June 5, 2014 Update: I have been informed that the matter had been reported in the newspaper. Click here.
June 5, 2014
Michael S. Curwin, First Assistant Prosecutor
Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office
70 Hunter Street
Woodbury, NJ 08096
Via e-mail only to mcurwin@co.gloucester.nj.us
Dear Mr. Curwin:
By way of an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request, I have obtained a copy of the Harrison Township (Gloucester County) Fire District's August 15, 2013 "Resolution No. 13-027 Censuring Commissioner William Fox." The censure resolution is on-line here.
In essence, the resolution requests Commissioner Fox's resignation due to various financial misstatements and other improprieties that arose during his term as Fire District Treasurer. The following allegations, however, appears to allege more than mere negligence:
- the auditor has advised that the bank statements provided by the Fire District for review were altered and manipulated to exclude fraudulent checks issued to the former Business Administrator.
- unauthorized checks were issued from the Fire District's operating account to the former Business Administrator in the amount of $12,586.60 in 2012.
- unauthorized overtime was paid to the Business Administrator in the amount of $2,850.
If the findings in the resolution are true, it appears possible that some criminal liability may have been incurred by Fox, the former Business Administrator or perhaps others.
After doing an Internet search, I can find nothing that indicates, one way or the other, whether your office had been informed of this resolution. Accordingly, I am submitting it to you now, in case you are not already aware of it, so that you can conduct an investigation as you deem appropriate.
Thank you very much for your attention to this matter.
Very truly yours,
John Paff, Chairman
New Jersey Libertarian Party's
Open Government Advocacy Project
P.O. Box 5424
Somerset, NJ 08875
Voice: 732-873-1251
Fax: 908-325-0129
e-mail: paff@pobox.com