Wyckoff Resident, 6 Other Commissioners Fired By Donovan

Bergen County Executive Kathleen Donovan fired seven of nine commissioners on the Northwest Bergen County Utilities Authority Monday for refusing to give up stipends and health benefits.

Wyckoff resident Jason Shafron, who served as a Chairman of the Authority, was among the fired commissioners.

According to a release from Donovan’s office Monday, Shafron and the six other fired commissioners “defied the County Executive's order to cease taking stipends and full-time health benefits.”

The firings represent the culmination of years of bad blood between the sewage authority commissioners and the county's top administrator.

Donovan's Chief of Staff Jeanne Baratta confirmed that each commissioner was receiving a $5,000 annual stipend plus medical benefits. 

That was evidently too much for Donovan; citing Governor  as good legal standing, the county's top official dropped Shafron, Vice Chairman Michael Kasparian, Commissioner Brian Chewcaskie, Commissioner Peter Dachnowicz, Commissioner Frank Kelaher, Commissioner Marion Plumley and Commissioner Bill Dator.

"Your actions fail to honor your oath of office and are contrary to my administration's efforts to promote sound fiscal policy which I have pledged to the taxpayers of the County of Bergen," Donovan wrote in her letter to the desposed commissioners. 

Two newly-appointed commissioners, Elizabeth Salazer and Kenneth Gabbert, reportedly were not receiving stipends or health benefits, and were not dismissed. In the press release, Donovan said she'll be asking the county freeholders to confirm her undisclosed group of replacement candidates at its next upcoming meeting.

The NBCUA oversees wastewater collection and treatment for northwest Bergen towns, and monitors 31 miles of sewer lines throughout the area. The organization serves Wyckoff, and ten surrounding towns, including Franklin Lakes, Ramsey, Mahwah and a portion of Ridgewood.

Shafron is a partner at Archer and Greiner in Hackensack, and holds a bachelor's from Bucknell University and a doctorate of law from Villanova, according to his firm's website.

Shafron did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.