A recent follow-up review conducted by the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) has once again brought the Borough of Roselle under the spotlight for its failure to fully implement recommendations aimed at safeguarding taxpayer funds.
Mayor Donald Shaw and the municipality’s de facto leader, Councilman Brandon Bernier, are facing criticism for their inability or refusal to prevent the abuses laid out by the OSC in 2021.
The OSC’s initial 2021 audit revealed alarming financial mismanagement within the borough, highlighting potential savings of $1.9 million if Roselle had enrolled in the State Health Benefit Program (SHBP) instead of relying on a private insurance carrier.
Additionally, lax internal controls led to the squandering of $1.4 million in taxpayer money, as health insurance coverage or opt-out payments were being made to deceased retirees or their spouses.
While Roselle took some steps to address these issues, such as enrolling in the SHBP and recouping $155,000 from the previous health insurance provider, the recent follow-up review uncovered persistent shortcomings.
One of the glaring failures highlighted by the OSC was the continued improper payment of health insurance premiums and waiver payments to council members. Despite updates to the employee manual, which redefined council members’ work hours as 32.5 per week, these officials still fell short of the full-time requirement of 35 hours per week to qualify for health benefits. The auditors discovered that six council members received either waiver payments or health insurance coverage, amounting to a total of $28,807 in 2022.
State Comptroller Kevin Walsh emphasized the importance of adherence to the law, stressing that compliance is essential to protect taxpayers’ interests and ensure the responsible use of public funds.
Shaw, a convicted heroin dealer who spent time behind bars at New York’s notorious Rikers Island, has largely allowed Bernier to run the borough.
In addition to the healthcare-related discrepancies, OSC’s review uncovered further violations. Roselle was found to have unlawfully awarded a career-services contract without soliciting competitive bids, violating the Local Public Contracts law. Furthermore, the municipality continued the practice of permanently assigning municipal cars to employees without adequate monitoring of vehicle usage and documentation of trips and mileage.
The findings of the OSC’s follow-up review serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by Roselle in achieving financial transparency and accountability. With taxpayers bearing the brunt of these oversights, there is mounting pressure on Mayor Shaw and Councilman Bernier to take decisive action to rectify these issues and uphold the public trust.
For residents concerned about government misconduct, OSC encourages the reporting of fraud, waste, mismanagement, or corruption through official channels.
The Office of the State Comptroller remains committed to its mission of promoting efficiency, transparency, and accountability in New Jersey’s government operations, conducting audits, investigations, and reviews to safeguard public funds and ensure the integrity of governmental processes.
Former Roselle Mayor Christine Dansereau recently accused Shaw and Bernier of awarding borough jobs to personal friends without posting employment notices.
“On top of that the arrogance of the so called administration is to say they don’t have to post the position,” said Dansereau. “Think about that one. The government process is to requisition the position, post the position after an approval of vacancy or need, convene an interview panel, and then create a resolution to place before the council for a vote to hire.”
“That is the standard as written by the state government to provide an opportunity for internal employees as well as members of the community to be able to compete for the position if they believe they have the skill set and experience,” said Dansereau. “That is how a selection is made and the best possible candidate for the position gets hired.”
“Roselle you are being cheated out of this process, and the local government is the perpetrator of this discriminatory practice,” said Dansereau. “One of the reasons Roselle has been a revolving door and constantly being sued.”
“Even if they weren’t ignoring the best practice process written by the state it would still be unethical and unfair to the Roselle Community,” said Dansereau. “Get rid of the current council it has become a dictatorship using Roselle as a cash cow. The only representative truly for the people is Cynthia Johnson.”