Local Restaurateur in Hot Water After City Files Suit

NORTH WILDWOOD — Superior Court Judge Steven Perskie charged Jon Paul Paxton, the owner of JP Prime, with two counts of contempt Friday Feb. 13.
Paxton, the owner of JP Prime, the upscale steakhouse located in the heart of Olde New Jersey Avenue in North Wildwood, was arrested Feb. 9 for failing to appear in court over a civil lawsuit in relation to that restaurant, brought against him by the city of North Wildwood.
According to the city’s civil suit, Paxton allegedly did not obtain a certificate of occupancy for JP Prime.
JP Prime received at least two temporary certificates of occupancy in 2006, but had been running since then on the expired temporary certificates.
When a new inspection was done, under Construction Official Glen Franzoi of the City of Wildwood Construction Office after the Joint Construction Office of the Wildwoods was disbanded, additional problems were found, including not being built in accordance with the original plans.
City Solicitor William Kaufman said that city had been in negotiations with Paxton to resolve the issues. Paxton, he said, had agreed to complete the work necessary to receive his certificate of occupancy by a week before last Thanksgiving.
However, that deadline came and went and the construction office issued an unsafe notice and closed down the building.
When the city learned that Paxton opened JP Prime despite the order to close, the courts got involved.
Kaufman told Perskie that JP Prime’s liquor license had been turned into the city as of 4 p.m. Thursday Feb. 12.
Perskie accepted the city’s final judgment, regarding the restaurant, to keep the building closed for commercial purposes until the certificate of occupancy is issued.
The issue of contempt, Perskie said, was a separate matter.
“I want to know why the place was opened after I ordered it closed,” Perskie asked.
Paxton’s attorney Jeffrey Barnes tried to explain his client’s past dealings with JCOW, two years ago, and then with COWCO.
Perskie told Barnes that the past history wasn’t the issue before him.
“I’m not interested in any comments dealing with buildings inspectors. He [Paxton] has to answer for the contempt charges,” Perskie said.
“As far as I’m concerned, he [Paxton] had knowledge of my court order on Dec. 17,” Perskie said.
Barnes told the judge that his client was in communication with Wildwood Construction Office and believed the matter was resolved.
“He was wrong,” said Perskie.
Perskie charged Paxton with two counts of contempt and said the matter would come before Superior Court Judge Raymond Batten at a late. Perskie noted that Paxton had posted his 10,000 bail.
In addition to JP Prime, Paxton also owns Juan Pablo’s Margarita Bar, Café jonpaul.
Contact Suit at: (609) 886-8600 ext. 25 or lsuit@cmcherald.com