Hamilton Twp. officials hope Barrett laptop investigation covers their acts of impropriety

As intrigue swirls around Hamilton Twp. politics including a failed confiscation of the personal computer belonging to CFO John Barrett, Disney World offered a perfect getaway.

“Yes, I can confirm John Barrett is on vacation in Florida but it’s a vacation that had been planned well before what happened the other day with his computer,” Colin Bell, Barrett’s attorney said.

“In fact, Dave Kenny (business administrator) and Marty Flynn (mayoral chief of staff) knew that John was on his way to Florida. That’s why they approached him the day before he left. Yes, the computer is in his possession. And, yes, we intend to deliver the computer. John will turn it over, fully preserved and nothing will be deleted. Even if it were, they would be able to tell. My client has nothing to hide.”

Hide? Something to hide? With Flynn and Kenny inside his office and constantly in misstep during a dance with Barrett for the turn over of his computer, it’s reasonable that they believe there’s something on that computer that can deliver retaliation for Barrett delivering shade to a recent business expense awarded to Mayor Kelly Yaede.

The Trentonian reported Barrett last month filed a state ethics complaint alleging Kenny and township employee Richard J. Mulrine, Yaede’s brother-in-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.

In a Dec. 13 email, Barrett contacted officials in the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ Division of Local Government Services with explosive allegations. Barrett accuses Mulrine of “theft of time” in that email and said he reported the alleged matter to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office. Barrett also issued no-holds-barred commentary on his perception of Kenny and Flynn.

“What I am witnessing in Hamilton has never been seen before in any town I have ever worked,” Barrett said in the email to three DCA officials, according to a copy obtained by The Trentonian. “Dave Kenny has experience as a councilperson and Marty Flynn worked as a coach for schoolboards. They are walking around like thugs threatening me and others who don’t comply with their directives which are contrary to state law. I will continue to stand up against this and appreciate having your team to reach out to in times like this,” Barrett wrote.

Such talk in Hamilton Twp. can cultivate serious retribution as Kenny and Flynn visited Barrett’s office last Wednesday. A review of the video showed not quite all of the Mayor’s men delivering a full-court press for the computer as Barrett offered repeated refusals. In desperation mode, Barrett asks both men to leave his office.

Flynn and Kenny heard Barrett reach a 9-1-1 dispatcher who asked about the emergency call. Barrett described the “harassment” situation as the woman promised to send a Hamilton Twp. police officer. Both men left reluctantly as they pressed Barrett for the computer.

“So, you’re refusing to turn over Township property,” Kenny asked. Barrett declined a reply.

Kenny told The Trentonian the administration had “reasons to want to take possession” of Barrett’s computer, which is “township property,” he said. He would not give further information on why the administration wanted Barrett’s computer.

Back to the question of what they’re looking for. Barrett, considered an expert in fiduciary matters, provides contract services for other local municipalities, completely on his own time, an arrangement most Hamilton Twp. officials were aware of and did not have any concern until his recent pushback against the administration. In fact, Mulrine, for a period of time, worked on some of these contracts with Barrett, at least, up until early November when he left the partnership.

Hamilton Twp. officials want to examine the Barrett computer, likely hoping to discover that the chief financial officer had worked on private business ventures on Hamilton Twp. time. It’s a witch hunt and retaliation with hope to cloud the issue regarding the $5,000 reimbursement and complaints filed by Barrett.