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NEW JERSEY (PIX11) — Amusement parks boast something for kids of all ages, from exhilarating roller coasters to costumed characters. Coney Island and Playland in Westchester have offered thrilling attractions for decades.

But before that, there was the granddaddy of amusement parks that have since faded into history. The popular commercial from the 60s proclaimed, “Palisades has the rides, Palisades has the fun, come on over.”

That was the clarion call for millions who made the pilgrimage to Palisades Amusement Park high above the Hudson River, straddling 38 acres of magic along Fort Lee and Cliffside Park. Since the turn of the century, it was transformed from a picnic grove to become a catalyst for one of the greatest outdoor attractions of the century.

Gene Focarelli was 15 when he worked summers at the park. He remembers those days well.

“There was no other place on earth like Palisades Amusement Park,” he said. “Everybody was there, the friends, the people, everybody was there for one purpose, to have a great time.”

There was the iconic cyclone roller coaster, the Ferris wheel, the musical carousel, the colorful midway, and the shows, but radio personality Bruce Morrow, Cousin Brucie to his fans, who did his broadcasts from the park, said it was more.

“People and Palisades Park, that’s where the magic was. We literally learned to get along with each other,” he reflected.

Vincent Gargiulo, the park historian, produced the book about the park titled, “Palisades Amusement Park–A Century of Fond Memories.”

“It was just a fun, safe environment for folks to bring a family,” Gargiulo said.

Gargiulo oversees an exhibit at the Mahwah Museum, which includes a miniature model of the park.

Years before inflation, it didn’t cost an arm and a leg for a fun day at the park.

“The cost to enter the park was dirt cheap. You could get a hot dog for a quarter or lemonade for a quarter. I think admission was 35 cents,” according to Gargiulo.

Competing with attractions at Coney Island, Palisades added a saltwater pool promoted as the world’s largest outdoor saltwater pool. It attracted even larger crowds. The park gained national prominence in 1962 with the release of the song “Palisades Park” by Freddy Cannon. It was rated number three on the National Billboard Chart.

Palisades Amusement Park was called the beauty pageant capital of the world. There was the Miss American Teenager and the Little Miss America Pageants, both televised on PIX11 and the Clay Cole show for five years. The Rolling Stones had one of their first public appearances on his program.

Cousin Brucie introduced his share of celebrities, including a young Tony Orlando.

“I was 16 years old, my mom, my entire family was out there among thousands of people at the one and only Palisades Park. That’s a memory that will never fade,” he said.

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Tony Bennett joined Cousin Brucie, who insisted, against his wishes, that he lip-synch his most popular song

“We start playing his record,” Morrow remembered. “We had old equipment. I left my heart in San Francisco, cisco, cisco, cisco. Tony Bennett freaked out. He never forgave me.”

But the music to the ears of the adventurous was the sound of the terrifying Cyclone roller coaster.

“You hear the click, click click and silence to the top and let loose, and they come screaming all the way down,” Gene Focarellli remembered.

The park became so popular that Fort Lee and Cliffside Park communities could no longer handle the onslaught of traffic, and in 1971, the area was rezoned for high-rise development. The park fell beneath the wrecking ball, and behemoth buildings now fill the void. What was here is remembered in a small patch of land with a memorial plaque dedicated to the “men and women who played at Palisade Amusement Park.”

More than half a century after its demise, Palisades Amusement Park remains an iconic part of American pop culture.

It’s immortalized in film, in music, and a Broadway musical is said to be in the works. Above all, the magic of the park is emblazoned in the minds of the generations of people who responded to the beckoned call: “COME ON OVER!”

PALISADES PARK — Borough Administrator Dave Lorenzo may be terminated at a special council meeting on Wednesday, just two months after he was placed on administrative leave with pay and after he filed a federal lawsuit against the borough and mayor.

An off-consent agenda resolution for "Termination of Employee" is listed on the agenda for the 5 p.m. special meeting. Lorenzo was the only employee who received a Rice notice, a required notification that his employment will be discussed.

Last month, borough Deputy Administrator Austin Ashley was terminated from his position during the reorganization meeting.

Mayor Chong "Paul" Kim did not respond to a message seeking more information, but earlier this month he said council members decided they didn't need two people doing the same function, regarding Ashley's removal.

Kim said he was taking over the duties of borough administrator for now.

"It's a job a mayor shouldn't be responsible for, but these are special circumstances we are facing," he said in early February. "It's my position to govern right now, and I'm the top person to get this done. It's taking a lot of time, but I'm doing it right now until we figure things out."

Administrative leave

Lorenzo was placed on administrative leave in November while the borough investigated his actions regarding a 2020 comptroller's report, a shared service agreement with the library and the handling of requests for bids and proposals, the mayor said.

Specifically, Kim said, there is an indication that Lorenzo permitted improper payments of public funds to public employees, executed a shared service agreement with the library without the authorization of the governing body, inappropriately expended public funds without authorization and allegedly did not follow the state procurement rules for bidding processes.

