Dear Editor:
One only has to watch the Council meeting tape of October 15, 2019 minute marker part 1 at 51:30 to 58:00 to get insight to the political patronage and waste of money Mayor Soriano and Business Administrator Keith Katzmark have conspired upon the taxpayers of Parsippany. Do not miss the pathetic responses from mayor and township attorney to the public speakers.
The following is a list of their most egregious actions :
1) Mayor’s office staff of 4 full-time equivalent employees (3 full-time and 2 part-timers)
At salaries above the previous mayor’s staff with staffing in excess of 1 to 1½ more employees.
2) Mayor moves employee from his office to the Municipal Court at a salary $10,000 higher than existing employees pay scale without regard to state civil service laws.
3) Filled position at Parks & Forestry for $80,000 that was not necessary.
4) Expended $ 31,000 per year for rental of eye scan time clock that the mayor, business administrator, and Matt Clarkin “chief of staff “ are not required to eye scan. Suggestion these three employees submit timesheet to be accountable to the taxpayers.
5) Appointment of political patronage job to the Knoll golf courses at $ 100,000 salary under a cost plus contract with private company.
6) Appointment of political patronage job as Director of PAL at salary of $120,000 plus benefits , previous director salary was $ 66,000. New director received health benefits in violation of township employee manual. No employee has been given this entitlement before the employee manual stipulated waiting period.
So one should ask where has all this money came from. In 2018 and 2019 the Mayor transferred $5,810,000 from sewer and water surpluses to the general budget which means you have been overpaying for those services. The mayor has made public statement that fees will be increasing in the near future.
It’s an easy decision November 5, 2019. Vote for dePierro, Carifi, Jr. and Gragnani. The Republican Check and Balance We Need in Parsippany.
Roy Messmer
Former Parsippany Resident
