HOBOKEN - The Hoboken City Council has a new vice president.

After Councilman Michael Russo stepped down as the vice president of the City Council at the beginning of Wednesday night's meeting, Councilman Tim Occhipinti, the 4th Ward councilman, was elected the new vice president by a 7-2 vote of his peers.

Councilwoman Carol Marsh first nominated Councilman David Mello for the position, but that nomination failed by a 5-4 vote.

The council held a budget hearing on Wednesday night, but did not vote on the city's $101 million budget. The budget workshops are not complete yet, and the vote on the budget will come at a later council meeting.

Also at the meeting, Russo gave a speech saying that the comments he made during his lunch with an FBI informant two years ago were wrong and evidence of youthful boasting. He also said he had embarrassed his wife and new daughter with his actions, and that he had said things that were hurtful to people he cared about. But he remained on the council. He said that his actions should not be used by political adversaries seeking to grab "a pound of flesh."

For more keep watching HudsonReporter.com and pick up a copy of the Hoboken Reporter this weekend.