Cinnaminson Being Sued By Own Township Administrator

CINNAMINSON, NJ — Cinnaminson Township is facing a lawsuit from its own administrator. Michael “Mickey” King has filed a lawsuit against Cinnaminson Township after he was suspended last month and was told the Township Committee will consider firing him during Monday night’s meeting.

King, who serves as the Township Administrator and Director of Public Safety, claims in the suit that he was unlawfully suspended by the township after he brought to light “wrongdoing and potential criminal conduct by township officials.”

The township confirmed in a statement Thursday night that it would address King's employment with the township at its meeting Monday night. It also called the lawsuit "frivolous."

“The township did not engage in the conduct alleged by Mr. King," the statement read. "This is a frivolous litigation that the township will vigorously defend. The township intends to address Mr. King’s employment with the township at its upcoming April 16, 2018, Committee meeting.”

King became Public Safety Director in 2011, saying at the time he would "lead the department in training and leadership skills over the next year or two to cultivate a police chief, a position the township expressed an interest in returning to."

Two years later, King took over as Township Administrator for Frank Locantore. At the time, he said he would fill the position until the end of the year, but he still serves in that position and received a $10,000 raise last year.

In the suit, King said he filed five separate notices of protection under the Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA), also known as the “Whistleblower Law” when he became aware that past and present candidates in the township wanted to “remove him from office because of his unwavering resolve to eliminate public corruption and mischief, as well as his commitment to protect employees from interference.”

He said the township violated CEPA by retaliating against him after he provided information in an investigation related to an investigation into alleged official misconduct by current Deputy Mayor Don Brauckmann.

Brauckmann was the subject of an internal investigation that began in March of last year into interactions he is alleged to have had with an employee in the Department of Public Works and an officer with the Cinnaminson Police Department concerning talks of restructuring the leadership of those two departments.

He was also accused of promising to vote to approve former Deputy Mayor William "Ben" Young to the position of Director of Public Works in exchange for getting his wife a job at Rowan College at Burlington County.

Now, similarly, King is accusing the current Committee Members of targeting him for speaking with the FBI, New Jersey State Police and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office during that investigation.

King claims that on March 15, he was escorted from the workplace by a police detail and was told he was being suspended immediately based on allegations that he “may be a hazard to persons if permitted to remain on the job and/or that an immediate suspension is necessary to maintain safety, health, order or effective direction of public services by Cinnaminson Township.” King says these allegations are false and based on statements he made that were taken out of context.

King then said that the township realized its accusations wouldn’t hold up, and accused him of interfering in an investigation against him, an investigation that was initiated by an officer looking to take King’s job, King said.

On April 9, King received a letter from the township, signed by Mayor Howard “Bud” Evans, informing him that Cinnaminson Township Committee would discuss his potential termination during its closed session at the April 16 meeting.

“Mickey King has been a great asset to the citizens and employees of Cinnaminson Township, making it a better and safer place to live and work,” former Mayor and Committeeman Anthony Minniti said in a release announcing the suit from the firm representing King.

“Mickey King has been largely responsible for restoring integrity to various departments and governmental entities within our town,” Young said.

In the suit, King is requesting reinstatement, compensation for his losses during his suspension, compensation for emotional distress and humiliation, punitive damages, attorney’s fees and any other costs deemed proper by the court.

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