It appears that the Building Department in Northfield, NJ is engaging in questionable ethical practices. Here’s an (edited) copy of a letter that I sent to the chairman of the Building Department about clear ethical violations in the department that he supervises. After requesting a response about these serious violations, I still have yet to hear back.
September 24, 2007
Chairman, Building Department
1600 Shore Road
Northfield, New Jersey, 08225Dear Mr. Carew,
I wish to bring two items to your attention that involve the Northfield Building Department.
I’ve received reports that Jim Dickinson has been providing misinformation about me to residents of Northfield. Mr. Dickinson has been telling people that I’m not eligible to run for City Council because I am “renting” the home in which I live. This statement is not true.
I live at (removed), a property owned by my mother, Anne Craig. I do not pay her rent, however I do pay the taxes, utilities and maintenance on the property.
I visited Mr. Dickinson on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at approximately 11:00 a.m. to ask him about his statements. He informed me that “anyone other than the owner” living in Northfield must register with the city and advised that I had to complete a Rental Unit Registration and Tenant Registration form and pay a fee of $50.
After consulting city Solicitor Keith Bonchi, Mr. Bonchi referred me to city Ordinance #10-97, article 73-3 section A (attached) which clearly states that “the owner’s family” does not, in fact, have to register with the city. Mr. Bonchi agreed, saying that it was “a reasonable interpretation” that I didn’t have to register with the city. Consequently, Mr. Dickinson is misrepresenting this Ordinance.
Why is a city employee in your department giving out inaccurate information? Is his position as Treasurer of the Northfield Republican Club conflicting with his role as a government employee? This appears to be an abuse of a city position in an attempt to harass and discredit me for political gain.
The second item is even more troubling.
While I was in the Building Department speaking with Mr. Dickinson about this issue, I noticed a copy of the building permit from 1999 for the geothermal installation at my residence sitting on the counter. I asked Mr. Dickinson about the document in plain sight and he stated that “someone must have requested it.” When I inquired about who had requested it, he said that he “didn’t remember.”
City Clerk Carol Raph informed me on Thursday, September 20, 2007 that an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) application is required to obtain a copy of a resident’s building permit and that none had been requested in the last several weeks.
Why is the Northfield Building Department providing personal and private information without the required request forms being filed with the city clerk? Furthermore, who requested the copy of the building permit? And for what reason?
It appears that the city is engaging in selective enforcement of State of New Jersey OPRA laws, violating my federally protected right to privacy and abusing a city position for the purpose of slander and political gain.
I will wait for your response on these two most serious matters before deciding how to proceed.
Sincerely yours,
Jason D. O’Grady
Enclosure
cc:
Cindy Kern, Council President
Jeffrey Bruckler, Administrator
Keith A. Bonchi, Solicitor
Frank Perri, Mayor