Belleville Zoning Official Sues Mayor Over Long-Running Dispute

BELLEVILLE, NJ — A town official in Belleville has filed a lawsuit against Mayor Michael Melham, the latest action in a long-running dispute involving development, finance and local government.

Frank DeLorenzo, a construction official and zoning officer in Belleville, claims that Melham began “retaliating” against him after he denied the mayor a permit for a building that allegedly wasn’t up to code in 2018, NJ.com reported.

According to the lawsuit, in 2019, Melham created a committee to oversee the construction/zoning departments, which led DeLorenzo to file three letters of complaint with the township.

In 2021, Melham filed a complaint against DeLorenzo with the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, alleging that the zoning official improperly withdrew money from the municipal developers escrow account. Read More: Belleville Mayor Demands Probe Into Payments To Code Official

Melham introduced a resolution to suspend DeLorenzo in the wake of the accusations, but it didn’t pass a vote from the town council.

DeLorenzo is now alleging that Melham lied to the state attorney general’s office, spurring an unnecessary investigation and creating a hostile work environment. His lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, along with attorney’s fees, NJ.com reported.

DeLorenzo was also involved in a legal dispute with the township in 2011, when he received a $73,500 settlement after he claimed that the township manager at the time refused to fully credit him with more than 400 days of unused sick and vacation time accrued during his career. Read More: Belleville Settles with Employee for $73K

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