JERSEY CITY AND BEYOND — Two weeks ago, Gov. Christopher Christie suspended six members of the Passaic Valley Sewage Commission, including Carl Czaplicki Jr., who also works as the director of the Jersey City Department of Housing, Economic Development & Commerce. Christie accused the six suspended commissioners of nepotism and has alleged that they hired family members to work for the sewage authority and awarded no-bid contracts.
The Passaic Valley Sewage Commission oversees the sewage processing for 48 northern New Jersey municipalities, including some in Hudson County. With an annual budget of $161 million, according to the newspaper, the commission runs New Jersey’s largest sewage treatment plant.
On Monday, Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners Executive Director Wayne J. Forrest announced two directives “to reform and help restore integrity to the agency.”
The first directive called for the reduction of salaries of all employees, who currently earn over $100,000. The salaries will be reduced to the level the employees formerly earned as of December 31, 2009.
“Previously, I abolished the range and step schedule at PVSC for these employees”, said Forrest. “Additionally, I felt it was necessary to roll back the salaries to the 2009 level,” he added.
Forrest’s second directive revises the agency’s Code of Ethics on political activity to comply with the State of New Jersey’s Code of Ethics.
“I thought it was necessary to act quickly and ensure that all PVSC employees are conducting themselves in a manner identical to the standards adopted by the state,” Forrest said.