In an email sent to the Borough Clerk this afternoon, Fifth Ward Councilman Michael Yakubov stated that he will be stepping down on March 5th as a member of the governing body, which coincides with the first Mayor & Council meeting that month. The correspondence read:

Please note, this is official notice that I will be stepping down from Roselle Park Council on March 5th, 2015. I have advised the GOP of this and they will be presenting 3 names for council consideration. Please feel free to share with members of council.

Last week the councilman, through his attorney, submitted a Notice of Tort Claim against the municipality where he mentioned his resignation. Such a notice is not a lawsuit, per se, but a notice that  person might file litigation against a government entity. Under New Jersey law, such a notice must be given within 90 days to allow a government agency to present a remedy in place of – or before proceeding – to court.

The Notice contends that – among other thing – the Roselle Park Police Department (RPPD) followed a course of targeting and ‘over persecution’ against the councilman. Additionally, the Notice refers to an instance of former Mayor Joseph Accardi threatening to use bodily injury against the councilman during a car show four years ago. References were also made to construction work in front of the councilman’s house last year that limited access to his residence as well as the release of arrest documentation to the media. Finally, current Mayor Carl Hokanson – himself a former RPPD police officer – is alleged to have used police influence to target Mr. Yakubov who ran for mayor against Mr. Hokanson in 2014.

Mr. Yakubov, in his Notice, is asking for damages related to the loss of the 2014 Roselle Park Mayoral election, slander as well as libel, threat of employment loss, emotional distress, public humiliation, violation of personal rights, false arrest, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, out-of-pocket cost for legal services and municipal court fines, and a deprivation of federal rights – among other claims. It was in this section that the councilman referred to “causality and stress leading to councilman moving and resigning”.

In contacting Mr. Yakubov, he stated that he would speak publicly to his constituents more at a later date regarding his stepping down but commented, “My heart is in Roselle Park. I love the town. I love the people. I’m not going to quit being councilperson till the day I’m done. It means a lot to me.”

A copy of the Notice of Tort Claim can be viewed below:

Michael Yakubov Notice of Tort Claim (January 22, 2015)