Departments Taken, Byron Sues

CLARIFICATION: In the below story, Byron told the Herald that before the May 29 Wildwood Commission meeting, he was told by Solicitor Mary D’Arcy Bittner and City Clerk Christopher Wood that no additional items could be added to the agenda. Bittner said she did not say this. Byron stood by his original statement.
WILDWOOD ─  “It’s obvious that my colleagues took away my departments because of my strong and vocal opposition to the runaway spending in our city,” Commissioner Peter Byron wrote in a recent release. In it, he explained his decision to file a complaint against Mayor Ernie Troiano, Commissioner Anthony Leonetti, and City Administrator Christopher Fox.
Filed as a civil action suit, the complaint alleges that Troiano, Leonetti, and Fox stripped several of the city’s departments, including redevelopment, economic development, and beach services, and overseeing the Office of Administrator.
Byron later told the Herald he believes his offices were removed for political reasons.
On May 29, during a special meeting regarding the contended 2018 city budget, a resolution was presented on the agenda, authorizing “realignment of various offices” from the Revenue and Finance Department, headed by Byron.
Throughout the meeting, Byron repeatedly asked Troiano and Leonetti why that step was taken.
In relation to the budget, Troiano said he had “gotten no indication of cuts from anybody” in order to help ease the tax increase.
“We need this money now,” Leonetti said.
Byron replied by saying the other commissioners “have overstepped their authority.”
Troiano claims several of the departments were initially under him in past years. Byron told the Herald June 29 that Troiano “took” the departments from him once before and then, during an executive session, he regained possession of them.
On May 29 Byron said that Troiano “lives in the past and has an excuse for everything.”
Troiano countered by saying that Byron “badmouths him to no end.”
The Office of Administrator is under the Department of Public Safety, under Troiano.
Troiano told the Herald that ideas for improving the city and its events belong to the “BLT” team, not just to Byron.
According to Byron, losing “the Beach Services Department was the harshest blow” and will impact the city’s economics.
“Working with the business community,” Byron wrote, “we have elevated numerous beach amenities and generated a lot of revenue. It’s disturbing to see that progress stalled.”
According to a recent Atlantic City Press story, Byron was quoted as saying he expects to bring in at least $100,000 in revenue this summer from beach parking. He said that could help replenish the surplus.
According to Byron, only $700 remains in the city’s surplus.
The lawsuit demands that Byron’s departments be returned and “the defendants (Troiano, Leonetti, and Fox) provide the court with a full disclosure of their deliberations that lead to their decision removing the departments.”
A September preliminary hearing will be held in the Superior Court of Cape May County.
Troiano said he could not comment on the lawsuit due to pending litigation. Alain Leibman of Fox Rothschild will represent Troiano, Leonetti, and Fox “for an amount not to exceed $25,000.” That action was taken at a Wildwood Commission meeting Aug. 8; Byron recused from the vote.
Byron wishes residents to know that he will continue to work with Troiano, Leonetti, and Fox in moving forward for the taxpayers. In a phone interview Aug. 8, Byron told the Herald that before the May 29 meeting, he was told by Solicitor Mary D’Arcy Bittner and City Clerk Christopher Wood that no additional items could be added to the agenda since notice of the meeting had already been distributed. However, the May 29 agenda showed the resolution transferring his departments.