Lorenzo has served as the borough's business administrator since 2008 and worked for the borough before that. His current salary is $204,000.

The decision to place Lorenzo on leave was approved in a 3-1 vote, with council members Stephanie Jang, Jae Park and Suk "John" Min voting in favor of it and Councilman Michael Vietri against it.

Administrator sues Palisades Park

The day after he was placed on leave, Lorenzo filed a federal lawsuit against the borough, the mayor and Min, claiming retaliation for protected speech, conspiracy to violate civil rights and common law conspiracy to violate civil rights.

The lawsuit says Lorenzo was targeted after the Palisades Park Democratic Club — of which he serves as president — withdrew its support for Min and ceased campaigning on his behalf.

Lorenzo then filed a second lawsuit in December saying he was placed on leave during a meeting that was held illegally.

The second suit, filed in state Superior Court, says the meeting was held without proper public notifications. The suit also claims that even though Lorenzo was issued a notice to discuss his employment on Oct. 31, the posted agenda did not include the passed resolution that placed him on administrative leave.

The council held a special meeting on New Year's Eve to redo the resolutions and fix the alleged procedural errors. Lorenzo was placed on administrative leave again.

Last January, Lorenzo filed a suit against former Mayor Christopher Chung and the borough for failure to honor his employment contracts, car allowances and gas cards.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Palisades Park to discuss future of suspended borough administrator

Palisades Park fires borough administrator for not seeing 'eye to eye'

PALISADES PARK — Longtime borough Administrator David Lorenzo, who has three unresolved lawsuits against the municipality, was fired on Tuesday.

Lorenzo has served in the position since 2008 and worked for the borough in another capacity previously. His salary was $204,000 and was fired without cause and for not seeing "eye to eye with the council," said Mayor Chong "Paul" Kim.

"The governing body decided during the reorganization opportunity to consider Lorenzo as an employee and if we want to rehire or terminate his employment," Kim said. "It was a matter of the governing body not seeing eye to eye with David Lorenzo and the direction is different. Stuff needed to be done and it wasn't done and we felt it was time for a change."

Lorenzo, who had two years left on his contract, was first placed on administrative leave with pay in November. At the time, Kim said the borough was investigating his actions regarding a 2020 comptroller's report, a shared service agreement with the library and the handling of requests for bids and proposals.

Lorenzo's attorney did not immediately respond to a request for more information.

Specifically, Kim said, there is an indication that Lorenzo permitted improper payments of public funds to public employees, executed a shared service agreement with the library without the authorization of the governing body, inappropriately expended public funds without authorization and allegedly did not follow the state procurement rules for bidding processes.

However, that was not the reason for termination, the mayor said Wednesday morning, adding he would need to check with the borough attorney regarding the investigation and if it will continue.

The mayor said Lorenzo will be paid three months of his salary per state statute.

Who will do the administrator's work?

Last month, borough Deputy Administrator Austin Ashley was terminated from his position during the reorganization meeting.

In the absence of a borough and deputy borough administrator, the mayor said he has been acting as the executive officer with help from council members and the attorney.

"It's strenuous and the council members went above their responsibilities to fill in the space," Kim said. "It's been very strenuous and personally, I have to consider what the next step is, I haven't discussed it with the governing body yet."

Kim, who is a full-time county employee in his position as Palisades Park's senior center director, said one solution may be to recommend hiring a temporary replacement until a decision is made. "But, I can't continuously man that position," he said. "It's a lot of work and responsibilities. Even though I could, I'd rather not. It's not easy at all."

Administrator's lawsuits against Palisades Park

One day after he was placed on administrative leave, Lorenzo filed a federal lawsuit against the borough, the mayor and Councilman Suk "John" Min, claiming retaliation for protected speech, conspiracy to violate civil rights and common law conspiracy to violate civil rights.

Lorenzo's lawsuit says he was targeted after the Palisades Park Democratic Club — of which he serves as president — withdrew its support for Min and ceased campaigning on his behalf.

The Democratic Club then had duct tape placed over Min's name on campaign signs its members handed out, to indicate the withdrawal of its endorsement.

The lawsuit alleges Kim and Min punished Lorenzo for his exercise of political speech.

Min filled an unexpired term and won reelection this past November for a full term. Min made the motion to terminate Lorenzo on Tuesday night with the resolution passing 4-0.

Members of the Democratic Club, including Lorenzo, "determined that Councilman Min lacked the skills and fitness to serve on the borough council and was prepared to act on political views in a manner contrary to the views and goals of the Democratic Party," the lawsuit says.

Lorenzo filed another lawsuit in Bergen County Superior Court, claiming the meeting where he was suspended was an illegal one, held without proper public notifications. The suit also claims that even though Lorenzo was issued a notice to discuss his employment on Oct. 31, the posted agenda did not include the passed resolution that placed him on administrative leave.

A special meeting was held on Dec. 31 where the resolution to place him on leave was voted on again.

