Former West Wildwood Employees Fight Firings

WEST WILDWOOD — James Fox and William Null, two borough employees accused in court papers of using borough money to pay for car parts for private vehicles said they were wrongly accused because of their political affiliations.
Fox, former supervisor of public works and the brother of former Mayor Christopher Fox, and William Null, a borough foreman, were suspended and later fired when borough officials discovered the questionable purchases allegedly made between 2004 and 2008, ac-cording to Mayor Herbert C. Frederick.
According to the lawsuit, Null and Fox were authorized to buy car parts from certain ven-dors to maintain the public fleet of vehicles as part of their public jobs. But the lawsuit alleges the two employees bought parts for private vehicles including, mufflers, thermostats, air, fuel and oil filters, brake pads, timing belts and spark plugs. The lawsuit also alleges the two men repaired private cars at the borough’s garage.
Fox and Null have said the borough has no evidence of wrongdoing. They contend they were the latest victims in a trend of borough employees who were fired or suspended by the current administration as political retribution.
Jeffrey B. Tener, an arbitrator in a grievance hearing before the Public Employment Relations Commission, or PERC, sided with Null. Null was able to explain practically all of the purchases the borough had challenged as inappropriate, the arbitrator said.
The arbitrator ruled Sept. 8 the borough had no cause to fire Null and directed West Wildwood to reinstate him immediately as foreman and reimburse him for lost wages, benefits and seniority.
Fox said he, too, has upcoming hearings before the PERC and expects a similar outcome.
Frederick said the borough is appealing the decision to reinstate Null to the state Superior Court.