ROBBINSVILLE: Mayor defends top aide during raucous meeting

By Joanne Degnan, Managing Editor
   ROBBINSVILLE — Mayor Dave Fried emphatically defended his business administrator during a fractious Township Council meeting last week after the governing body’s newest member called for her resignation.
   Councilman Dave Boyne, who was sworn into office at the Nov. 29 meeting, said Township Business Administrator Joy Tozzi should resign from her $85,000 a year position because of the recent trial testimony of a federal witness who linked Ms. Tozzi to a public corruption scandal in Hamilton.
   Ms. Tozzi, who served on the Hamilton school board before coming to work for Mayor Fried in 2008, is not charged with a crime and has denied wrongdoing. Mayor Fried announced on Nov. 26 that an internal investigation conducted by the township attorney had found no improprieties on Ms. Tozzi’s part.
   ”To throw mud at people because it’s politically expedient stinks,” Mayor Fried told Mr. Boyne. “I’ve never once seen anything in (Ms. Tozzi’s) character to give me pause … we all owe it to her to give her the benefit of the doubt.”
   Minutes later, the mayor challenged Mr. Boyne to an “ethics debate.”
   ”I’ve got to tell you Mr. Boyne, you let me know when you want to have an ethics debate; you name the day and the time and I will be there. I’ve got to tell you I’ve got some things I want to talk about, about you, so name the time and place, sir.”
   The brouhaha began earlier in the meeting when Mr. Boyne tried unsuccessfully to have a resolution placed on the council’s agenda urging the mayor to seek Ms. Tozzi’s resignation. Mr. Boyne referenced media reports that a federal witness in former Hamilton Mayor John Bencivengo’s trial testified Ms. Tozzi took cash and gifts while on the school board and also funneled illegal campaign contributions to straw donors to donate to Hamilton GOP campaigns.
   Township Attorney Mark Roselli told Mr. Boyne personnel matters should be discussed in closed executive session. Mr. Roselli said Mr. Boyne or any other council member may suggest a resolution for the council’s consideration, but it is up to the council president to determine if it will be placed on the agenda.
   Mr. Boyne then repeated his request to Council President Ron Witt that the resolution be placed on the council’s agenda.
   ”I’m not prepared to comment on it at this time,” Mr. Witt told Mr. Boyne.
   ”What does that mean?” Mr. Boyne asked.
   ”It means exactly what I said,” Mr. Witt replied. “I’m not prepared to comment at this time.”
   ”Is that a yes or a no?” Mr. Boyne persisted.
   ”I’m not prepared to talk about it at this time,” Mr. Witt repeated, noting Ms. Tozzi’s situation is a personnel matter and an internal investigation already had been done.
   Mr. Boyne then asked the township attorney if there was a written report of that internal investigation.
   ”It is a personnel matter that I’m not going to discuss publicly,” Mr. Roselli responded.
   The back and forth continued for several more minutes until Mr. Witt banged his gavel and called for a five-minute recess.
   Later, during the public participation portion of the meeting, critics and supporters weighed on the controversy while Ms. Tozzi listened from her usual seat next to Mr. Roselli without publicly addressing the comments made about her.
   Patriot Drive resident Sonja Walter, a former councilwoman and political opponent of Mr. Fried, took issue with what she said was an inconsistent approach to employees accused of wrongdoing. Ms. Walter reminded the council of a former township employee, whom she did not identify, who was accused of a crime, forced to resign, and then eventually exonerated of wrongdoing.
   ”The historical treatment of employees is completely different depending on who you are,” Ms. Walter said.
   Others came to Ms. Tozzi’s defense. Mark Cubberley, of Hamilton, said public “employees have rights” and that township officials who attack them in public meetings “create a liability for the town and the taxpayers.”
   Mercer Mobile Homes resident Betty Alfano said the federal witness in the Bencivengo trial that was given immunity from prosecution for her own crimes had no credibility. Ms. Tozzi has been “put through hell,” she said.
   ”Stop the witch-hunt!” Ms. Alfano shouted. “Stop hurting people! Stop destroying people’s families!”
   Rich Cruser, of Windsor-Edinburg Road, told the governing body it was the worst Township Council meeting he had ever witnessed.
   ”Somebody comes here to do their job and you try to put them down in front of everybody,” Mr. Cruser said, referring to the criticism leveled against Ms. Tozzi.
   ”This should go before the committee, not in this room with all of us,” Mr. Cruser said. “I’m sorry I live in this township sometimes…”