Lorenzo's first lawsuit was filed last year against the borough's former mayor, Chris Chung.

Lorenzo and Ashley filed separate lawsuits within days of each other in January 2023.

Both lawsuits accuse Chung and the borough of failing to honor their employment contracts with pay increases while taking away their car allowances and gas credit cards.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com:

PALISADES PARK — Borough Administrator Dave Lorenzo may be terminated at a special council meeting on Wednesday, just two months after he was placed on administrative leave with pay and after he filed a federal lawsuit against the borough and mayor.

An off-consent agenda resolution for "Termination of Employee" is listed on the agenda for the 5 p.m. special meeting. Lorenzo was the only employee who received a Rice notice, a required notification that his employment will be discussed.

Last month, borough Deputy Administrator Austin Ashley was terminated from his position during the reorganization meeting.

Mayor Chong "Paul" Kim did not respond to a message seeking more information, but earlier this month he said council members decided they didn't need two people doing the same function, regarding Ashley's removal.

Kim said he was taking over the duties of borough administrator for now.

"It's a job a mayor shouldn't be responsible for, but these are special circumstances we are facing," he said in early February. "It's my position to govern right now, and I'm the top person to get this done. It's taking a lot of time, but I'm doing it right now until we figure things out."

Administrative leave

Lorenzo was placed on administrative leave in November while the borough investigated his actions regarding a 2020 comptroller's report, a shared service agreement with the library and the handling of requests for bids and proposals, the mayor said.

Specifically, Kim said, there is an indication that Lorenzo permitted improper payments of public funds to public employees, executed a shared service agreement with the library without the authorization of the governing body, inappropriately expended public funds without authorization and allegedly did not follow the state procurement rules for bidding processes.

Lorenzo has served as the borough's business administrator since 2008 and worked for the borough before that. His current salary is $204,000.

The decision to place Lorenzo on leave was approved in a 3-1 vote, with council members Stephanie Jang, Jae Park and Suk "John" Min voting in favor of it and Councilman Michael Vietri against it.

Administrator sues Palisades Park

The day after he was placed on leave, Lorenzo filed a federal lawsuit against the borough, the mayor and Min, claiming retaliation for protected speech, conspiracy to violate civil rights and common law conspiracy to violate civil rights.

The lawsuit says Lorenzo was targeted after the Palisades Park Democratic Club — of which he serves as president — withdrew its support for Min and ceased campaigning on his behalf.

Lorenzo then filed a second lawsuit in December saying he was placed on leave during a meeting that was held illegally.

The second suit, filed in state Superior Court, says the meeting was held without proper public notifications. The suit also claims that even though Lorenzo was issued a notice to discuss his employment on Oct. 31, the posted agenda did not include the passed resolution that placed him on administrative leave.

The council held a special meeting on New Year's Eve to redo the resolutions and fix the alleged procedural errors. Lorenzo was placed on administrative leave again.

Last January, Lorenzo filed a suit against former Mayor Christopher Chung and the borough for failure to honor his employment contracts, car allowances and gas cards.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com:

PALISADES PARK, NJ — More than a dozen Palisades Park employees are claiming mold in the borough's municipal complex made them sick and have accused officials of allowing the hazard go unaddressed for months, according to reports.

An attorney representing 15 workers who recently filed workers' compensation claims sent a letter Wednesday to Mayor Paul Kim and Councilman Jae K. Park, NJ.com reported.

In the letter, attorney Andrew R. Bronsnick said borough officials were first made aware of the issue in February and demanded "immediate action" to remedy the problem, the report said.

"The borough has failed to address our clients' medical and health complaints, and the ongoing issues expose all borough employees to harmful mold and environmental hazards," Brosnick wrote in the letter obtained by NJ.com.

He continued, "The continued failure of the borough to remedy the mold condition and the employees' exposure will result in additional medical injuries and damages. The borough will be held liable for failure to address the mold exposure and detrimental health concerns of our clients."

The letter was sent a day after NJ Advance Media published a story about the borough's director of public works ordering his staff to abandon their offices at the municipal complex, citing an unsafe work environment and dozens of fire code violations throughout the building.

In September, the Bergen Record obtained over 400 pages of emails and documents detailing health concerns among employees due to mold contamination and air quality.

According to the Record, more than 50 injury claims were filed to insurance due to illness caused by the building conditions and mold.

Borough Administrator Dave Lorenzo told the Record he sent several emails to the mayor and council asking them to hold special meetings and to take action against the hazards.

"This has been an ongoing issue for close to two years," Lorenzo told the Record. "Unfortunately, the mayor and certain members of the governing body have not authorized any actions up until this point."

Meanwhile, Mayor Kim blamed Lorenzo, according to the Record.

"The borough administrator is the main building guy; he should have followed the law," he told the Record. "He's saying the mayor and council didn't decide, but he should have just done it. Instead, he's saying it was the governing body that didn't decide."