PARSIPPANY — Mayor James Barberio in a March 19, 2017 statement on his personal blog* “CAHILL/FOCUS WRONG AGAIN! MAYOR BARBERIO DID NOT VIOLATE SALARY ORDINANCE!” His answer on the blog is clearly a “Smoke Screen.”
He claims the use of misinformation doesn’t suddenly make it true either. The facts are in black-and-white. The facts are the facts. You decide.
An ordinance is a law or regulation made by a city or town government.
During numerous Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests, Parsippany Focus requested the following documents:
- Eugene Natoli Request for Personnel Action (click here for complete document)
- Ramona (Jackie) Ortiz Request for Personnel Action (click here for complete document)
- White Collar Salary Ordinance (click here for complete document)
Eugene Natoli
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. (For complete story, click here)
Ramona (Jackie) Ortiz
According to documents revealed through an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request Ramona (Jackie) Ortiz was hired effective December 5, 2016 as a Keyboarding Clerk I, at an annual salary of $54,000. 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. She was hired at $6,000 more than the maximum amount allowed by Township Ordinance. It is evident that Mayor Barberio hired Ms. Ortiz in clear violation of the law. (For complete story, click here).
Of course, Mr. Barberio states “The salary cap ordinance is a function of two factors, the first being civil service title requirements, raises and the like; and the second being the budget.” Mr. Barberio is correct. The employees were hired using Ordinance 2016:22. There is no 2017 Ordinance in effect. The employees should have been hired using the 2016:22 Ordinance. They were hired in 2016.
Barberio breaks Township Ordinances
Elected to Enforce
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. In 2014 Parsippany Focus reported Business Administrator Ellen Sandman was hired $15,000 over the maximum salary guideline. When 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 blog indicates it is “Paid for by the Friends of Jamie Barberio, P.O. Box 29, Lake Hiawatha, NJ 07034” which is also his political fundraising organization.
