Bernard Golomb, president of the Town Center Management Corporation (TCMC), has been charged with theft and forgery after he allegedly took $160,949.36 without proper authorization.
Golomb, who was one of the authorized signatories for the corporation account, is being accused of alleged misuse of the corporation’s debit card and allegedly issuing checks with a forged signature, a police spokesperson said. Checks issued out of the account must have two authorized signatures.
Golomb was named president of the TCMC in 2012 after the city took over Special Improvement District operations. The corporation originally oversaw the city’s Special Improvement District until the city opted to run the operations.
Funds in the account came from a fee imposed on local businesses.
Founded in 1999, the TCMC was partly funded by Urban Enterprise Zone funding until March 2012 when the city council voted to have the city take over the operations.
“Mr. Golomb is deeply distressed by the false and malicious accusations that have been levied against him.” – William J Jeffery
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A city leader
Golomb was among the leading voices the business community in Bayonne that strove to find alternative funding after Gov. Christopher Christie decided to take UEZ revenue to balance the budget, which had previously been used to fund a number of seasonal programs. Town Center oversaw holiday events on Broadway as well as summer car shows.
But the organization continued to represent local businesses as a nongovernmental corporation.
Questions exist about where the funds came from in the bank account. Prior to the city’s taking over of TCMC operations, programs and salaries came from fees imposed on merchants as part of an effort to promote a section of Broadway as a business district. The city would collect the funds from merchants as a special assessment, then issue the money to the TCMC in quarterly payments. A state filing showed that TCMC had an annual income of slightly more than $300,000 with on-hand assets listed at about $197,000. Officials associated with the takeover in 2012, however, said TCMC generally exceeded its budget.
Some funds apparently remained in the bank account when the city took over operations. This bank account apparently was retained by the TCMC. Although the operations were assumed by the city, TCMC remained. Golomb took over as an unpaid president of TCMC after other members of its board resigned in 2012. Some city officials said TCMC continued to raise funds afterward through a number of programs. Some of these were supposedly geared toward raising money for Bayonne’s Home Town Fair.
Police initiated an investigation last year after someone complained that money in the TCMC’s account was missing.
William J Jeffery, the attorney hired to represent Golomb issued a statement in response to the charges.
“Mr. Golomb is deeply distressed by the false and malicious accusations that have been levied against him,” Jeffery said. “What was not reported previously is that Mr. Golomb is the person who brought this matter to the attention of the police. Mr. Golomb looked forward to a trial in this matter so that the truth may come to light and he can continue to serve the people of Bayonne as a leader in the community.”
Golomb, who owns Aaron’s Gold, on Broadway in Bayonne, has been accused of allegedly forging checks and using the corporation credit card in Atlantic City and Las Vegas, according to the police.
Jeffery went on to point out that Golomb has lived his entire life in Bayonne.
“He is a local businessman who has a deep love and affection for Bayonne and its people,” Jeffery said. “He is a devoted family man who has the love of a beautiful wife, two children, and five grandchildren. Anyone who knows Bernie loves him for his jovial sense of humor and his unfailing dedication to the people whom he cares for.”
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.