Following an article published in the Star-Ledger last week, N.J. county leaders to ask Gov. Chris Christie for state takeover of prosecutors’ offices, the Union County Watchdog Association has sent the following letter of support to the Governor, all county Executives & Prosecutors.

Re: Support placing county prosecutors under the attorney general’s direct control

Dear Governor Christie:

The UCWA is a nonpartisan nonprofit 501(c)3 organization working on behalf of the residents and taxpayers of Union County monitoring the activity of county government and advocating change to eliminate waste, corruption and incompetence.

In 2010 budget studies were undertaken to better understand the machinations of Union County government.  We released two separate reports, one was on personnel. We studied each county department in detail and I would like to share with you our findings on the Union County Prosecutor’s office and offer a citizen’s view on a state take over of this office.

Any state takeover of a county operation should be undertaken with a strict spending cap in place. In 1995 the state took over the operations of the Union County Courts and $17.2 million dollars was absorbed by the state, however this did not result in a tax decrease for Union County taxpayers, the savings were quickly absorbed into the county budget and were spent elsewhere.

Our complete report on the Union County Payroll can be found at http://unioncountywatchdog.org/page.asp?ID=2047

Our recommendations for the Prosecutor’s office:
The state should take over the prosecutor’s office and it should be placed under the office of the Attorney General
Many of the tasks performed by county prosecutors could be shared and centralized
Public can’t oversee this department because it does not have access to expenditure’s due to security concerns.
Justice can’t be blind when local politics have sway over the Prosecutor’s budget.

Excerpt: Union County 2010 Budget Review
Section P - Prosecutor
 
What they do
The county’s chief law enforcement officer who sets policy and direction for law enforcement.  Assisted by investigators, assistant prosecutors and support staff. Operates Major Crimes, Domestic Violence, Megan’s Law, Sex Crimes/Child Abuse, Juvenile/Missing Persons, Special Enforcement, Victim Services, Trial Teams, and Fraud/Confidential units and more.  Visit   www.ucnj.org/prosecutor/webphone.html for a complete overview.  Note that public corruption is not covered.

What they cost           
Salaries 2010: $19,138,452 / Overtime 2010: $500,000

258 employees – most have county vehicles with more than one car assigned for every 2 employees.
139 total vehicles assigned, these vehicles are often purchased through confidential resolutions citing security reasons. The assignment list is also not available to the public for security purposes.
Expensive to house, the Routolo Building was built for this department and it is currently undergoing an expansion and renovations.
Own parking for all their vehicles.

Highly paid work force with 21 different bargaining units and non-contractual employees.

59 make over $100,000 ($7,294,947 collectively)
45 make over $90,000 ($4,273,988 collectively)
17 make over $80,000 ($1,449,264 collectively)
16 make over $70,000 ($1,199,612 collectively
22 make over $60,000 ($1,424,551 collectively)
21 make over $50,000 ($1,160,104 collectively)
48 make over $40,000 ($2,226,633 collectively)
20 make more than $30,000 ($697,680 collectively)
1 makes $27,220
8 are seasonal ($3,322 collectively)

The courts have recently mandated that attorneys need to take 12 credits of continuing education per year. This will affect 57 attorneys in the prosecutor’s office starting in 2010.

It was revealed during the 2010 Budget Hearings that the Prosecutor’s office has a detective dealing with the server, when the county maintains an extensive IT staff and outside consultants.

In addition to the Prosecutor’s payroll towns have to allocate officers to work on Prosecutor’s Homicide, Auto and Narcotics Task Forces.

Recommendations
The state should take over the prosecutor’s office and it should be placed under the office of the Attorney General:

Many of the tasks performed by county prosecutors could be shared and centralized

Public can’t oversee this department because it does not have access to expenditure’s due to security concerns.

Justice can’t be blind when local politics have sway over the Prosecutor’s budget.

Problems and Concerns
Many of the Prosecutor’s expenditures are hidden from public view for security purposes. Therefore, the public can not hold this department accountable.
 
Another glaring problem which is a detriment to society is the fact that prosecutors are appointed by the governor for 5 year terms by recommendation of whichever power-brokers control the county. Under this system it can’t be expected to keep politics out of decisions of who to prosecute and who to turn a blind eye to.  Too often county prosecutor’s offices are used as political weapons.

Governmental corruption is a rampant, pervasive problem in the state of New Jersey and is destroying our quality of life. The F.B.I. is the only law enforcement agency that has shown any success in combating corruption, but it is a drop in the ocean. In order to restore justice and public faith in government law enforcement needs to be free from political influence. That could never occur at the local level of government.
 
