LAKEWOOD FIRE COMMISSIONERS REAPPOINT ATTORNEY IAN GOLDMAN



Many things can be said regarding the Lakewood Fire District. Transparency, curbing conflicts of interest, and watching the taxpayers dollars are definitely not among those things.


Following approval of their $2 million in new taxes, the Lakewood Board of Fire Commissioners has just reappointed Ian Goldman as their attorney for 2025. Mr. Goldman will receive $195 per hour, in an amount not to exceed $85,000.


Last year, 3 law firms submitted competing proposals for the position. Thanks to some crafty loopholes, the commissioners ensured they can keep their prized attorney despite that the other proposals submitted charged lower hourly rates. Seeing how the deck was stacked against them, the other law firms did not even bother to submit proposals this year.


New Jersey State law requires that contracts above certain amounts need to be bid out to the lowest bidder, through the publishing of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ).


The New Jersey Local Public Contracts Law (NJSA 40A:11-4.4) specifically provides that "the competitive contracting process shall... include all requirements deemed appropriate and necessary to allow for full and free competition between vendors; information necessary for potential vendors to submit a proposal."


In other words, the bidding process needs to be "fair and open to all."


Typically, contracts get awarded to the lowest responsive and qualified bidder. Accordingly, any attorney who submits a proposal cheaper than Mr. Goldman's proposal would win the contract.


However, the Board sneakily worked around this "issue" thanks to wording their RFQ to expressly stipulate that they will "award a contract to the firm that best meets the needs and interests of the Board and the Fire District," and that they "reserve the right to... accept any proposal deemed in the best interest of the Board and the Fire District."


N.J.S.A. 40A:11-4.5 provides this legal loophole, permitting governing bodies to write their "methodology" for their proposal and to "evaluate all proposals only in accordance with the methodology described in the request for proposals."


Mr. Goldman isn't the only one who just got a nice contract.


The Board decided that due to all the new firefighters they keep on hiring, they now have "a need to acquire the professional service of Labor Counsel." To that end they just hired Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs, LLC for $195.00 per hour with no "amount not to exceed."


The Board also approved the reappointment of the firm of Sendzik & Sendzik, P.C. as professional special legal counsel. This firm will be paid $185.00 per hour "for projects as directed by the Board and agreed upon by and between the parties," according to the resolution of award.


To join the FAA News WhatsApp Status, click here.



No comments: