PARSIPPANY — As reported in Parsippany Focus, on January 9, 2017, Retired Police Sergeant Eugene Natoli was hired by Parsippany-Troy Hills Township on December 19, 2016 at an annual salary of $50,000. The “Request for Personnel Action” report indicates he works in the “Administration Department” as a “Keyboarding Clerk 1.” The position is a full time, permanent position.
The salary ordinance for white-collar workers, specifically Keyboarding Clerk 1, Ordinance 2016:22, passed on second reading on August 16, 2016 states the salary is a minimum of $17,000 with a maximum of $48,000. He was hired at $2,000 more than the maximum amount allowed by Township Ordinance. It is evident that Mayor Barberio hired Mr. Natoli in clear violation of the law.
State Statute, 40:69A-40 states the duties of the Mayor shall enforce the charter and ordinances of the municipality and all general laws applicable thereto.
This is not the first time Mayor James Barberio violated the white collar salary ordinance.
In the past, Business Administrator Ellen Sandman was hired in 2014, with $15,000 over the maximum salary guideline. Mayor Barberio announced the hiring of Sandman, he revealed Sandman’s salary would be $140,000. Former Councilman Jonathan Nelson asked the Mayor in Public Session, “I don’t have the white collar salary ordinance in front of me but I believe this amount is over the salary cap,” The former CFO Joe Kovalcik stated that her pay was within the salary ordinance. Parsippany Focus filed an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request for the salary ordinance for white-collar workers at that time.
The salary ordinance indicated the white-collar workers, specifically Business Administrator, Ordinance 2013:16, passed on June 13, 2013 states the salary was a minimum of $75,000 with a maximum of $125,000. She was hired at $15,000 more than the Ordinance allowed. It is evident that Mayor Barberio hired the new Business Administrator in clear violation of the law. (Click here to read article)
Shortly after Parsippany Focus published the story, the Mayor introduced Ordinance 2014:15 to the Council requesting a change in the salary ordinance for two positions. The Chief Financial Officer’s pay maximum was increased to $150,000 and the Business Administrator’s maximum pay was increased to $150,000. This ordinance was read on first reading, and voted 5-0. The second reading and final passage of the ordinance was read and voted 4-1 on Tuesday, June 17, 2014. Council Vice President Robert Peluso voted against the salary change. That salary change was retroactive to January 1, 2014.
Parsippany Focus asked Mayor James Barberio for comment, but he hasn’t responded to our request. (Click here to read email request). There were issues sending the email to Mr. Barberio so we sent an email using the email system on parsippany.net. It seems that Parsippany Focus is blocked from sending emails to the Township.
