Blaettler calls on state to investigate Union City inspector’s $55k job

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East Coast Private Investigations President Joe Blaettler sent a letter to the State Department of Community Affairs earlier this month asking them to investigate what he believes are inconsistencies found with a $55,000 a year job that appears to only require five hours of work a week. Joe Blaettler

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

In a letter dated December 3, addressed to Timothy Cunningham, the director of the DCA’s division of local government services, Blaettler calls for action to be taken against Frank Tattoli.

Tattoli is a plumbing sub-code official that earns $55,000 a year for seemingly just five hours of work a week, according to a previous Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request submitted to the city by Blaetter.

More curious is the fact that a request for employment approval Union City submitted to the DCA back on October 19, 2010 asked for Tattoli to be hired at an annual salary of just $30,000 a year.

“It has been brought to my attention that sometime in 2011 Union City Mayor Brian P. Stack filed a Request for Employment Approval [sic] to hire Francesco Tattoli as a part time plumbing sub code inspector at a salary of $30,000,” Blaettler wrote.

“After the request was submitted and Mr. Tattoli was hired, Union City filed a Personnel Action Form [sic] with  the Department of Civil Service listing him at a minimum of $55,000. I have confirmed via an OPRA request that MR. Tattoli is in fact earning $55,00 per year for a Five (5) hour a week job.”

Blaetter exclaims that since Union City is “fiscally under the control of DLGS” it’s “outrageous” for someone to be paid such a high salary for such a minimal work week.

According to a state certification for Union City in calendar year 2015/fiscal year 2016, the North Hudson municipality most recently received $15,450,162 in transitional aid from the DCA.

If this situation sounds familiar, it’s because Hudson County View profiled Tattoli in an exclusive report that revealed he had been traveling to his summer home in Seaside Park with his Weehawken municipal vehicle.

Tattoli is the construction code official in Weehawken and Mayor Richard Turner defended the department head’s car usage, given that he is “on call 24/7.”

Tammori Petty, a DCA spokeswoman, said in an email that the DCA’s Divison of Local Government Services “is aware of the allegations raised by Mr. Blaettler and is looking into the matter.”

Petty added that the agency would not be commenting further until the investigation is completed.

A copy of Blaettler’s letter can be read here.


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