With all the waste, abuse and questionable positions highlighted in this report, it should be noted that the Freeholders and the County Manager George Devanney, who is the nephew of State Senator Raymond Lesniak, asked extensive questions during the 2010 budget hearings when the Prosecutor asked for two new civilian positions ($40,000 salary range) to free up experts’ time to tackle the backlogs in DNA testing and a data programmer.  Both of these positions would help alleviate overtime.  County hierarchy including Devanney who had just recently created two questionable positions for employees that used to work for his wife in Berkeley Heights questioned $80,000 for these essential positions while patronage, and even no/low-show jobs, run rampant throughout county government costing millions that could be allocated for essential services.  The prosecutor did not mention a word about any of it which is a perfect example of how politics control a county prosecutor and why it is in the best interests of the public for the state to take over the prosecutor’s office. A true professional in his position would prefer to work in a more professional environment answerable to his peers.

The Finance Committee Chairman this year was freeholder Alexander Mirabella whose brother, a former officer with the Garwood PD, escaped prosecution in 2009 even though he was caught on videotape tampering with and destroying public property.  The reason the county Prosecutor’s office did not choose to investigate this incident might be excused away however it is too much of a coincidence that Open Public Records Act requests placed to the prosecutor’s office for documents pertaining to this incident were returned “no documents to provide” thereby giving the appearance that nothing ever occurred, and shortly thereafter two letters signed by this office turned up in Garwood’s files.

Extensive county resources were used to investigate an alleged crime involving the stalking of Assemblyman/Undersheriff/former State Democratic Committee Chairman Joe Cryan.  A former Assistant Attorney General, Debra Stone, who has been a county prosecutor and overseen prosecutor’s offices from Trenton, said in a Star-Ledger article in May 2006 that the time and manpower expended on the Golding investigation appear disproportionate to the charge of fourth-degree stalking.  “The whole case is not normal. It sounds like it was certainly not a run-of-the-mill stalking case in terms of the investigation. It’s highly unusual,” Stone said. She said the number of investigators following Golding that day was “more similar to something we would use on a homicide investigation.”

Questionable practices are ongoing. It has been two months since a judge ordered that the computers seized by the prosecutor’s office in this case be returned to Golding, and the county has not complied.  Judge Maenza, recently assigned to this case, was reported in a Star-Ledger article recently to have said the criminal case, which began in and stayed in Union County for some time before being transferred to Morris County, should not have been handled in Union County because of a conflict of interest.

Justice can not be blind when the chief law enforcement officer of the county is answerable to politicians. A prosecutor can’t be expected to step on the toes of the hierarchy that controls his budget. And for security reasons, the door is tightly closed against the rays of sunshine necessary to hold government accountable as the public can only get outside glimpses of what goes on.  Therefore it is common sense that county prosecutors should report directly to, and be the responsibility of, the State’s Attorney General’s Office. 

cc:
Paul Dow, Attorney General
Hester H. Agudosi, Division of Criminal Justice
New Jersey County Executives
New Jersey County Prosecutors

Plainfield Today reported today:
Sergeant who filed report on Hellwig demoted, suspended. Time for Christie to intervene.

The Star-Ledger published an article the other day about the Children’s Museum of Central New Jersey (CMCNJ) locating in Newark. It left out its history and Union County’s taxpayer funding – to the tune of $377,499 through the Open Space Trust Fund.

Previously published: Taxpayers are out another $377,499
By Tina Renna | June 17, 2008

Although an agreement to establish a children’s museum in Union County was entered into with much fanfare in 2003, recently the county very quietly terminated their agreement with the Children’s Museum of Central New Jersey (CMCNJ) after blowing through $377,499.

Of what was to be a $1,00,000 grant the CMCNJ had received an initial payment of $500,000 for seed money to better their fund raising capabilities. They spent $377,499 during the period of August 2003 through March 2007 on efforts to locate the museum in Union County with $181,052 spent to locate the museum at a Liberty Hall Museum site. The balance of the money $196,4456 was spent trying to locate the museum elsewhere in Union County. The CMCNJ has returned the unspent $122,501 of the $500,000 grant money.

The county and the CMCNJ have agreed that the Children’s Museum will return approximately $200,000 under terms and conditions that might as well state “When Pigs Fly”. The $377,499 is gone for good.

Although the county wasn’t recognized for blowing through $377,499 tax dollars, with little to no accountability, the termimation agreement incredulously states that if the CMCNJ “continues as an ongoing entity and should it succeed in locating and operating a children’s museum anywhere else in New Jersey, the CMCNJ has agreed to recognize the Union County Freeholders as a founding donor and to undertake appropriate commemorative and programming recognition for the county’s contribution.”

