New Allegations Emerge Against Holmdel Administrator

HOLMDEL, NJ — A series of new allegations surfaced this week against Holmdel's Township administrator, currently on paid leave as she is the subject of an alleged nepotism investigation.

These new accusations were made public Tuesday night by attorney Sean Kean, the outside investigator Holmdel hired on May 6 to investigate the original nepotism allegation against Twp. administrator Donna Vieiro and Twp. Human Resources Director Denise Callery.

As Patch reported last month, Vieiro is currently on paid leave from her $165,000-year job. Callery was on paid leave, but has been allowed to return to work.

"This firm has been retained to investigate the whistle-blower claims of former Holmdel Twp. CFO Jeannette Larrison. To date, we have interviewed Miss Larrison and all members of the governing body: Mayor Eric Hinds, Deputy Mayor Mike Nikolis, Gregory Buontempo, Rocco Pascucci and Tom Critelli," said Kean on Tuesday night. "During the course of our investigation allegations of potential wrongdoing have been made against Miss Donna Vieiro."

According to Kean, these new allegations are:

• She allegedly discussed confidential information related to Holmdel's affordable housing plan with an "individual who had a conflict of interest," and failed to properly tell the Township Committee about payments in connection with the plan.
• Larrison alleges Vieiro forced her to improperly issue checks to a Holmdel resident for FEMA reimbursement.
• She allegedly acted without approval of the Township Committee to place a $2.1 million expenditure on the consent agenda for a turf field and town pool club.
• That she allegedly missed between 65 and 88 days of work in 2017 and directed that payroll/time records be changed to hide those days.

Kean said all this in public at Tuesday night's Township Committee meeting, because both Vieiro and Callery took the highly unusual step of waiving their RICE notices, meaning they want the allegations made against them to be discussed in public.

These are all allegations, and none have been found to be credible.

Holmdel Mayor Eric Hinds also continues to say this is all just a political witch hunt, possibly by his own political enemies. He also thinks it was fellow Twp. Committee members who tipped off Kean to these new claims against Vieiro.

As part of the investigation, all five Holmdel Twp. Committeemen — Hinds, Nikolis, Critelli, Pascucci and Buontempo — met privately with Kean or someone from his firm.

"This is all politics. If there were all these problems with Vieiro or concerns with her, why did the Township Committee unanimously agree to re-hire her last year as the Township Administrator?" Hinds told Patch Thursday afternoon. "And why are her fellow employees at the Township building nearly in tears and begging us to bring her back? She's well respected in town hall."

"She was sick during that time off and employees are allowed to take sick days," added Hinds referring to the missed work days.

Hinds has vigorously supported Vieiro throughout this entire investigation. He also introduced a resolution to bring Vieiro back immediately, and keep her working until the investigation wraps up.

Committeeman Tom Critelli was the only person who agreed with him on Tuesday night. The other three, Buontempo, Pascucci and Nikolis, voted to keep her on paid leave.

Original report: Claims Of Nepotism At Holmdel Town Hall: 2 Employees Suspended

You can watch Tuesday night's Township Committee meeting below, filmed and posted online by the Citizens for Informed Land Use:

Part 1:

Part 2: