Hamilton CFO John Barrett sues Mayor Yaede, seeks damages for alleged workplace harassment
HAMILTON >> Hamilton’s Chief Financial Officer John Barrett filed a lawsuit against Mayor Kelly Yaede and other township officials Tuesday, saying the administration subjected him to harassment and violated his constitutional rights.
Barrett, who has been suspended with pay, is fighting back as the Yaede administration seeks to fire him on allegations of incompetency and insubordination.
Barrett last month filed a state ethics complaint alleging Hamilton Business Administrator Dave Kenny and township employee Richard J. Mulrine, Yaede’s brotherin-law, had both provided unauthorized approval on two recent purchase orders, including nearly $5,000 in reimbursements to the mayor for hotel lodging expenses she had incurred.
“Barrett reasonably believed that the execution of both purchase orders violated statutory and regulatory requirements governing municipal funds because he was required to execute the same,” according to Barrett’s lawsuit, which was filed in Mercer County Superior Court with the assistance of attorney Colin G. Bell.
The CFO also reported other alleged improprieties in the township, prompting Yaede, Kenny and Mayoral Chief of Staff Marty Flynn to “retaliate against Barrett,” he alleges in his lawsuit, which demands a trial by jury and punitive damages.
“Barrett has suffered and continues to suffer damages, including, but not limited to, pain, suffering, humiliation and embarrassment,” according to his civil-action complaint that accuses the mayor and other township bigwigs of acting “maliciously or with willful wanton disregard for Barrett’s rights.”
The Yaede administration filed tenure charges Jan. 4 seeking to get Barrett fired for alleged insubordination and incompetency. The seven-count complaint accuses Barrett of theft, misappropriation of funds, employee misconduct and inefficient job performance, among other bombshell allegations.
The infighting within the Yaede administration reached new heights earlier this month when Kenny and Flynn barged into Barrett’s CFO offices demanding possession of his townshipowned laptop computer. Instead of complying, Barrett called 9-1-1, complained of workplace harassment and ended up leaving the municipal building with his laptop in tow.
Kenny accuses Barrett of stealing the computer and even filed a theft report with the Hamilton Township Police Division. The business administrator declined to comment Tuesday on this story, saying he had not seen a copy of Barrett’s newly filed lawsuit.
“I don’t know anything about it,” Kenny said. “I am not going to respond without seeing it.”
The mayor gave similar remarks while also highlighting the seriousness of the tenure charges that Barrett faces.
“I have not received any information pertaining to a new complaint filed by Mr. Barrett,” she said Tuesday in a press statement. “Very serious concerns have come to light regarding Mr. Barrett’s serving as full-time Chief Financial Officer of Hamilton ($136,000) while simultaneously serving as Business Administrator in Spring Lake Heights ($60,000-$115,000). While the State is going through their Tenure Charge process, my focus will be on the performance of all departments and ensuring uninterrupted services to our residents.”
Barrett’s lawsuit names Yaede, Kenny, Flynn and Hamilton Township as defendants.