County Voids $685K in Bonuses Awarded by Morris Sheriff

Not only were there not enough funds to cover a promised bonus to 274 Morris County sheriff’s employees, but the head of the department didn’t have the approval to make the payment in the first place.

According to dailyrecord.com, a special counsel notified Sheriff Edward Rochford that his proposed bonus to employees in his department would have enough funding available.

Rochford, under a contract negotiated between he and PBA 151, was to give $2,500 to each of the 274 employees in two bureaus, the report said. That would have amounted to $685,000, which would have come from surplus funds. Rochford told the county his estimation showed some $1.5 million in surplus, but county treasurer Joe Kovalcik said only $516,180 would be available – more than $178,000 short, the report said.

The issue doesn’t end there, however. According to the report, the contract negotiated between Rochford and PBA 151 was never made known to or approved by the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

Morris County Sheriff’s officers provide security at the Morris County Courthouse in Morristown and collect evidence at crime and crash scenes.