West New York, N.J. adds $200,000 to its law firm's 2026 contract, raising the cap to $775,000

First reported by Hudson TV

Updated Oct. 23, 2026, 6:35 p.m. ET, with comment from Mayor Albio Sires

WEST NEW YORK, N.J. — West New York commissioners on Wednesday raised the most the town can pay its corporation counsel firm this year by $200,000, according to a notice the town clerk posted Thursday.

The “Notice of Contract Awarded” says the Board of Commissioners amended the town’s 2026 contract with Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC of Little Falls, N.J., for corporation counsel services. The cap is now “Not to exceed $775,000.00,” “Increased from $575,000.00.” That’s an increase of about 35%, with a little over two months left in the contract year, which runs Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2026.

Mayor Albio Sires confirmed the numbers in a phone interview Friday with Hudson TV’s Jeff Henig. “There’s so much work that needed to be done in town,” Sires said. He said the amount the town was paying Scarinci’s firm “was too low, was not enough,” and that the increase was because of the work that has taken place and the work still to come. Sires said commissioners “originally felt that it was too low” and, “based upon the amount of work that has to be accomplished,” unanimously voted to raise the cap from $575,000 to $775,000.

The resolution amends the town’s 2026 contract, which ends Dec. 31, according to the clerk’s notice. The separate 2027 contract the town awarded the firm on Oct. 7 is capped at $575,000.

The Oct. 21 agenda listed the change as Resolution R26-300, “Amending Contract with Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC for Corporation Counsel Services For 2026.” The town hasn’t posted the resolution’s text, which would give its stated reason for the increase. Sires said the vote was unanimous, and the town has not posted the official vote record.

The 2027 contract went out at the original price

At their Oct. 7 meeting, commissioners awarded Scarinci Hollenbeck the 2027 corporation counsel contract (Resolution R26-281) for “a total amount not to exceed $575,000.00.” The resolution says the town “solicited proposals under a fair and open process.” According to the Oct. 7 minutes, it passed 5-0 as part of the consent agenda, with Commissioners Marcos A. Arroyo, Victor M. Barrera, Marielka A. Diaz and Adam W. Parkinson and Mayor Albio Sires voting yes.

It happened last year, too

The firm’s 2026 contract was awarded Nov. 12, 2025, at $575,000 (Resolution R25-295). Its 2025 contract was also capped at $575,000. On Jan. 21, 2026, after that contract year had ended, commissioners added $50,000 “due to unforeseen circumstances and additional costs,” for an amended total of $625,000 (Resolution R26-021).

Scarinci Hollenbeck attorneys Angelo Auteri and Brittany Tarabour are listed in the minutes as attending the commissioners’ meetings.

Other professional contracts announced Oct. 21 (all for 2027)

• Heyer Gruel & Associates (Red Bank, N.J.), special project planner: up to $100,000
• Rosalind Punales (Union City, N.J.), alternate prosecutor: up to $50,000
• Law Offices of Mateo Perez (West New York), library board counsel: up to $25,000
• Realauction.com, LLC (Plantation, Fla.), accelerated online tax sale services: up to $25,000

The notice says the contracts were awarded “without competitive bidding as a Professional Service,” which state law allows for professional services. It says the contracts and the resolutions authorizing them are available for public inspection at the Municipal Clerk’s Office, 428 60th St.

Hudson TV asks: West New York residents, should the town explain mid-year increases to its legal contracts before the vote? Tell us in the comments.

Want to know if you’re overpaying on property taxes in West New York? Check your address at gardenstate.ai/property-tax