Somerset County Concludes Investigation of Sale of Horses by Park Commission

County Requests Park Commission Review the Private Sale of 27 Lord Stirling Stables Horses and Take Necessary Action

SOMERVILLE – Somerset County Counsel Joe DeMarco issued a letter addressing an investigation into the sale by the independent Somerset County Park Commission of livestock at the Lord Stirling Stables in Basking Ridge, NJ. The review determined that the transactions were conducted outside of regulations promulgated by the NJ Division of Local Government Services and without the knowledge or participation of the Somerset County Purchasing Agent.

The investigation, conducted by the law firm of Ruderman & Roth at the behest of the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders, was initiated following residents’ concerns over the sale of 27 horses owned by the Park Commission to a ranch in Vermont without public notification or input.

The Somerset County Park Commission is an independent governing agency operating with its own authority. The Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders appoints Commissioners to the Park Commission but has no direct control over day-to-day operations of the organization.

The report states, “The Park Commission and the Executive Director did not follow the established procedures for disposing of public property, be it equipment or in this case livestock.”

Ruderman & Roth found that the Park Commission and its Executive Director did not follow the established procedures of the Commission, the County, or the State for the sale of the horses in a private sale. New Jersey’s Local Public Contracts Law requires a “Qualified Purchasing Agent” (QPA) to administer the disposal of surplus property. The Park Commission had designated the Somerset County Purchasing Agent as its QPA, but the Purchasing Agent was not notified of the sale of the horses, and the sale was conducted without the Purchasing Agent’s knowledge.

In the letter dated September 28, 2020, DeMarco transmitted the report to the Park Commission and a request that it “take the necessary steps to review the sale of the horses and take corrective action if needed.”

The investigation notes that while established procurement rules and guidelines were not followed, and the Somerset County Purchasing Agent was bypassed, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office issued a letter on July 28, 2020, indicating that the sale of the horses was not in violation of New Jersey state civil statutes.

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