The Hudson County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously (9-0) to adopt an ordinance establishing the Office of Inspector General at last week’s meeting.
By Dan Israel/Hudson County View
The proposal by Hudson County Executive Craig Guy came about in the wake of former Hudson County Parks Department Director Russell Fallacara pleading guilty to his role in a $1.5 million vendor kickback scheme.
At the August 13th meeting, after voting to adopt the ordinance, Commissioner Bill O’Dea (D-2) explained his concerns were assuaged by County Counsel Alberico De Pierro during a committee meeting.
“We had a committee meeting the other day where the County Counsel laid out the process for identifying and vetting the individual that will hold this position,” O’Dea said.
“I left that meeting satisfied that the process is going to be one that is going to look for someone who has the level of law enforcement expertise, as well as proven independence to be able to properly carry out this job.”
According to the ordinance, the Law Department director will appoint the inspector general to “promote efficiency, accountability, and integrity of the county government,” including but not limited to departments, divisions, authorities, agencies, boards, and nonprofits.
The inspector general’s duties and responsibilities will include initiating, supervising, and or conducting internal investigative activities as necessary, including fraud, waste, or misconduct in county government.
They will recommend policies to Guy, County Administrator Abe Antun, and County Counsel De Pierro designed “to detect, deter, prevent, and eliminate fraud, waste, and misconduct in county government.”
De Pierro will be responsible for referring matters to the appropriate agency or agencies for criminal prosecution or civil litigation.
The commissioners voted to introduce the ordinance in July, and while they were didn’t say much on the subject at the time, at Tuesday’s caucus meeting they praised and probed the proposal prior to its official introduction.
Hudson County said that Fallacara resigned for “personal reasons” in late January 2024, as only HCV reported.
Fallacara was hired by Hudson County after serving his time and was promoted to the role of director in 2022, before pleading guilty in late July.
Fallacara was one of 16 arrested in an FBI sting in August 2005, with then-U.S. Attorney Chris Christie’s office alleging that Fallacara was “was an associate of the Genovese Crime Family and part of the crew headed by Joseph Scarbrough.”
In addition to Fallacara, former Parks Department Director Thomas DeLeo was also charged back in March and has since also admitted guilt.
While the timing implies that the move came in the wake of Fallacara’s guilty plea, Guy told HCV this was something he had been contemplating for a while.
“This is something that I think our president should consider, an inspector general for checks and balances on that government,” Guy said.
“So I think an independent voice, independent set of minds and ears and knowledge and history needs to be on government. And being transparent and having government and their electeds be transparent is paramount.”
Near the end of the July meeting, O’Dea distributed a memorandum related to the inspector general ordinance that was introduced prior to set up a committee through the contracts committee to further discuss the proposal before last Thursday’s final vote.
According to O’Dea, the intention is to facilitate a discussion between Guy, De Pierro, and other relevant parties for a cooperative effort on the topic.
De Pierro told the board that they will be following Essex County’s benchmark in establishing the new position, having spoken earlier that day with their respective inspector general and county counsel.
