PARSIPPANY — For some, the word Aurora may evoke the Roman goddess of dawn. For others fortunate enough to visit the far northern or southern latitudes, Auroras can be seen as beautiful forms of different colored lights in the upper atmosphere. But for the residents of Parsippany, New Jersey, Aurora Information Security and Risk, or simply Aurora, is known as the computer firm which billed the Township upwards of $700,000 for imaging the hard disk drive of one police officer’s computer.
This past February, Township attorney John Inglesino told Council members at a public meeting that although Aurora had “north of $700,000 in charges to the Township, they [Aurora] were told don’t even bother to send in the bills”. The Township’s Business Administrator, Ellen Sandman went on to credit Inglesino’s firm for negotiating Aurora’s bill down to approximately $267,000 and implied that once a 12 month payment plan was completed, in addition to a $150,000 down payment which was already made, Aurora would be paid in full.
On August 28, 2015 Parsippany paid it’s ninth installment payment of $5,833.33 to Mr. Inglesino’s firm which was earmarked for Aurora. But the charges haven’t ended there. In July 2015, Mr. Inglesino’s firm billed the Township an additional $3600 for Aurora’s services and last month his firm charged an additional $4058. These amounts are over and above the amounts agreed upon and told to Council members and the public.
At that same February meeting, Mr. Inglesino publicly stated that there was “an accord of satisfaction letter that’s been signed by Aurora in which they release the town from any additional monies over and above the 220 [$220,000] that’s been negotiated.”
“I believe that has been distributed,” countered Sandman.
Parsippany Focus recently filed an OPRA requesting the “accord of satisfaction” letter referenced by Inglesino and Sandman. When Parsippany Focus sought clarification on why it had still not received the request back by its due date September 18, Township officials responded that “this will be addressed /resolved at tomorrow’s council meeting.”
This evening’s Council meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. and is open to the public.
For more stories about Aurora click here, here, and here.
