BY LAUREN MATTHEW
Staff Writer
A second Old Bridge employee was indicted last week on bribery charges, and officials say he may not be the last.
Barry C. Bowers, a township engineering inspector, is accused of seeking and receiving thousands of dollars in financial favors from developers doing business with the township, in exchange for favorable service and rulings on applications, permits and inspections, according to state Attorney General Peter C. Harvey’s office.
“The investigation is still going on for Old Bridge,” said John Hagerty, spokesman for the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice.
Bowers faces two counts of second-degree official misconduct, three counts of acceptance or receipt of unlawful benefit by public servant, and six counts of gifts to public servant.
His indictment comes just weeks after Old Bridge’s township engineer, John P. Vincenti, 43, was indicted on the same charges in addition to witness tampering and obstructing the administration of law. Vincenti, who was Bowers’ supervisor, is accused of soliciting and receiving $3,800 from a developer, and using the funds for landscaping work at his home in Brick, Ocean County.
Vincenti was arraigned on the charges last Thursday, entering a plea of not guilty.
Bowers, 63, a Point Pleasant resident, allegedly gained gifts totaling more than $27,000 from developers and contractors doing business in Old Bridge.
The indictment, handed up by a state grand jury in state Superior Court, Mercer County, specifically lists five instances in which investigators allege Bowers arranged for builders to perform work at his home, relatives’ homes or an engineering secretary’s home.
Between April and June 1999, the indictment says, Bowers received Andersen windows valued at $7,439 and a $329 decorative exterior railing for his home, all paid for by Woodcliff Developers Inc., the builder of Oxford Estates in Old Bridge.
That same year, between September and November, Bowers allegedly arranged for the replacement of a $2,025 furnace at the home of an engineering department secretary, paid for by Woodcliff. The secretary, who is no longer employed by the township, is not currently facing charges, according to Hagerty.
“The continuing investigation has not filed charges yet,” he said. “It remains an open question at this point in time.”
In the summer of 2001, Bowers allegedly acquired “top of the line” kitchen cabinets and countertops costing more than $13,000. The kitchen accessories were paid for by Atlantic Realty Inc., the developer responsible for Matchaponix Hills, Matchaponix Estates, Presidential Estates and Rocky Creek. Atlantic Realty is also the developer that allegedly paid for the removal of trees at Vincenti’s home.
Bowers is also charged with arranging the installation of Andersen windows and accessories at his son-in-law’s home in Point Pleasant, and having a garage door installed at his son’s home in the same town. Both projects, valued at $1,500 and $1,200, respectively, were paid for by Atlantic Realty or representatives of that firm, according to the indictment.
“This indictment results from an ongoing state investigation targeting public corruption by municipal officials who have demanded favors and services from developers and contractors doing business with the municipality,” Harvey said in a statement released Thursday. “This type of corruption reaches into all levels of government and truly impacts the level of municipal services and the quality of life in our municipalities.”
State investigators have been looking into allegations in Old Bridge at least since January 2004, when the attorney general’s office issued a subpoena for records and paperwork pertaining to five employees of the township’s engineering and building departments. Vincenti and Bowers were among those employees, who also included now-resigned engineering department secretary Mary Chin, now-retired construction official Ronald Concannon, and sub-code official John D. Amabile.
Bowers was hired by the township in August 1994 and has worked as an engineering inspector since that time. According to the attorney general’s office, Bowers was responsible for implementing the permitting functions of the department, including fee assessment and collection, application review, permit issuance, inspection and occupancy.
Township Administrator Michael Jacobs said much of Bowers’ focus was to inspect the infrastructure of roads, sidewalks and curbs. He also dealt with drainage issues.
“We don’t have the concern over houses [with Bowers],” Jacobs said.
There is no reason to suspect substandard work on Bowers’ part, Jacobs noted.
Like Vincenti, Bowers was suspended without pay following his indictment March 2. The township will pay consultant inspectors to perform his work. Old Bridge also has a second site inspector whose job is similar to Bowers’, Jacobs noted.
Assistant Township Engineer Parminder Sumal has served as acting engineer since Vincenti was indicted. Jacobs took over Vincenti’s other role as head of community development.
“We’re going to treat Mr. Bowers the same way we treated Mr. Vincenti,” Jacobs explained.
“A public employee should expect to be under scrutiny,” he continued. “I think these situations [the indictments of Vincenti and Bowers] are unique. They do not represent Old Bridge employees. Most are dedicated and hard-working.”
Atlantic Realty’s applications with the township are already the subject of a township review, according to Mayor Jim Phillips. The engineering firm CME Associates has been retained by the township to look at Atlantic Realty projects.
“Any [company] associated with the attorney general’s investigation will certainly be looked at,” Phillips said.
Consultants are being paid through escrow funds kept by the township, according to Jacobs.
“There is an impact to the budget, though,” he said, noting that a second review of projects could cost the township more money. Atlantic Realty will be among those developers who are “spot-checked,” he said.
“There will be some cost there,” he noted.
Atlantic Realty representatives have not returned calls seeking comment on Vincenti’s or Bowers’ charges.
“It’s very unfortunate that we have this problem in this town,” said Township Councilman G. Kevin Calogera.
The councilman contends that the attorney general’s office has been slow to act on allegations of wrongdoing in Old Bridge. Residents, he said, have voiced their concern and disappointment to him about the two indictments.
People should be able to trust their government and officials, he noted.
“A lot of people just do not feel that way right now,” Calogera said.
“I do think more indictments are coming,” he added. “Our employees have to conduct themselves in a manner befitting their position.”
Hagerty would only say that the “potential” exists for additional indictments related to Old Bridge. His office is looking at additional allegations that township employees solicited money or favors in exchange for favorable treatment with the township.
Hagerty has declined to comment further on the investigation, which he said began with a tip given to the state Division of Criminal Justice in 2003. As for the methods used in the investigation, the attorney general’s office will only say that it uses “undercover investigative techniques and other investigative procedures to document the alleged illegal activity.”
Township officials remain firm in their position that they will help with the investigation.
“We’ve been working with the attorney general shoulder to shoulder,” Jacobs said.
Phillips echoed that statement, noting, however, that the indictments stem from events that are alleged to have taken place before his administration.
“The sooner the attorney general’s office can make a clean sweep of this, the better I’ll like it,” the mayor said.
If convicted on all counts, Bowers could face more than 20 years in prison and fines of more than $750,000.
No court date has been set for Bowers yet, Hagerty said. Bowers will be notified of his arraignment date through a complaint summons.
Bowers’ attorney, Robert Levy, of Scarinci & Hollenbeck, Lyndhurst, was unavailable for comment.