HUDSON COUNTY -- With hopes to renew the strength of the Hudson County Democratic Organization -- the longtime powerful political organization in the county that in the past was seen as the county "machine" -- a meeting was convened of local mayors Wednesday night near the Union City/Weehawken border.

Bayonne Mark Smith – who is also chairman of the HCDO – held the meeting at the Park Avenue Grill. According to a source, this was first of a series of meetings designed to begin a dialogue among mayors and reduce tensions that have existed in the past.

“Nobody else was there just mayors,” said a source close to Smith.

A source said that all 12 Hudson County mayors showed up for the meeting, but no one else was allowed to attend, not even aides.