Brick Hires New Chief Financial Officer After Appointee Resigns

BRICK, NJ — Two months after the Brick Township Council approved the hiring of a chief financial officer to replace longtime CFO Scott Pezarras, the council approved the promotion of a township employee as the new CFO Tuesday evening.

Maureen Laffey-Berg, who had been serving as the deputy to Pezarras in the finance department, was unanimously approved Tuesday night.

Laffey-Berg replaces John Clifford, the Atlantic County man who was appointed in August to replace Pezarras.

Clifford's appointment was controversial, with some members of the public questioning whether he had been properly vetted because Clifford had filed for personal bankruptcy protection.

Detractors at the August meeting also questioned Clifford's experience because before he was hired by Brick he was the CFO in Middle Township, which has a $20 million budget, significantly smaller than Brick Township's budget. Clifford also had been CFO for less than two years in Middle Township.

The same issues were raised by other township residents a month later.

Tuesday night, Mayor John G. Ducey said Clifford resigned from the position. He did not give any explanation for the resignation or say when the resignation occurred.

Laffey-Berg was hired by the township in 2008 and worked directly with Pezarras from the beginning of her employment, Ducey said.

When Clifford resigned, Ducey said, he and township administrator Joanne Bergin interviewed Laffey-Berg and offered her the position immediately. Her salary will be $105,000, Bergin said.

"We had a person in mind based on the prior interviews," Ducey said. "Maureen had a change of heart and let us know she was interested in the position."

"We are very happy that she did," Ducey said. "She has been behind the scenes as the township's second CFO. We are very proud to have her."

Pezarras attended Tuesday's meeting and praised Laffey-Berg.

"She's a very competent technician from an accounting standpoint," Pezarras said. "I'm very happy she is going to be up for this appointment tonight."

"I was pleasantly surprised and very happy to see her name on the agenda," Pezarras said. "Hopefully you will feel the way I do."

Her appointment begins Wednesday lasts through Dec. 31, 2019, and if she remains she will become tenured at that time.

Maureen Laffey-Berg (center in blue) was appointed Brick Township's new chief financial officer at Tuesday's Township Council meeting. Karen Wall photo