JACKSON – Municipal officials have agreed to pay $15,000 to Aurora Environmental Inc., Union Beach, to settle an outstanding claim the company filed against the municipality.
Township Council members voted to authorize the settlement during a meeting on June 25.
According to a resolution passed by the council, Jackson officials and representatives of Aurora Environmental entered into an agreement in 2017 under the terms of a state contract. The agreement called for the company to complete fuel facility upgrades at the Jackson Department of Public Works.
The project was delayed and municipal officials and the company’s representatives disputed the total amount that was due to Aurora Environmental for its performance of the project. Jackson officials ultimately engaged another contractor to complete the project, according to the resolution.
Aurora Environmental filed a complaint against Jackson in state Superior Court alleging a breach of contract and seeking damages in the amount of $32,745. The parties were ordered by the court to participate in mediation.
As a result of mediation, the parties agreed to settle the lawsuit and dismiss all claims, with municipal officials agreeing to pay $15,000 to Aurora Environmental, according to the resolution.
In other business on June 25, council members voted to reappoint Jean Cipriani as Jackson’s township attorney and affordable housing attorney.
The action to reappoint Cipriani to both positions was necessitated by her recent move from the law firm of Gilmore & Monahan to the law firm of Rothstein, Mandell, Strohm & Halm. The appointments became effective on July 1 and will run through the end of the year.
Councilman Ken Bressi said it was an honor to authorize the resolution, adding, “I don’t think everybody realizes how much (Cipriani) has done for Jackson over the years.”
Council President Robert Nixon, Vice President Barry Calogero, Councilman Andrew Kern and Bressi voted “yes” on motions to pass both resolutions.
Cipriani joked that she was surprised Nixon and Calogero did not vote “no” on her appointment as Jackson’s affordable housing attorney.
“(Affordable housing) is our least favorite subject … but yes for you,” Nixon said.
“Thank you all very much, I appreciate it more than I can say,” Cipriani told council members after they appointed her to both positions.