All the freeholders contributed was the tax payer’s money. Their is no evidence that they, or any employee of the county was overseeing the CMCNJ’s efforts.

An Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request seeking all correspondence, including but not limited to reports, letters and emails for the period of January 2001 to present between the CMCNJ and any member of the Union County freeholder board, county manager, and Open Space Trust Fund administrators was returned NO DOCUMENTS TO PROVIDE.

According to the minutes of the monthly museum trustee meetings, no freeholder, nor the county manager ever attended a meeting. The meeting minutes show a one-time visit from the Open Space Trust Fund Administrator on January 23, 2006. The responsible parties for this $377,499 loss of tax dollars is the county manager George Devanney, his wife the former Open Space Trust Fund Administrator Angie Devanney, current administrator Victoria Drake Durbin and all nine Freeholders especially the ones that were named as trustees to the CMCNJ, namely freeholders Debora Scanlon, Alexander Mirabella, Angel Estrada and Daniel Sullivan.

History:

The county freeholders unanimously passed Resolution #650-03 on June 19, 2003. The reso authorized the county manager, George Devanney, to enter into an agreement with the Children’s Museum of Central NJ (CMCNJ) of Westfield, NJ, to provide grant funding in the amount of $1,000,000, from the Union County Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund. At the time the county manager’s wife, Angie Devanney, was the administrator of the trust fund. This was for preliminary support toward the development of a Children’s Museum. This $1,000,000 was seed money. In 2003, the project was projected to cost $12 million to complete.

Meeting minutes obtained through the OPRA shows the CMCNJ board of trustees met 9 times in 2004; 5 times in 2005 and 1 time in 2006. The minutes show that appeals were made to trustees to contribute to the cause. Excerpt from minutes: Only 9 trustees have made gifts this fiscal year…It is a requirement of the Trusteeship to contribute financially according to one’s ability to do so. If you haven’t contributed yet, please do so before the end of the fiscal year, June 30. It is very bad form to ask others to make contributions when our own Board does not do so…..

In a Worrall Community Newspaper article dated August 7, 2003 then editor Mark Hyrbna quoted Freeholder Mirabella, who was chairman of the trust fund committee, at the time said the county’s contribution will help the organization get started with serious fund-raising. “It’s not a concern because I don’t think they’ve rally started fund-raising,” Mirabella said of the group’s fund-raising to date. “I don’t think they got outta the blocks yet.” This is a group that has a good vision, it knows what it wants to do.”

At the time documents filed with the state, the CMCNJ had raised $17,615, with all but $4,000 in “direct public support,” while spending $11,958.80 for “management and general expenses, leaving a balance of $5,656.10. The CMCNJ was aiming to raise between $10 million and $12 million for the project, with an expected timeline of three to five years before a facility would be in operation.

“They seemed to have some pretty good ideas of where they’re getting money from,” Freeholder Mary Ruotolo, who was chairman of the Open Space Trust Fund Committee in 2002 said. “It’s much easier to fund-raise when you have seed money; then fund-raising becomes a better sell.” “It’s certainly not our intention to pay for the construction of a museum” Ruotolo said.

In a Worrall Community Newspaper article dated May 20, 2004, it was explained that representatives of the children’s museum report to the county on a quarterly basis. They must provide reports of what they spent so the county can see if the m money is being spent in a way that is consistent with the Open Space Trust fund. “If they haven’t totally pent the $250,000 yet, they’re not permitted to come back to us for the next round of funding,” said Open Space Trust Fund Administrator and wife of county manager Angie Devanney.

By early 2007 the CMCNJ exhausted its efforts to find a suitable location for the museum in Union County, event though its board and stakeholders remained committed to locating the museum somewhere in central or northern New Jersey. The CMCNJ notified the freeholders that it would discontinue its efforts to site the museum in Union County and provided the freeholders with an accounting of grant funds.

Design & Feasibility $358,599
Accounting Services $12,650
Legal Services $6,250
Total: $377,499 – not to be reimbursed to taxpayers

$196,466 was spent trying to locate the museum elsewhere in Union County. The CMCNJ has agreed to return the money under conditions that seem to be impossible. But rest assured if they do successfully open a museum our trusty freeholders will be on hand for a photo op. I don’t expect any public comment until the pigs fly.

CMCNJ By Laws

Worrall Article 2003

Worrall Article 2005

Memo of Understanding

CMCNJ Termination of Memo of Understanding

CMCNJ Trustee and Committee names

CMCNJ 2004 Minutes

CMCNJ 2005 Minutes

CMCNJ 2006 Minutes

While employees still haven’t been officially notified of their eminent layoffs, and others that have been notified must be wondering what pot they’ll have left to piss in the county had a meeting where about 20 employees and consultants gathered to finalize plans to move the county manager’s next birthday party – Musicfest 2009 - to Oak Ridge Golf Course.

