The settlement for $250,000 was reached last month just a few days into the trial in Middlesex County Superior Court
NORTH BRUNSWICK -- The township has settled a whistleblower lawsuit with one of its workers who claimed he was demoted after writing up an employee and complaining to supervisors about issues with municipal staff.
The settlement for $250,000 was reached on Feb. 6, just a few days into the trial in Middlesex County Superior Court, and later approved by the North Brunswick council during a public meeting last month, records show.
Mark LaMonica filed the lawsuit three years ago claiming he had been reassigned by his supervisor Glenn Sandor and the Department of Public Works Superintendent Doug Robert as retaliation for disciplining an employee with ties to Mayor Francis Womack.
All three were named in the suit, along with the township.
LaMonica, who was the public's works supervisor at the time, said he was transferred to Buildings and Grounds Department after reporting the employee and pushed for a suspension after the employee put Armor All on the pedals in LaMonica's vehicle, according to the lawsuit.
The suit also accuses the township of looking the other way during a series of issues with its employees raised by LaMonica, such as: selling township scrap metal and keeping the cash; taking township tires; working on their own cars while clocked-in; sleeping on the job, and getting paid without showing up to work.
According to the lawsuit, LaMonica's supervisors gave him the impression that they didn't want to hear his complaints and he should stop reporting township issues he deemed inappropriate.
LaMonica alleged he was "exiled to a basement office" and denied a "substantial" amount of back overtime pay from his position as a supervisor after being demoted with the transfer.
The settlement does not admit fault on either side.
LaMonica is still employed by the township, officials confirmed.
The council approved the settlement through a resolution unanimously on Feb. 17. Councilman Bob Davis was absent.
Legal fees for the township were covered by the Joint Insurance Fund, according to the council resolution, which says the settlement avoids the uncertainty of a jury verdict and prevents further fees.
Craig McCarthy may be reached at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig and on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook.