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More than 120 people were present at Wednesday night's Hoboken Housing Authority meeting to witness an emotionally charged session that ended with a physical confrontation between City Councilman Chris Campos and a security guard.

Campos became frustrated when the board declined to make their first priority a discussion of the contract renewal of the agency's executive director. Many of the audience members wanted that issue discussed first because they do not want Executive Director E. Troy Washington to get a new contract.

Washington oversees the 1,353 federally subsidized low-income housing units in the southwest corner of town. Some tenants of those projects believe that Washington has not been doing a good job of running the agency. Others feel that the criticism of Washington is political.

Washington has been without a contract for several months because the HHA board has not met since March. At the last six scheduled meetings, not enough commissioners showed up to vote. The board is made up of seven volunteer members. Five are chosen by a vote of the city council, one is a mayor's selection, and one is the governor's appointment.

Wednesday night's standing-room crowd was rowdy, loud and unruly, and most were there to comment on the fate of Washington. All personnel matters by the HHA board have to be done in closed session, but the public was given an opportunity to speak before the board went into closed session.

However, the board decided to try to conduct its normal business before getting to the public speaking portion of the meeting. But as they attempted to discuss the agency's budget and legal and paint contracts, the crowd broke out chanting, "Troy must go! Troy must go!"

The cheering was led and encouraged by councilman Chris Campos, along with Councilman Ruben Ramos and the city's human services director, Carmelo Garcia.

Several times, the crowd got so loud that Acting Chairperson Jean Rodriguez threatened to clear the room unless the crowd quieted down.

Also several times, Campos took the public microphone and was adamant that the Washington issue should go first on the agenda. Campos declared that before the board conducted any other business, they should open the floor to the public.

"Do the people want to talk?" Campos yelled to the crowd, and again the chants of "Troy Must Go!" rang through the hall. "It's all about the people, and the people don't want to talk about this. They want to talk about Mr. Washington."

Again, the board threatened to go into closed session if the crowd would not behave, and again an animated Campos yelled out, "The people want to be heard."

Housing board member Nellie Moyeno, who is running against Campos in the November election for the 4th Ward, again tried to settle down the audience. "Let us go through some business," she said, "and then we will open up the floor."

After more chanting, the noise level of the crowd settled somewhat and allowed for the commissioners to go over their agenda.

After the agenda was completed, the board opened up the floor to the public.

Again, Campos was one of the first people to the microphone.

"I was born and raised in the Housing Authority, so this is personal," said Campos, whose residency in the 4th Ward is a major issue in the upcoming election. (Critics have charged that Campos never officially lived there, but Campos says he was reared there until attending college and law school recently.)

"How can you justify having a manicured lawn and flowers outside you office when the rest of the grounds are in such bad shape?" Campos thundered at Washington. "It's everything for yourself with nothing left over for the residents."

Washington did not respond to the personal attacks, but did answer the question.

"Those buildings are sitting in the middle of a major construction project," he said. "As soon as the roofs and windows are finished and the heavy equipment is moved out, we'll start with a new lawn job. If we put down grass now we would just have to tear it up again for construction, and you would be yelling at me that we would be wasting money."

Washington was unable to finish his response, because Campos cut in with another attack. "Then let's talk about cabinets!" he said. "Let's talk paint! The conditions are deplorable. Tell me about the internal conditions of the buildings, please tell me."

Washington responded that he believes that the conditions are better today than when he first started two years ago, and if any resident has a complaint or problem, there are proper channels that they can go through to get it fixed.

After chastising Washington, Campos' criticism turned to the board. "The commissioners should be held accountable," he said. "They should be held accountable to the residents, and not Mr. Washington. These [tenants] are begging for relief. I implore you to be accountable to these people in the community."

At this, the crowd erupted. Most were applauding Campos, and some were booing him.

Again, many of the people began to chant "Troy must go!"

The commissioners tried to respond, but the noise was too much.

"I would like to respond, I would like to respond," said Commissioner William Noonan over and over again. But the audience would not quiet down. After several more moments of ruckus, another resident of the Housing Authority picked up the microphone.

"It's not all about my apartment. It's personal now," said 32-year HHA resident Annie Forbes, holding off tears. Forbes has been in a legal battle over her lease and her inability to include her son on her lease. She has charged Washington with holding a personal vendetta against her. She said he is abusing his power by not allowing her son on the lease. "I don't care what you do to me anymore," she said. "You've already done so much."

Washington declined to discuss the specific case at the meeting.

After Forbes, Mary Johnson talked to the crowd. "When you first came here, I was so excited," said Johnson. "You're black like me, and yet you show no respect."

Washington is the HHA's first black executive director.

Another resident, Lillian Dortch, also accused Washington of abusing his power for personal reasons. "This vendetta against me is not right," she said. Dortch said that she was singled out after assisting friends who were having problems with Washington. Now, she said, Washington is being unfair as to who is allowed on her lease. "You go out and try to help out the people down here, and you get kicked in the ass," she said.

All adult tenants of the Housing Authority units are supposed to be listed on the leases. In the past, residents have complained that random relatives have moved into their neighbors' apartments without being on the lease, allowing those relatives to forgo mandatory criminal background checks. In some cases, residents of senior citizens buildings have complained that teenagers have moved in with grandparents, making the buildings less safe.

Washington did not respond to either Forbes or Dortch. Even if he'd wanted to, it would have been difficult over the crowd that was hurling insults at Washington.

After the public spoke, the board voted to go into closed session.

Campos again erupted and said it was illegal to go into closed session, and that they should vote on it in front of the people. However, it is illegal - personnel matters may be discussed in closed session, according to state law. Washington could waive his right to be discussed in a closed session, but chose not to.

The commissioners were rushed out of the main room to a side room for the closed session. Campos and dozens of members of the public followed them in a small mob until they got to the secured room with security guard at the door.

According to witness accounts, Campos was contending loudly that the board must meet in public and was attempting to break up the closed session meeting.

Duke Sims, the HHA's head of security, who had worked for a federal agency before coming to the Housing Authority, was guarding the room where the commissioners were discussing the fate of Washington. An upset Campos and Sims had a verbal confrontation, which gave way to a short physical encounter. No one was injured in the incident.

There are conflicting reports about who started the fracas, but by all reports, there were no punches thrown. The crowd quickly separated the two, but the feverish anger in the room remained.

Even as police arrived, the two were still arguing, and Sims made a lunge toward Campos, but was held back by the police officers.

Campos immediately left the building, and Ramos and Garcia among others settled the crowd. They told the crowd to go home, and most of public left the building.

A report of the incident was filed at the Hoboken Police Department. Both men agreed that there was an incident, but both agreed not to press charges at the time. By law, if either man wishes to press charges, he has 30 days.

In an interview Thursday, Campos said the incident was the culmination of all the frustration people feel at the HHA.

"Before I'm a councilman, I'm a human being," said Campos on the phone. "And what happens down here affect me deeply. These residents have been wronged, and their anger has reached the boiling point. Washington has to go, and that's the bottom line."

Campos' opponent in the November election, Moyeno, was highly critical of the councilman.

"I was appalled at how Mr. Campos was behaving," Moyeno said. "He is a bogus councilperson and demonstrated that he has no leadership skills, and the only thing he cares about is being elected. He was egging them on and was inciting a riot. The safety of everyone in the room was compromised."

Things settled down shortly after Campos and Sims left, and it became a waiting game to hear what the commissioners would say. They stayed in closed session for about 45 minutes. When they appeared again, they released a short statement that after much discussion, they had decided to table the issue of extending or renewing Washington's contract. It will be broached again at next month's meeting, when the two new commissioners would have more time to make an informed decision.

Therefore, Washington still does not have a long-term contract, and will continue to serve on a month-to-month basis until the board of commissioners meets again.

Shortly after the meeting, everyone remaining was quick to put their spin on what happened.

"I'm disappointed that certain people would use such an important meeting to grandstand politically," said Washington. "From here, we need to build without politics and move forward and address individual issues and make certain that individuals are treated fairly."

On the other side of the coin was Ramos, who saw what happed as a sign that Washington now more than ever must go. "Tonight is the accumulation of two years of frustration," said Ramos Wednesday. "They finally got up to the microphone to speak out against someone they have been afraid of for a long time. It shows solidarity. If they go into the future like they were tonight, I have no doubt that we can put the pressure on the commissioners to do the right thing, which is to fire [Washington]."

Apart from the fiasco with Washington Wednesday, it was the first time in months that the board had met, and that meant that there was a half of a year's worth of business catch up on. Highest on the list was the yearly budget for the HHA. The new fiscal year begins on Oct.1, and if they were without a budget by then, the HHA would face serious fines and penalties.

Despite reservations by Commissioner Noonan, the budget passed unanimously.

Also passing were the yearly donations to the Boys and Girls Club and several other local charities, some of which have been without their funding from the HHA for six months.

In another necessary move, new year-long legal and paint contracts passed.

Along with the budgetary items, the HHA board had its annual reorganization meeting as part of its regular business.

The board was deadlocked on the vote for chairperson. Commissioner Rodriguez and Commissioner Angel Alicea both received three votes, so by law the resolution was tabled until the next meeting. That means Acting Chairperson Rodriguez will remain in that role until there is another vote.

In a mild surprise, Commissioner Moyeno was voted vice-chair by a vote of four to three over new member Jessica Andreula.

At Wednesday's Hoboken Housing Authority meeting, all the commissioners but Lynda Walker showed up. Walker was in the hospital ill and was unable to attend. Joining the board for the first time were new members Jessica Andreula and William Noonan.

Andreula's appointment did not come without controversy. In a last minute addition to the Sept 5 City Council meeting, Andreula, the daughter of 3rd Ward Councilwoman Roseanne Andreula, had been appointed.

Andreula replaced local developer Frank Raia on the board. At the end of last year, Raia had been asked to step down by the state because the HHA administers Section 8 housing contracts for 14 tenants who live on property Raia owns in town. But to get around the conflict, the state agreed to administer Raia's Section 8 contracts instead. Yet, Raia is still not able to participate because he is still in possession of some of his Section 8 vouchers, so he has not showed up for a meeting since March.

Yet, Raia showed up at the meeting Wednesday and said, "I still recognize myself as a member of the Housing Authority. I didn't resign from my post, and have hired an attorney to discover why someone else is sitting in my seat."

Another contest to Andreula's legitimacy was made by former City Council President James Fitzsimmons. In a letter addressed to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fitzsimmons questioned whether Jessica can serve on the board while here mother is a councilwoman and they live under the same roof.

"As you know, the City Council enters into contractual agreements with the Housing Authority," Fitzsimmons wrote. "HUD regulations, I believe, prohibit the appointment of anyone living in the same household as a member of the City Council."

In a different but no less difficult position than Andreula is new Commissioner Noonan. Appointed only seven days earlier by the governor, Noonan was the most active member of the board and asked the most questions. But on several occasions he mentioned that he'd hardly had any time to prepare for the meeting.

"I really feel like I have been thrown into the fire here," said Noonan. "I see a lot of things I have questions about, but I just haven't had the time to research things properly."