Allegations of political chicanery rock Roselle as former Mayor exposes corruption

In a bombshell revelation, former Mayor Christine Dansereau has unleashed a storm of accusations against the current political establishment in Roselle Borough, implicating state Senator Joe Cryan and his allies in what she describes as a web of corruption and unfair practices that occurred with the assistance of every member of the governing body except for Third Ward Councilwoman Cynthia Johnson.

Dansereau’s latest allegations center around the firing of a Roselle Borough employee and their replacement with a less experienced individual from Union Township, purportedly at the behest of Senator Cryan. According to Dansereau, this replacement resulted in an increase of $40,000 in salary for the new appointee, totaling $120,000 annually. She has decried this move as emblematic of the deceitful practices she perceives within the local political landscape.

“All this supposedly for the improvement of Roselle. When do the lies stop? Enough is enough,” Dansereau exclaimed, calling for transparency and accountability from local leaders. She urged voters to look beyond the facade of platitudes and smiles and to elect honest and compassionate representatives in the upcoming primary elections.

Samantha Carpio, recently became the borough’s director of Economic Development, coming to Roselle after holding various government jobs in Union Township, Jersey City and Union County.

Victor Klymenko, who received the 2023 Economic Development Director of the Year award from the Gateway Regional Chamber of Commerce, previously had the job since 2019 but he was sent packing to make room for the Cryan loyalist.

Dansereau’s comments come as a tumultuous political scene unfolds in Roselle, marked by resignations, firings, and suspensions within key municipal offices.

She alleges that a “palace coup” orchestrated by Councilman Brandon Bernier under the direction of state Senator Joe Cryan, has led to the depletion of borough offices and the installation of politically connected, yet less qualified individuals in key positions.

“Currently Roselle is without a Chief of Police or Fire,” said Dansereau. “They are stalling because they are trying to hire a ‘political friendly’ from Jersey City at a huge salary as a director of Public Safety, a civilian. That way they will have 100% political control over all departments.”

Roselle Business Administrator T. Missy Balmir, Police Captain Helder Freire, and Economic Development Director Samantha Carpio have replaced top borough government leaders as part of an ongoing purge of professionals orchestrated by Councilman Brandon Bernier and state Senator Joe Cryan.

Among the casualties of this purported power struggle is Police Chief Stacey Williams, whom Dansereau described as a “hometown hero” when he was targeted by Cryan’s allies for removal.

Although Captain Helder Freire, the 19-year veteran of the force who was elevated to the rank of Captain in 2021, is actually the ‘officer in charge’ of the Roselle Police Department, a police sergeant referred to him as acting Police Chief, which suggests that the arrangement is not viewed as temporary although Williams, who is being paid a six-figure salary while on administrative leave, has not had due process such as the kangaroo court that has been expected.

Community members claimed that false charges were engineered against Williams in an attempt to pave the way for the appointment of a civilian police director beholden to political interests. No information has been shared with the public since the police chief was secretly suspended last year.

Experienced personnel who served as the Business Administrator, Chief Financial Officer, Superintendent of Public Works, Building Inspector, Zoning Officer, and Code Enforcement Supervisor have all gone during the last year. Some, if not all of them have been replaced with Cryan’s cronies.

T. Missy Balmir, a former advisor to U.S. Senator Bob Menendez and operative who was involved with various elements of the political establishment, was hired as Borough Administrator. She is the wife of Gerard Balmir, who has bounced around in government jobs and political campaigns throughout New Jersey including stints with the City of Trenton, the Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority, and of whom Agustin C. Torres, the longtime Jersey Journal politics columnist, once wrote: “For members of the Hudson County Democratic Organization Judas Iscariot looks remarkably like Jersey City Freeholder Gerry Balmir.“

The Fire Chief has been on extended leave and the Roselle Fire Department is being run but Captain Christopher Laba.

Superintendent of Public Works Louis Ulrich came over to Roselle from Union Township to replace George Phipps, who was also forced out by Councilman Brandon Bernier and state Senator Joe Cryan. Six or seven of the borough’s Public Works employees have reportedly departed for better jobs in Linden.

Dansereau’s allegations have sent shockwaves through Roselle, but they still do not cast a shadow over the community as shocking as the revelation that Mayor Donald Shaw spent nine months behind bars at New York’s Rikers Island prison facility for selling heroin.

Shaw allegedly refused to submit fingerprints, fearing exposure of his criminal record prior to his appointment as borough recreation department director in 2019. It is still not clear if Shaw was subjected to a background check before he was given an $80,000 a year job in the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at the time he became mayor.

If voters cannot clean house of such painfully unqualified contenders, it seems unlikely they will wake up before the entrenched establishment is able to fully execute its political machinations but that is your responsibility as a citizen. If you do nothing to stop this, then accept that it is your fault because you no longer have the luxury of saying you don’t know what is happening.