BY JENNIFER DOME
Staff Writer
The FBI’s Red Bank office has joined the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office in a joint investigation of “Brick Township matters,” according to Executive Ocean County Assistant Prosecutor Robert Gasser.
Township officials confirmed this week that at least part of the investigation involves the township’s Department of Public Works former director, Jack Nydam, who was indicted recently for allegedly accepting payments from a contractor who did business with the township.
The FBI is looking into the possible connection between Nydam and Howell-based International Trucks of Central Jersey, a company that was the focus of recent indictments in Monmouth County, officials said.
Gasser would not confirm who the Prosecutor’s Office was investigating. Reading a statement from Ocean County Prosecutor Thomas F. Kelaher, he said, “Beyond recognizing our joint cooperation [with the FBI], I can’t elaborate further as this is an ongoing investigation.”
Gasser said he does not expect charges to be lodged against anyone this week because the prosecutor “doesn’t want to do these piecemeal.” He would not release more details on who else may be under investigation.
Nydam was indicted by an Ocean County grand jury for official misconduct, four counts of compensation for past official behavior, and witness tampering after allegedly accepting payments from Samuel A. Davis, of Monmouth Ocean Contracting and Hardrock Industries, totaling $2,700.
Nydam, who earned $110,000 a year, was put on administrative leave without pay in August after he allegedly had township employees erect a board-on-board fence between his property and a park next to his home. Nydam has since been suspended from the director’s position without pay.
Township Business Administrator Scott MacFadden said that about three weeks ago, Rick Mattson, the township’s fleet maintenance supervisor, was questioned by the FBI about Nydam and International Trucks.
The township has paid International Trucks approximately $1.9 million since 1998, according to MacFadden. Eighteen trucks were purchased during that time, including one-man recycling trucks for the Department of Public Works. All of the trucks were purchased through sealed bids after advertising with three newspapers and on the Internet, the business administrator said. The township also sent out notices to 39 potential bidders.
“We try to create as much competition as possible,” MacFadden said.
The township also paid $84,850 to International Trucks’ sister company, Air Brake and Equipment Co., for parts and repairs. Those payments were made in accordance with state contract regulations, MacFadden said.
The FBI’s arrest of 11 Monmouth County officials on extortion and money-laundering charges in February was just the first round of an operation that will net “dozens more arrests,” FBI officials said.
Among those arrested were mayors John Merla of Keyport, Paul Coughlin of Hazlet, and Paul Zambrano of West Long Branch. The trio was charged with one count of extortion under color of official right. Several councilmen, a committeeman and Monmouth County officials were also arrested on the same charge.
Then, in March, International Trucks’ former owner, Stephen Appolonia of Colts Neck, was arrested and charged with allegedly laundering more than $350,000.
Appolonia, 52, has since resigned from International Trucks and his brother, Michael, now runs the company, according to the company’s attorney Anthony J. Iacullo, Nutley.
“Any dealings that we had with Brick Township were aboveboard,” Iacullo said Monday. “The company is going forward and maintaining the good relationship that it had with Brick in the past.”
Officials’ reactions
Mayor Joseph Scarpelli said it’s important not to paint the community and all its elected officials with the same broad brush when something like this happens.
“Brick Township is a good community and we’re just going to have to work through this tumultuous time,” Scarpelli said.
Council President Ruthanne Scaturro said she wasn’t surprised to find out the FBI had joined in the investigation.
“There are some questionable things on the surface, I guess, that have occurred,” Scaturro said.
As of Monday, Scaturro said she didn’t know of any council members that had been brought in for questioning.
Councilman Fred Underwood said that because of the volume of Brick’s purchases with International Trucks, it’s not surprising that the FBI would have to look at the township’s dealings with the company.
Underwood said he believes the Republican Party has made a point of blaming the Democrats for anything bad that happens in the township. He said that Nydam was appointed to the director’s position in 1990 by then-mayor Stevan Zboyan, a Republican. Then, when Scarpelli came on board, the Township Council was comprised of all Republicans.
By the time the Democrats held the majority on the council, the township was purchasing new garbage trucks, something Nydam had a lot of experience with, Underwood said.
“With that, he had to stay on,” Underwood said.
He said that Councilman Stephen Acropolis is trying “to dig up every rock and look under it.” Acropolis, a Republican, is running for the mayor’s seat against Democratic Councilwoman Kathy Russell.
“Don’t blame the fact that it rained today on the Democrats,” Underwood said.
Acropolis said that this is not a Democrat or Republican issue.
“If it turns out that there are Republicans in Ocean County that have done something wrong, they should be held to the same tough standard,” Acropolis said Monday.
Acropolis said he also was not surprised to hear the FBI was investigating township matters.
“I’ve been very clear on what people should be doing and what people shouldn’t be doing,” Acropolis said. “There’s a lot of these shenanigans going around.
“It’s sad that the FBI has to come to Brick Township for possible corruption,” he continued. Acropolis likened the news of recent events to having a tooth pulled — saying that it will hurt but it will be worth it.
“We need to restore some of the faith in the elected officials,” he said.
“It’s time for us not to be under that veil,” Scaturro said.
— Dan Newman and Karen E. Bowes contributed to this story