English Bulldog Puppies for Sale in Paterson, NJ

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PATERSON — Moody’s has placed Paterson’s finances “under review” because of the city’s delinquent 2022 audit, officials said.

Paterson was one of 37 local governments around the country that the credit rating group put on review “due to insufficient information” on their finances. Moody’s ratings affect the interest rates that local governments get when they borrow money.

“If the information is not received over the next 60 to 90 days, we will take appropriate rating action, which could include the withdrawal of the issuers' ratings,” Moody’s said in a press release.

Among the other places under review by Moody’s are Hyde Park, Deerfield, and East Fishkill in New York; Starkville, Mississippi; Manhattan, Kansas; and Paris, Texas. Only one other local government from New Jersey was on Moody’s list: Tabernacle Township in Burlington County.

Members of Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh’s administration said the move will not affect the city’s day-to-day finances or its ability to borrow money.

“It’s literally just a timing issue,” city Business Administrator Kathleen Long said about the delinquent 2022 audit.

She said the COVID-19 pandemic knocked Paterson off schedule for its 2021 audit and there was a ripple effect that delayed the 2022 financial analysis as well.

Long said city auditors have completed a draft of the 2022 audit and she expected the Sayegh administration would seek City Council approval of the audit soon.

Council members express concern

Some members of the governing body were not happy about Moody’s putting Paterson under review. Councilman Shahin Khalique called it “deeply concerning.”

“It reflects a lack of confidence in our fiscal management and is simply unacceptable for our community,” Khalique said. “We must demand better accountability and transparency to protect Paterson's financial future."

Just five months ago, Moody’s upgraded Paterson’s credit rating to Baa3, which indicates moderate risk. At the time, Sayegh called the upgrade “a pivotal moment for Paterson.” Even after the upgrade, the city’s credit ratings remained so low that municipal officials conducted all borrowing through the Passaic County Improvement Authority to get lower interest rates.

Minutes before the mayor’s State of the City speech on Thursday, Paterson Press asked Sayegh about the Moody’s decision to place the city under review. He referred questions to his staff.

The overdue city audit also prompted the New Jersey Health Department to freeze some Paterson grants, including funding for childhood lead prevention programs. City officials said the freeze was lifted earlier this year.

By Gabriella Dragone

Published October 1, 2024 at 7:11 AM

PATERSON, NJ - The Paterson Public Schools District has once again partnered with the Alliance for Therapy Dogs (ATD) to expand the use of therapy dogs in district schools during the 2024-2025 school year. This initiative, aimed at supporting students dealing with grief, loss, and separation, will now include Public School 2, Public School 13, Roberto Clemente, and Dr. Hani Awadallah School.

Building on the success of a similar program implemented at Public School 21 in 2023, the presence of therapy dogs has proven to have a positive impact on students' emotional well-being. Documented benefits of interacting with therapy dogs include reduced stress, improved physical and emotional well-being, decreased anxiety, and enhanced self-esteem.

The Alliance for Therapy Dogs will work closely with school officials to ensure compliance with district standards and procedures. The organization will provide insurance certificates naming the district as an additional insured, with liability coverage of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and a $3,000,000 annual aggregate limit. To accommodate students who may be allergic to or fearful of dogs, participating schools will inform parents and make necessary arrangements.

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This partnership, which comes at no cost to the district, offers students a valuable resource for coping with emotional challenges, fostering a supportive and nurturing learning environment.

The district will monitor the program’s effectiveness by tracking the number of schools with Grief Sensitivity Training, the placement of therapy dogs, the number of participating students, the frequency of visits, and feedback from both students and staff. Regular check-ins with therapy dog volunteers will help ensure the program remains effective and adaptable.

Plans for future expansion are contingent on the availability of volunteers. With over 50 schools in the district, the goal is to continue expanding the program to more schools each year. The district will also provide professional development for staff and additional resources to support students dealing with various forms of grief.

Concerns from parents regarding the presence of therapy dogs are addressed through communication with the school community. Parents are informed prior to the therapy dog visits and can opt-out if they prefer their child not participate. The therapy dogs are hypoallergenic, well-trained, and always under the supervision of a volunteer during visits. Parents are encouraged to reach out to school principals or the program coordinator with any questions.

