Mayor’s job, biz dealings questioned by residents

BY VINCENT TODARO
Staff Writer

EAST BRUNSWICK –– The governing body was grilled last week by residents who are unhappy with the mayor’s job and the township’s business relationships.

At the Aug. 8 Township Council meeting, the governing body was taken to task regarding Mayor William Neary’s new full-time job as executive director of Keep Middlesex Moving, which is associated with the Middlesex County Improvement Authority. Neary was accused at the meeting of double-dipping by holding the job, which pays $78,000, plus his mayoral position, which has a $20,000 salary.

Neary and the council were also criticized for continuing to do business with Commerce Bank, where two executives were convicted on federal corruption charges, and Schoor DePalma, an engineering firm that was implicated in a Monmouth County corruption scandal but has denied any wrongdoing, according to reports.

The criticisms were brought by Hyam Merson, a former Planning Board member who attends council meetings, and Walter Decker, who ran for council in 2004 as a Republican.

Neary dismissed their criticisms as an example of people “painting with a broad brush,” and said there is “no corruption at all” in East Brunswick government. He also challenged residents to bring evidence supporting their claims to the police.

Merson went on to say that the council has not been respectful to residents, and referred to a recent issue involving a trucking business on McGuire Street. Residents fought to have the business shut down after realizing it should not have been operating there under township zoning laws. The township recently issued a cease-and-desist order to the owner of the property.

“Do you respect the people on McGuire Street?” Merson asked.

Merson also asked for a response from the council regarding the fact Neary holds the two jobs and was recently brought to task for it in a Home New Tribune editorial.

“Do you support the mayor in whatever he does?” he asked.

Councilman Donald Klemp said the editorial was just the opinion of one person at a newspaper. He also stated that the term “double-dipping” was being misused because it actually refers to someone holding two elected positions, as opposed to the appointed role with Keep Middlesex Moving.

Klemp said people who are criticizing the fact that the mayor holds the two offices are “just trying to start trouble.”

Decker referred to last year when he told the council it should stop dealing with Commerce Bank. Convictions have since taken place, Decker noted, with no comment from township officials and the continuation of the business relationship for township banking.

“Mayor, you are familiar with Commerce Bank,” Decker said to Neary in reference to the sale of his former Dairy Queen property to Commerce Bank, which located a branch on the site.

At the Aug. 8 meeting, Decker told the mayor and council to let East Brunswick police do a background check on every vendor, builder and professional that does business with the town.

“Let’s keep these kinds of people out of town,” he said, referring to companies where people have been convicted or accused of corruption.

He also made reference to Neary’s tendency to not respond to criticisms made at the meetings. Neary did respond, though, saying there is “no touch of corruption at all” in East Brunswick government.

Another resident, Camille Ferraro, said that even if the local representatives of these companies are not corrupt, the town should sever the relationships. She said the problem is not just some bad apples, but rather a rotten barrel. She noted as an example that the convicted officials were allowed to maintain employment while on trial.

Ferraro also responded to Klemp by saying that double dipping refers to elected officials who have double employment or two pension funds.