County takes over investigation of LTMUA scrap-metal sales

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County takes over investigation of LTMUA scrap-metal sales

By RICHARD DEGENER Staff Writer, 609-463-6711

Published: Saturday, September 27, 2008

LOWER TOWNSHIP - The Cape May County Prosecutor's Office has taken over an investigation into whether workers at the local Municipal Utilities Authority illegally sold scrap metal from the Bayshore Road utility

The LTMUA had been doing an internal investigation that resulted in two longtime workers being put on paid leave. Authority Executive Director Mike DeMarcantonio said news reports about the case alerted county authorities, who decided to investigate.

"They read it in the newspaper and wanted to know what was going on. They want to investigate any criminal wrongdoing," DeMarcantonio said Friday.

Cape May County Prosecutor Robert Taylor could not be reached for comment Friday.

The internal investigation, led by authority attorney Peter Tourison, is now on hold. If no criminal wrongdoing is found, DeMarcantonio said the case could be referred to the authority as an administrative matter in which disciplinary decisions would be made by the board of commissioners that oversees the water and sewer utility.

On Sept. 11, Superintendent Clifford Gall and Supervisor John Chew were suspended with pay as Tourison began looking into the sales of old water meters and other scrap metal. By law, any revenue from such sales belongs to the utility.

E-mail Richard Degener:

RDegener@pressofac.com