PATERSON — A popular event venue just steps from a national park has been shut down due to bankruptcy, leaving clients with weddings planned as soon as this weekend in the lurch.

Art Factory Studios, which is part of Great Falls Industrial Park, first filed for bankruptcy in August, Paterson Press previously reported, citing court records.

A bankruptcy judge has now ordered owner David Garsia to pay roughly $10 million to his lender, 100 Mile REIT Inc., which is headed by investor Billy Procida.​

All events were canceled as of Tuesday evening, Garsia said in a digital message sent around to clients.

Those who already made thousands in payments were told to seek reimbursement through federal bankruptcy court, Paterson Press reported.

Photographer Lori Patrick, one of the last artistic tenants of the Art Factory, took the bleak news to her livestream on Instagram and Facebook.

“The rest of the story. It’s over. The Art Factory is done. I’m wishing all of the other members, wedding families, employees and beyond my best wishes. This will be a really tough recovery,” Patrick captioned her Tuesday update.

Garsia’s wife, Donata Garsia, has been the main contact for those who booked weddings at Art Factory.

She has posted letters and updates to the venue’s Instagram page, naming Procida as the main reason it was forced to close.

However, Procida tells Paterson Press that the matter is in the court's hands and that he has no control over access to the venue.

“I feel bad for them, this is something he shouldn’t do to people,” Procida said in the same report, of clients who paid for weddings and other events now scrambling for new venues.

Another professional photographer stopped doing business at Art Factory nearly a year ago.

His last three weddings at the venue were riddled with staffing issues and added layers of stress to the couples' big days, Chris Sztybel said to New Jersey 101.5 on Wednesday.

In a series of Tiktok videos, Sztybel has weighed in on how clients' hard-earned money has seemed to just disappear, even helping facilitate those considering a class action lawsuit.

@thatwerks I am genuinely curious and concerned where this money is. It’s not even my money. It’s life savings, mortgages, college funds for kids, retirement. WHERE IS THAT MONEY IF IT DIDN’T GO THE CITY OR THE LENDER?! #artfactory #theartfactory #scam #patersonnewjersey #njweddingphotographer #money #fraud @news12nj @News12AssignmentDesk @Art Factory Studios @TheArtFactory @ABC News @CBSEveningNews @CBS Mornings @CBS New York ♬ original sound - thatwerksphotography

@thatwerks I feel bad for those who didn’t get out in time. The Art Factory in Paterson, NJ is gross beyojd words for what they’ve done and continue to not take responsibility for. Shameful. @RothweilerEventDesign @ABC News @news12nj @pbsnews @News 12 @News12AssignmentDesk @TheArtFactory ♬ Moneytalks - AC/DC

Sztybel said that with the venue's artistic aesthetic, he got some of his best work done at the venue — adding "nobody wants to see it go down the tubes."

Art Factory had years of financial struggle

In 2017, well before the COVID pandemic, the Art Factory Studios had an outstanding balance of nearly a million dollars in unpaid property taxes, Paterson Times previously reported.

Reviews on Yelp have also shown a mixed response to the venue's management, since before the bankruptcy filing.

Many who booked events were very happy with the space itself — while communication and day-of logistics were often lacking, according to clients who had weddings and parties there.

Messages left for the Art Factory owners, Prosida and the Paterson Mayor's Office were not immediately answered on Wednesday afternoon.

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By Gabriella Dragone

Published September 29, 2024 at 7:47 AM

PATERSON, NJ - Paterson schools are set to enhance the availability of feminine products in their bathrooms for the 2024-2025 school year through a partnership with the New Jersey Start Cooperative, known as the "Lead Agency."

This initiative is a response to the newly enacted law which mandates that schools provide free menstrual products in at least 50% of bathrooms for students in grades six through twelve.

The cooperative pricing agreement with W.W. Granger Industrial, facilitated through NJ Start, will cover these costs, with an annual budget of up to $400,000. This initiative aims to address the issue of period poverty, which significantly impacts students' education. A 2019 survey conducted by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) revealed that 1 in 5 U.S. students have missed school due to a lack of access to menstrual products. This statistic highlights the critical need for policies that ensure menstrual products are readily available in school bathrooms, thereby preventing educational disruptions and supporting overall student well-being.

