John Muncie of 16 Wilson St., Lambertville, threated to shoot Lambertville Sewerage Authority members with a shotgun because of odors.
By: Linda Seida
LAMBERTVILLE A man accused of threatening to blast everyone at the Lambertville Sewerage Authority with a shotgun Tuesday turned himself in to police at their headquarters March 25 morning, according to Police Director Bruce Cocuzza.
John T. Munice, 41, of 16 Wilson St. surrendered to police accompanied by his attorney, John Holliday of Trenton.
Police charged Mr. Munice with the third-degree crime of making terroristic threats. The crime carries the maximum penalty of five years in prison, according to a spokesman at the Hunterdon County prosecutor’s office, although several factors could affect the sentence.
Municipal Court Judge Richard Cushing set bail at $1,500 cash. The judge also ruled as a condition of bail Mr. Munice must relinquish all firearms in his possession and refrain from any further contact with employees of the Lambertville Sewerage Authority and the Hunterdon County Health Department.
Mr. Munice made bail and was released shortly before noon. Through his attorney, he said he possessed no firearms, but made no statement himself.
Any future complaints Mr. Munice wishes to make to either the authority or the health department must be made through the Lambertville police as a condition of his bail.
A trial date was set for Friday (April 2) at 1 p.m. in state Superior Court in Flemington.
Mr. Munice became irate over the vile stench that hung over Lambertville for several weeks while the authority repaired a piece of equipment. The odor stemmed from a broken piece of sludge-holding equipment that was being replaced. The authority emptied a tank that has held sludge for 20 years and shipped it to Ohio for disposal, according to Al Komjathy, chairman of the authority’s board.
Mr. Munice made repeated telephone calls to the authority and the county health department to register his complaints, according to police. A representative of the department came to the city to investigate the complaints and found the authority’s activities were in compliance, Mr. Cocuzza said.
Tuesday morning at 9 a.m., Mr. Munice called the department again and spoke to employee Rebecca Feinberg.
He allegedly said, "I am going to get a shotgun and shoot everyone at the Lambertville Sewerage Authority," according to police. He then apologized and said it wasn’t her fault before he hung up.
"He threatened everybody there but nobody specifically by name," Mr. Cocuzza said.
Ms. Feinberg called Lambertville police to report the incident and spoke to Mr. Cocuzza shortly before noon. Detective Aaron Lacy immediately began an investigation and is credited with the arrested of Mr. Munice.
Officers searched for almost 48 hours. His surrender was arranged through his attorney, Mr. Cocuzza said.
"We went to his house several times," Mr. Cocuzza said.
Not finding him, police notified authorities in Pennsylvania. Officers went to his workplace in Warrington, Pa., where he is employed by an electronics firm, but did not find him. An officer also was posted at the authority at the end of the Lambert Lane Extension behind the Lambertville Station.
Mr. Cocuzza would not say if the officer would remain on duty at the authority.
But he added, "Police will be paying special attention to the sewerage authority facility."
Mr. Cocuzza characterized Mr. Munice as "a chronic complainer about various issues with a tendency to get overexcited."
Mr. Komjathy "would like to see him prosecuted to the full extent of the law," Mr. Cocuzza said.
Mr. Komjathy was shaken by the threat and upset the authority’s employees were frightened. He called the threat "somewhat unnerving."
"What upsets me the most is it upsets the staff. Our staff works real hard," he said.
For the most part, residents seem to understand repairs to the system were necessary and would result in fewer problems in the future, he said. The authority received about a dozen phone calls of complaint, and "he made half of them," he said of Mr. Munice.
The vile odor stemming from the repair and upgrade had been cleared up, but March 13, in an unrelated incident, a malfunction caused additional odors to escape, according to Mr. Komjathy. That day Mr. Munice made calls to the mayor and to Mr. Komjathy at his home, Mr. Komjathy said. He instructed the authority’s staff to investigate the problem, and they took care of it, he said.
"The mayor and everyone else tried to bend over backward for this guy," Mr. Komjathy said. "This guy just hasn’t been able to let it go."
Mr. Komjathy said he still wants residents with complaints to call the authority. Even though the horrendous odor caused by the upgrade is gone, a new odor could indicate a different problem, he said. The board and the staff want to be "proactive" and responsive to complaints, he said.
During a City Council meeting March 15, Mr. Komjathy announced three telephone numbers residents could call to voice complaints or concerns. He emphasized calls would be taken both during and after business hours.
During business hours, residents can contact Executive Director Jim Meehan at 397-1496. After hours, complaints may be directed to a pager number, (888) 226-0299. Residents also may contact Frank Kramer, secretary of the board, at 397-0515.
"If you can’t reach me, call Director Cocuzza," Mr. Komjathy said. "He knows how to reach me, and we’ll get on it right away."
The authority last week announced $3.2 million worth of planned upgrades at the treatment facility and in the sewer collection system. The projects include replacements, additions and alterations to the pump stations at North Union, Ferry and Swan streets. The upgrades include converting to an airtight sludge holding tank.
Sludge will be chemically treated and mixed in the holding tank, utilizing state-of-the-art mixing equipment where it is prepared for further processing and de-watering.
The odors produced in this process will be removed through a vacuumed air duct, according to the release from the authority, and cleansed in an activated carbon air scrubber before being released into the open air. This will improve air quality surrounding the treatment facility and provide a more efficient sludge processing operation.
This project is scheduled to be completed in August.