Trials for three "whistleblower" lawsuits filed by Department of Public Works employees against Millstone Township (Monmouth County) have been scheduled for March 2015. The complaints, on-line here, were filed in 2010 and 2011 by former DPW employees Ronald Anderson, Mark Philpot and George Schwarz. The three, who are all represented by Morganville attorney Stephen T. Mashel, allege that things went bad at the DPW after Jeffrey Hawk and Jack Guyette were hired. Hawk allegedly boasted that he was then Mayor (now municipal council member) Nancy A. Grbelja's "boy" with whom he had a "close personal relationship."
According to the complaints, Hawk, Guyette and a third employee, Ryan Elsbree, were shown "favoritism" such as being exempt from routine random drug testing. The complaints allege that Hawk would fail to appear at assignments without telling anyone and smoked marijuana on the job. Hawk also allegedly did personal chores for Grbelja during work hours and while using Township vehicles.
The three plaintiffs claim that their complaints to Township officials were not taken seriously and that retaliatory action was taken against them.