Dear Editor:
Parsippany has a mayor–council system under the Faulkner Act. The MAYOR presides over Council. Exercises the executive power of municipality. Votes only to break ties. Has veto subject to override by 2/3 of all Council members. Appoints administration, attorney, tax collector, tax assessor, treasurer, and department heads with Council approval. May remove department heads upon written notice to Council.
In the recent past a council-vote was taken in which town attorney John Inglesino was voted not to continue as township attorney due to conflicts of interest with Councilman Paul Carifi and other matters concerning his association with corporate developers. At this time the council voted Inglesino out. Mayor Barberio then through his “executive privilege” informed the council after the vote, that Inglesino would be staying. The council then asked; why was a vote allowed in the first place?
How now can council members Valori, dePierro and Gragnani attempt to pass a similar resolution before the new executive takes office, at the same time disenfranchising a fellow council-member?
How can council president Valori have more power than the newly elected mayor or any mayor in that the power of appointment is the mayors alone; pending council approval? Valori is being the cart before the horse, most likely a tactic under the guiding light of Inglesino.
Mr. Inglesino tactics to stay in power under Barberio’s administration as our real mayor has disrupted our mayor-council system of governance; using public funds to stifle his rival through lawsuits paid for by Parsippany taxpayers. The real conflict of interest is Inglesino’s promotion of himself while he improperly advocates for candidates favoring him and his law firm’s interest; of real estate developers power over the people of Parsippany and manipulation of our master plan. Development that ignores environmental resources and best practices in land use to profit corporate developers who sue Parsippany when they can’t get their way, which also benefits his law firm, the same law firm that surrenders Parsippany’s quality of life while Parsippany pays to lose, in the favor of those developers.
Is this the smooth transition promised by Mayor Barberio? This reminds one of the promises made after the Waterview No Vote and the promise of open space for that fought over environmental constrained and valuable landscape. No doubt the tactics of how to make and break this promise occurred under the guiding light of Inglesino’s law firm, which Barberio, dePierro and Gragnani blindly follow.
Elected officials duty is to the electorate, however it seems what we have officials whom have placed themselves above the town, in the interest of outside corporate developers, whom are about to continue to use Parsippany for their schemes to accomplish their goals of continued sprawl and speculation development where the rights of property over the right to a future of sustainability, health, safety and welfare are ignored.
During the Waterview episode councilman Valori used the term “corruption” in reference to the Barberio/Inglesino administration and the tactics of the planning board. What happened to change the mind of this official; as to siding now with the very elements of those improper means?
Nick Homyak
Lake Hiawatha, NJ 07034
