VILLAS – An investigation of two Lower Township Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA) employees suspected of selling scrap metal and water meters that belonged to the authority for personal profit has been assumed by the County Prosecutor’s Office, according to Peter Tourison, MUA solicitor, who started the investigation.
Clifford Gall, a former executive director, who became superintendent and supervisor John Chew, were placed on paid leave Sept. 11 pending the results of the investigation.
Tourison told the Herald, Gall is expected to make an offer to retire to the MUA Board of Commissioners at their Oct. 1 meeting.
Chew continues to be on paid leave until the investigation is completed.
Both men claim they had the permission of MUA Commissioner Pete Biting to recycle the materials, according to Tourison.
He said County Prosecutor Robert Taylor told the MUA to halt its investigation until his office has completed its investigation. Prosecutor’s Office staff have been interviewing MUA employees and obtaining documents, he said.
“I will confirm that they are both no longer employed here and on paid leave,” Lower MUA Authority Executive Director Mike DeMarcantonio told the Herald Sept. 11.
He said he could not offer further details since they were personnel issues and “because nothing has been finalized yet.”
