Today, Lodi Boro Hall finally decided to turn over something responsive to multiple OPRA requests pertaining to the $15,000 pay raise for the mayor’s son. For months, the Luna administration violated the Open Public Records Act multiple times when it denied the public access to public records.
Link to the May 12th Closed Session
Minutes:
In 2019, the Lodi mayor and council added a new
borough position for Scott Luna’s son: “Recreation
Leader” with a $50,000 salary.
In 2020, the Lodi mayor and council added yet another new borough position for Scott Luna’s son: ‘Recreation
Program Coordinator” with a $65,000 salary.
In the year 2020, I don’t understand how public positions
are NOT open to the public. I don’t
understand how public positions are NOT advertised. I don’t understand how no other members of the public
can apply or compete for these public positions.
This is not OK.
This is what Tony Luna was fined by the State for doing.
Pay close attention to the arrangement described on
the meeting minutes. This is a long time
tactic by the Luna family. When public positions
are reserved for the Luna family but the Luna relatives are NOT qualified at
the time, someone else in borough hall is designated as “Acting” while the Luna
relatives buy time to work on some “qualifications”. When Tony Luna hired his daughter in 2012, he named himself “Acting Treasurer”. He was the "Borough Manager" at the time, was not qualified to be Treasurer, and was NOT performing any roles of the Treasurer.
After Garrett Luna was hired in Recreation in 2019,
his name appeared on borough bills. Lodi
taxpayers paid for him to take courses that he should have taken before his
employment.
The
meeting minutes also show that the Luna Council and Vincent Caruso continue to
violate the Open Public Meetings Act. Discussing personnel issues would take place in
closed session. However, taking
personnel actions is required to be discussed in open session. If a new title was added for the mayor’s son,
that is no longer a discussion. That is
action. Vincent Caruso was required to
report that in open session.
The Lodi mayor and council constantly go into closed session
to discuss any items that they want to hide from the public even when those
items are required to be discussed in open.