While our tax bills will be going up and employees, not connected to the machine will be losing their jobs, the county’s only concern is moving their VIP tents with their $30,000 catering bills with no worries about still having their deluxe port a potty’s to piss in.

Who votes for these people ?!?!?

Party on…..VIEW

Pink Slip

Dear employees on this list, I take no glee in informing you that you are targeted for layoff. I believe you haven’t been officially notified yet, your only warning has been word of mouth.

In a memo dated March 5, 2009 to the state’s Division of Local Human Resource Management, appointed Union County Manager, George Devanney informs the state that the county intends to issue eight-four layoffs (although he uses the number 83 in parenthesis). This brings up the question yet again, is being Senator Raymond Lesniak’s nephew enough to qualify you for the position of county manager?

At a glance it appears that the entire Department of Golf Operations is on the list which would point to impending privatization of the golf courses. George Devanney’s personal trainer is not on the list. Armando Sanchez was hired in 2008 and replaced 46 year employee William Gallman, Jr. who was earning $98,965 at the time of his retirement. Sanchez was hired with a starting salary of $110,000 a $11,035 salary increase for the same job – at the time. Now Sanchez will have a lot less to do.

Senator Nick Scutari’s father is on the layoff list but sources inside the county allege that he was transferred just 2 days ago to the Building Services department which would put him in a position to bump someone lower than him. George Devanney is on Scutari’s legislative staff and earns another $6,000 for this appointment.

It was announced previously that the entire Department of Engineering will be eliminated however, freeholder Sulllivan’s daughter managed to be transferred out of this department and will not be affected.

Star-Ledger reporter Gabriel Gluck retired from the paper and was put on the county payroll during a hiring freeze on 1/10/09. No one knows when the freeze went into effect, including the county, even though it was announced with much fanfare in 2006 it was obviously a PR gimmick.

No one in the extensive office of Public Information is on the list, even though most counties do without this service. Even Gov. Corzine cut back the states press corps when he first took office. The county needs this office to manipulate and intimidate the media and churn out fluff press releases to cover up their incompetence, waste, mismanagement and especially their corruption.

Gabe Gluck’s wife Joyce Marinelli is on the layoff list. Gluck’s beat included the county, he was charged with covering the railroad reactivation, what could arguably be called the most important public safety issue of the decade. The freeholders and Devanney lied to the public about the reactivation, yet Gluck who was charged with being a government watchdog managed to cover this story and stay in the county’s good graces to go on to become the county manager’s ‘Confidential Assistant” with a starting salary of $91,856. This title is bogus and has no salary range. Any political hack with any background can walk into this position.

There are no layoffs planned at the patronage pit which is Runnells Hospital even though it bleeds money annually. Some people on the payroll there include:

The county manager’s mother in law
The deputy county manager’s nephew
Senator Scutari’s uncle
An array of elected municipal officials

The county payroll has gone up exponentially over the years even though the number of employees has stayed about the same. What has happened since Devanney forced his way on board by having 2 part-time positions created for him is the payroll has become more top heavy. Getting away with rampant patronage wasn’t enough, these hacks wanted promotions and salary increases. There are many examples of the institutional nepotism which has plundered the county payroll and is now pushing the hard working employees out of jobs, and imperiled their pensions.

Remaining employees can take action. The F.B.I. needs you to contact them. You have access to information, you are present during these back-door meetings and can wire up, you can document and record the favors to contractors and the quid pro-quos that can put them in prison.

Not one of you is safe. At election time the county finds ways to warn employees of the impending doom should the Union County Democratic Committee slate not be reelected. If the county was run in a professional above board manner the only cloud facing employees today would be over the connected heads. The hard working, honest employees who are qualified for their jobs would have nothing to face but another hard day of honest work in what was meant to be public service.

You can’t be anonomous. You will have to fully cooperate in order to have any impact. I don’t recommend you call the State A.G. it is apparent that politics are still running the show there.

If you suspect criminal activity in Union County Government contact:
U.S. Attorney General’s Office (973) 645-2700
________________________________________
If you are aware of waste or mismanagement contact: State Comptroller 1-866-547-1121, or send an email to comptrollertips@osc.state.nj.us.

If you are aware of waste or mismanagement at any level of New Jersey government, the State Comptroller wants to hear from you. Please call their toll-free hotline, 1-866-547-1121, or send an email to comptrollertips@osc.state.nj.us. All communication will remain confidential.