Kafton denies ethics charge
levied by GOP opponent
BY JOYCE BLAY
Staff Writer
JACKSON — In the closing days of the campaign of 2003, Democratic Township Committeeman Michael Kafton angrily denied charges made by his Republican opponent William Allmann that Kafton has abused his office as an elected official.
"(Allmann’s) an absolute hypocrite," said Kafton, who characterized his opponent as despicable.
Kafton’s comments were made in reaction to a letter Allmann mailed to Patricia McNamara at the Local Government Ethics Unit of the state Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Local Finance Board. Allmann requested that McNamara’s department conduct an ethics investigation into Kafton’s business dealings to determine whether Kafton had a possible conflict of interest.
Allmann’s letter, which was dated Oct. 6, 2003, charged that Kafton continued to have a client relationship with Bil-Jim Construction Co. through his ongoing role as principal of Pinnacle Title Co., even after he became a member of the Township Committee.
Allmann asserted that Kafton, through his position as mayor in 2003, stood to profit from Bil-Jim’s bid to purchase land in the Whitesville Industrial Park in Jackson, even as he made appointments to the township’s industrial commission.
Allmann, who is one of four candidates seeking two three-year terms on the governing body, also alleged that Kafton voted for bills, claims and contracts to the benefit of Bil-Jim, even though his title company continued to receive payment for its services from the local construction company.
Allmann concluded his ethics charges by asking that his previous allegations of impropriety be amended to include the new ones he was filing with the DCA.
Although E.J. Miranda, a spokesman for the DCA, declined to discuss any ongoing or pending review, he referred a reporter for the Tri-Town News to Section 40A:9-22.8 of local government ethics law at the agency’s Web site. According to that section, the Local Finance Board serves in an advisory capacity, not as a source of redress once an alleged ethics violation has occurred.
When a reporter told Allmann of Miranda’s referral to that section and questioned whether he had filed his ethics complaint with the correct agency, he said he would file a complaint with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, but did not say when.
When contacted for a response, Kafton angrily denounced Allmann’s allegations as lies.
"Bil-Jim did nothing wrong," he said. "They hired my title company in March 2000, before I was even a candidate for the committee."
However, according to documents submitted by Allmann, Kafton has voted on items pertaining to Bil-Jim while he has been on the committee.
Kafton said he closed on the property deal for Bil-Jim in August 2001 and no longer does work for the firm. Therefore, he said, he is able to vote on items pertaining to the company.
Kafton alleged that Allmann had his own a conflict of interest when he served on the committee. Allmann was Jackson’s mayor in 1999.
"Mr. Allmann took advantage of his position as a committeeman and purchased 4 acres of land in the industrial park that was owned by Jackson," said Kafton, who then asked rhetorically, "Where can you buy land at $15,000 an acre with no [other] bids?"
Kafton said Allmann did not recuse himself from conducting township business even though his septic company received contracts with the township for work while he sat on the committee.
Allmann said he tried to purchase the property in 1997 when he was not on the committee. He added that he has not yet closed on the property. He said his firm does little work in Jackson and the majority of his work is in Monmouth County.