Capodanno Files State Ethics Complaint Against Mayoral Candidate Jeff Martin Over Conflict of Interest in Robbinsville Sewer Issue and Martin’s Employer

Although curious, and against the best interest of Hamiltonians, Mayoral Candidate Jeff Martin’s actions in the sewer battle between Hamilton and Robbinsville might be due to his employer – a local insurance broker – who has recently been paid for doing work for Robbinsville.

Former Councilman Vinnie Capodanno has filed a State Ethics Complaint with the State of New Jersey to investigate what appears to be a clear conflict of interest, or at the very least, causes the appearance of a serious conflict.

Shortly after winning his election for Hamilton Township Council, Jeff Martin was hired by insurance broker, Borden-Perlman. The insurance company recently, and may still currently, do work for Robbinsville Township.  Therefore, Martin and his employer would have a vested interest to side with Robbinsville in the battle to determine how much the neighboring town should pay Hamilton for sewer service.

“Martin’s secret meetings with Robbinsville’s Mayor, his voicing concerns for ‘Robbinsville taxpayers’, his writing the Murphy Administration to stall a tax cut for Hamiltonians because of the sewer issue and his agreement with Robbinsville for a ‘rate study’ to stall them paying their fair share were clearly against the best interests of Hamiltonians.  But now we may know why!  It looks Martin may have had a clear conflict of interest due to his employer,” says Capodanno.

“Because Robbinsville doesn’t bid insurance contracts like Hamilton, and isn’t transparent through its website, we don’t even know if Martin’s employer still does business with Robbinsville or if they did during the period that Martin served on Hamilton Council.  And if Martin’s employer only recently cut ties with Robbinsville, there certainly wasn’t much of a ‘cooling off period’ like is required in certain professions,” says Capodanno.

“Once again, it shows that Martin shouldn’t have been allowed to act on any part of the sewer issue.  It shows that he should have, and still should, recuse himself from any Township business related to the sewer system and Robbinsville. Instead, he’s served as ‘Robbinsville’s sixth Councilman’ by being Dave Fried’s pawn, while Robbinsville owes Hamilton taxpayers $2.8 million,” says Capodanno.