Parent of Ump: What's the Final Call on Councilman?

A parent of a youth baseball umpire, who ejected a West Caldwell councilman while he was coaching his son's team this spring, asked the governing body Tuesday night if any formal action had been taken.

Jeff Sutherlin, who said his son, Lee, agreed to sit out the final games of the season, questioned during the public-comment portion of the council meeting if Councilman Dominick Aiello did the same as a result of an argument between the home plate umpire and coach of the 11- and 12-year-old Rangers during a game in May at Francisco Park.

"I was wondering if any action was taken," Sutherlin said. "He didn't umpire the next couple of games, which was fine with him. But it's my understanding that Mr. Aiello continued to coach as if nothing had happened."

While Aiello, chairman of the recreation committee, left the meeting early due to personal reasons, other members of the governing body were not aware of the final resolution to the incident.

"Generally speaking, throughout any given year, unfortunately, there are occurrences with parents and coaches and officials and umpires with any sport there is," Mayor Joseph Tempesta said.

"It usually doesn't come to our level. The discipline or the decisions that are made don't usually come up to the mayor and council. I don't know, personally, what decision was made, if any, of that incident."

After speaking with the West Caldwell-Caldwell Recreation Department, Acting Town Administrator Jock Watkins said Thursday Aiello served a self-imposed one-game suspension by volunteering to sit out the 40th annual all-star game, which he was scheduled to coach, the weekend after the incident.

According to Watkins, Lee Sutherlin, 19, tendered his resignation to the recreation department, but was persuaded by the staff to remain an umpire. Sutherlin, whose mother is Councilwoman Rosemarie Sutherlin, instead agreed to sit out the final two games of the season, Watkins said.

Watkins said these incidents are usually arbitrated by the recreation department's Gordon Bruchac, the former director who has recently been moved to facilities manager under the Department of Public Works, Gabe DiMasi, who is the new director of recreation, and Bob Masella.

However, the department made no decision on this incident since Sutherlin and Aiello missed games voluntarily.

"It was an amicable solution to the issue on both sides," Aiello said Thursday.

According to Aiello, he e-mailed Bruchac and DiMasi following the incident to inform them of his intent to sit out the all-star game. Aiello, who attended the game as a parent, said he received a response confirming that his request was accepted for the incident in which both sides claim the other was the aggressor.

However, Jeff Sutherlin questioned Aiello's position as chairman of the recreation committee and potential influence that might have on members of the recreation department.

"Is Mr. Aiello the chairman of the recreation committee?" Sutherlin asked Tempesta. "Wouldn't you say there's a little bit of a conflict there, mayor?"

Aiello responded Thursday by saying he has not had a conversation with Bruchac since the incident and his role as committee chairman has no impact on the daily operations—such as this incident—of the recreation department.

"I have not stepped foot in recreation since the incident. They asked me my side of the story. Our sides of the story differed, but my side was corroborated by coaches on my side, who actually heard the conversation, and by Bob Masella when he arrived," Aiello said.

"As recreation chairman, you don't have any direction over the recreation department. You're there to set policies and oversee the budget. You don't get involved with the day-to-day operations of recreation."

However, considering the incident, Jeff Sutherlin suggested to the governing body that Aiello be reassigned to another committee.

"Your ordinance refers to such things as outrageous conduct are some of the words in here. I think it was pretty outrageous. It's a shame. I really don't understand why he would even still be the recreation chairperson," Sutherlin said.

"Considering the conduct, I think it's pretty obvious that something pretty off-the-wall occurred. Maybe have him remove himself or maybe even assign him to a different committee."

While Sutherlin called Aiello a "part-time employee" of the township, Aiello pointed out Thursday that he has forfeited his $5,000 stipend as councilman for "over a year" because of the budget constraints the municipality has faced.

In addition, Aiello said he's been involved with the recreation department's programs as a player and coach since 1971 and had never been thrown out of a game or had a similar incident to the one he had with Lee Sutherlin this spring.

"Ask any umpire, I have never been thrown out of a game," Aiello said. "I don't argue calls. I'm just there for the kids."