Paterson health department issues new citations for councilman's restaurant

PATERSON — City health inspectors have issued 21 additional summonses against the restaurant and bar owned by city Councilman Michael Jackson during the past several weeks.

Those tickets come on top of 11 summonses that city inspectors wrote against the business, Jacksonville, at the end of December.

Jackson says the enforcement crackdown represents retaliation for his staunch opposition to Mayor Andre Sayegh and his unwillingness to cooperate with the city health officer’s political agenda.

But city officials say the flurry of summonses simply reflects the health department’s efforts to protect the public from a rogue businessman.

“They’re using taxpayers’ money to pay for a vendetta against me,” Jackson said. “The health office is supposed to be about public health and public safety, not to fulfill your own vendettas.”

Jackson said the inspectors who conducted what he described as “raids” on his business were getting paid overtime for work performed at night and on weekends.

“No other business in this city is getting the scrutiny I’m getting,” Jackson said.

City Health Officer Dr. Paul Persaud provided Paterson Press with a list of 10 other eateries he said have been shut down during the past six months for violations.

“As a councilman, Michael Jackson ought to know better,” Persaud said. “We do not engage in selective enforcement when it comes to public health and food safety. It is not acceptable to have findings of rodent droppings inside of Jacksonville on various occasions. So, we will hold Councilman Jackson accountable the same way we do with every other retail food establishment throughout the city.

Earlier: Michael Jackson says his Paterson bar is the target of political payback. Is it?

“We found numerous food safety violations repeatedly of state and municipal codes,” Persaud added. “There are really serious issues with food handling practices at Jacksonville. Jacksonville will remain closed until the facility comes into compliance with sanitary codes.”

Persaud acknowledged there has been overtime spending for the Jacksonville crackdowns and said other city restaurants are open during regular working hours in the day so they can be checked without a need for overtime.

Jackson said he is still waiting for the city to approve his license to reopen his business for daily operations after the COVID-19 pandemic. He accused health officials of dragging their feet on the inspection needed for his license.

In anticipation of getting his approvals, Jackson said, he went ahead and scheduled “special events” at the business on Grand Street. Jackson said that instead of letting the city sabotage his business, he decided to hold the special events without the city’s blessing.

Seven summonses were issued for a May 4 event and 14 for an April 16 event, officials said. The December summonses against Jacksonville have been transferred to the Municipal Court in Bloomingdale and are pending, Persaud said.

Jackson and Sayegh face other problems unrelated to the restaurant health inspections.

Jackson is scheduled to go to trial next week in the state’s case accusing him of election fraud. Meanwhile, Sayegh is dealing with the state’s takeover of the troubled Paterson Police Department.

Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press.

Email: editor@patersonpress.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson NJ: Jacksonville bar issued new health violations