December 1, 2009
Dominick Scaglione, Inspector General
County of Essex
Office of the Inspector General
Hall of Records, Room 519
Newark, NJ, 07102
Re: Award of Contract to Samuel Klein and Company
Statement of Certain Political Contributions
Second Request
Dear Mr. Scaglione:
As you will please recall, CWA Local 1081 wrote you the attached letter of October 4, 2009 in which our Union respectfully requested you “review the above cited contract between the County of Essex and Samuel Klein and Company in order to ascertain if the auditing firm appropriately completed the abovementioned Statement of Certain Political Contributions Made after July 11, 1986” To date, we have received no reply from you.
Please recall, as well, the attached letter of August 20, 2009 our Union wrote Essex County Administrator Joyce Wilson Harley in which we noted that “unless Samuel Klein and Company made no political contributions within the four years preceding the last twelve months cited within the company’s C.271 Political Contribution Disclosure Form the company appears not in compliance with the requirements of the County of Essex’s Statement of Certain Political Contributions Made after July 11, 1986”. CWA Local 1081 wrote you on October 4, 2009 due to the fact we received no reply from Ms. Harley.
Please consider this CWA Local 1081’s second attempt to have you review our concern regarding the County’s contract with Samuel Klein and Company and reply to our Union.
Sincerely,
David H. Weiner, President
CWA Local 1081
October 4, 2009
Dominick Scaglione, Inspector General
County of Essex
Office of the Inspector General
Hall of Records, Room 519
Newark, NJ, 07102
Re: Award of Contract to Samuel Klein and Company
Statement of Certain Political Contributions
Dear Mr. Scaglione:
As per the attached letter of August 20, 2009 CWA Local 1081 wrote Essex County Administrator Joyce Wilson Harley, Esq., entitled “Award of Contract to Samuel Klein and Company, Statement of Certain Political Contributions”, our Union opined that “unless Samuel Klein and Company made no political contributions within the four years preceding the last twelve months cited within the company’s C.271 Political Contribution Disclosure Form the company appears not in compliance with the requirements of the County of Essex’s Statement of Certain Political Contributions Made after July 11, 1986”. To date, our Union has not received a requested response from Ms. Harley.
As per the attached press release of April 24, 2003 from Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, entitled “County Executive DiVincenzo Announces ‘Due Diligence’ Investigations will Safeguard Integrity of Essex County Contract Process”, Mr. DiVincenzo is quoted as asserting “When I created the Office of Inspector General, one of the first things I asked Dominic Scaglione to do was to look into how Essex County awarded contracts. I wanted the process changed so the County could avoid any conflicts of interest and ensure the process was kept above board”.
In keeping with Mr. DiVincenzo’s charge to you, CWA Local 1081 respectfully requests you review the above cited contract between the County of Essex and Samuel Klein and Company in order to ascertain if the auditing firm appropriately completed the abovementioned Statement of Certain Political Contributions Made after July 11, 1986.
Sincerely,
David H. Weiner, President
CWA Local 1081
August 20, 2009
Joyce Wilson Harley, Esq., Administrator
County of Essex
Hall of Records
465 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Rm. 510
Newark, NJ, 07102
Re: Award of Contract to Samuel Klein and Company
Statement of Certain Political Contributions
Dear Ms. Wilson Harley:
CWA Local 1081 respectfully submits this request the administration of the County of Essex review the propriety of Resolution #7 of the agenda of the August 19, 2009 Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders awarding a contract to Samuel Klein and Company in the amount of $468,800.00 to perform four audits..
The resolution’s Statement of Certain Political Contributions Made after July 11, 1986 requires the following of Samuel Klein and Company:
Ordinance Number 0-86-0007, as amended by Ordinance Number 0-95-0003, adopted by the Board of Chosen Freeholders of the County of Essex, requires that all proposals for contracts submitted by individuals and/or business entities seeking to provide goods or to perform services for the County of Essex shall contain a statement setting forth each political contribution by them of $500.00 or more made within five years next preceding the date of said contract, either directly or indirectly, to any County elected political official, County political party and/or County officials, political organization, or any State political party.
Set forth name of County elected official, County political party and/or County Official, political organization, or State political party to whom a political contribution of $500.00
or more was made by proposer within five (5) years of the dated hereof. If none, write “NONE”.
The response provided by Samuel Klein and Company, contained within a C.271 Political Contribution Disclosure Form prepared by the company’s partner Joseph J. Faccone, states “The firm of Samuel Klein and Company, CPA’s and/or its partners have not made any reportable contributions during the last twelve months”.
Respectfully, unless Samuel Klein and Company made no political contributions within the four years preceding the last twelve months cited within the company’s C.271 Political Contribution Disclosure Form the company appears not in compliance with the requirements of the County of Essex’s Statement of Certain Political Contributions Made after July 11, 1986
Our Union thanks you, in advance, for your anticipated expeditious cooperation with this sincere supplication.
Yours truly,
David H. Weiner, President
CWA Local 1081