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Health & Fitness

"Is Corruption Still Wide AND Deep?"

Each of the Monmouth County Republican Freeholders received illegal donations from Birdsall designed to influence the county purchasing process. But the Freeholders and their administrators are in constant refrain that such corruption doesn’t really affect the purchasing process. In harmonic chorus Freeholder Arnone says the bidding and purchasing process is “independent from the Freeholders”, County Counsel Bazer says the purchasing department and process is “above reproach”, and Purchasing Director Gerri Popkin says there is no tie-in between political contributions and purchasing.

But (then US Attorney) Chris Christie’s comment that political corruption in Monmouth County is both wide AND deep may ring more true. Facts indicate that Monmouth County purchasing may be neither independent, beyond reproach, nor disconnected from political fundraising.

While Freeholder Arnone (from Neptune City) declares independence, the Monmouth County ‘Fair and Open” Process resolution indicates that purchasing is not independent and that the Freeholders have control and ‘sole discretion’ over county purchasing processes. For example, bids for some services (e.g. engineering) are often for one year but can be renewed annually for an additional two years without bidding. In fact the New Jersey Institute of Government Attorneys said “the definition of the ‘fair and open process’ is so ambiguous as to be meaningless”.

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Meanwhile numerous vendor complaints about county purchasing procedures indicate that the process may be well with the realm of reproach. For example, recently vendors complained that Purchasing;

1)    -Was using distributor, rather than manufacturer, part numbers,

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2)    -Was purchasing trucks that don’t meet US emissions standards,

3)    -Was specifying 30 day delivery on custom trucks, and

4)    -that they should hold important pre bid meetings (a common industry practice).

At a most recent meeting a vendor complained about several problems that he has had with purchasing including their not bidding certain items, mislabeling items, etc. 

Other facts indicate that the connection between political fundraising and purchasing may be long standing as well as deep. Purchasing Director Gerri Popkin has been Monmouth County Purchasing Director for 26 years with responsibility for purchasing $100 million of good and services annually. She is also a longtime, active, and important Republican political operative.

Popkin (also from Neptune City) was the Monmouth County Republican Campaign Coordinator (for 23 years), the Monmouth County GOP Secretary, the Neptune City GOP Municipal Chair, and is the current Vice President of the Monmouth County Affiliated Republican Club. Popkin even advertises that she holds some of these political positions as well as her purchasing position thus making a direct and visual connection between purchasing and political fundraising. State ethics rules prohibit a State official from using his or her official title for the purpose of fundraising for, or promotion of, a private organization.   

As a matter of minimum and sound business practice, Popkin should be rotated out of such a highly sensitive county purchasing position while maintaining such a high profile political position. 





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