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To comply with this legislation and qualify for direct reimbursement from the State of New Jersey, the district will expedite the installation of sanitary dispensers and the supply of feminine products. The district has contracted with a professional installer to ensure that the installation of these dispensers meets the requirements of the new law in all applicable schools.

Prior to this initiative, Raquel Amador, a chronic absentee specialist at John F. Kennedy High School, took it upon herself to support the hygeine needs of female students.

She noticed that female students without access to feminine hygiene products often refrained from attending class during their periods. To address this, Amador began keeping a supply of these essential items in her office. As word spread among the students, she expanded her offerings to include other personal hygiene products, leading to the creation of “The She Spot.” This initiative has become a partner with the Confidence Closets, a joint venture between Paterson Public Schools and the Serve Our Schools' coalition of Paterson churches, benefiting from donations made to their initiative.

"The She Spot has made it so that the students can just come and get what they need; they don't need to ask me anything," Amador explained in 2022 when she was recognized by Paterson Public Schools. "They say hi and bye, and they know that all I'm asking is for them to keep coming to school. If there is something that I don't have, they tell me about it, and I try my hardest to get it. This isn't just for me; I'm a female, I'm a mom of two females, I'm an aunt, so this is something that takes away the shame and stigma."

The She Spot also offers sweatpants, leggings, and deodorants for students in need and is open to everyone at John F. Kennedy High School.

This initiative is essential not only for female students but also for the district as a whole, as it demonstrates a commitment to addressing health equity and promoting a supportive learning environment, officials said. By ensuring access to menstrual products, the district aims to empower students, prevent educational disruptions, and foster a culture of inclusivity and care within Paterson schools.

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When her fiance’s father became terminally ill in 2022, Jackie Schaffner called the The Art Factory in Paterson to postpone her wedding. She said the owner assured her there would be no problem rescheduling the date to summer.

“But once I started to ask for a new date, he became very difficult to work with,” Schaffner told NJ Advance Media on Wednesday.

Schaffner said she was forced to hire a lawyer who wrote The Art Factory a demand letter. She also contacted a consumer affairs bureau, whose members she said convinced the owner to give Schaffner a new date, which he did.

But Schaffner still isn’t married. The Art Factory no longer returns her calls. She says she’s out $10,000.

Schaffner is one of dozens of worried brides-to-be who have taken to social media in recent days to say they’ve left a deposit or paid for a wedding at The Art Studio and say their plans are now in limbo.

The Art Factory fell behind in its $12.5 million mortgage in November 2023, court records show.

When that happened, the mortgage company won a judgment for nearly $11 million against Great Falls Industrial Park, which owns The Art Factory.

The Art Factory is a complex of industrial buildings on Spruce Street with some structures serving as studios for artists and others converted into banquet rooms.

The judgment apparently prompted wedding venue’s owner, David Garsia, to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month. Court records show the business has assets of $100,000 against liabilities in excess of $10 million.

Garsia and his attorney did not return several calls seeking comment on Wednesday.

After filing for bankruptcy, Garsia messaged couples who had booked upcoming weddings and told them the federal bankruptcy court had directed his company to stop hosting weddings.

“Accordingly, we regret to inform you that effective immediately, the company will host no further events,” Garsia wrote in a social media message shared with NJ Advance Media.

“Until further notice, the company is unable to admit any customers or guests onto the premises,” the message said.

The Art Factory has not only been accused of mishandling upcoming weddings, but at least one vendor sued The Art Factory and obtained a $14,000 judgment for failure to pay for services rendered. The vendor, who asked not to be named, said the owners have not paid any of the money owed for his workers setting up events.

One bride-to-be told NJ Advance Media in an email on Wednesday that she gave The Art Factory $24,000 to pay for her Oct. 25, 2025, wedding in full.

She said the business within the past two weeks also tried to charge her in full for 19 hotel rooms that are still under construction on The Art Factory’s property.

“I was shocked when David mentioned another couple might be booking these for our date, which then prompted him to send me a payment link to hold them for an additional $10,000 – an insane price to pay for accommodations 13 months from now,” the woman said in an email.

The woman decided not to pay for the hotel rooms after hearing about the bankruptcy and event cancellations.

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Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.