WILDWOOD — Commissioner Bill Davenport motioned Dec. 17 for a judge to take another look at Commissioner Gary DeMarzo’s roll in the city’s government.
Mayor Ernie Troiano Jr. seconded the decision to review, in what they consider DeMarzo’s ongoing conflicts of interest. Davenport noted the litigation between the city and city employees.
Davenport said that DeMarzo should either be considered a commissioner or a police officer. He said that currently DeMarzo isn’t a full-time commissioner.
The issue of DeMarzo’s dual roles in Wildwood was initially brought up after the 2007 election.
Superior Court Judge Joseph C. Visalli issued a decision July 13, 2007 that said while Demarzo can’t simultaneously serve as a member of the city’s Police Department and commissioner, he is allowed to serve in government while on an unpaid leave of absence from the police department.
According to the judge’s ruling DeMarzo is prohibited from voting on a range of issues likely to present a conflict of interest, such as city employee contracts.
Visalli ordered that DeMarzo “recuse himself on all issues relating to budget items, conditions, terms, salary, benefits, discipline, contracts and litigation relating to and involving the Wildwood Police Department and all members thereof, the Fraternal Order of Police local bargaining unit (Lodge #7) and/or involving all other Wildwood city employees working under collective bargaining agreement including but not limited to the UAW Local 2327 and FMBA Local 50.”
He also ruled that DeMarzo must recuse himself “from all matters involving appointments and compensation of the municipal judge, municipal prosecutor, public defender and/or their firms” and “from all matters dealing with the funding for any budgetary line item relating to matters of litigation that directly or indirectly affect the Wildwood Police Department.”
The judge required that the city solicitor and city clerk meet before each regular commission meeting to decide what agenda items will present a conflict for DeMarzo.
DeMarzo, who garnered the second-highest votes in the May 8 election, is currently on administrative leave without pay from the police department. According to city records, he earns about $71,000 per year as a police officer and will make $20,600 per year as a commissioner.
City attorney Matthew Priore argued during the June 22 hearing that DeMarzo would be faced with numerous conflicts that unpaid leave wouldn’t remove. Piore said that DeMarzo would be “rendered ineffective as a commissioner.”
Demarzo responded to the role review in a Dec. 23 memo writing, “This is nothing more than a continued attempt to satisfy a personal vendetta at the taxpayer’s expense.”
“I have gone to great lengths to stay within the four corners of the ‘Judicial Restriction,’” DeMarzo wrote.
Contact Suit at: (609) 886-8600 ext. 25 or lsuit@cmcherald.com
Lower Township – Who are these people that are obvious experts on trash cans and leaf pick-up? Maybe they don't have any trash to put out or leaves in their yard!!
