Prominent Parsippany developer Edward Mosberg turned heads when he appeared at last Tuesday's Township Council meeting.

The businessman and his wife were greeted with effusive warmth by some council members when they arrived and were seated in Council Chambers.

Mosberg, who for years was the focus of a federal fraud and bribery indictment dropped in February and is rarely seen at Town Hall, attended the session to address pending lawsuits he is pursuing against the township over building projects that were rejected. 

"These lawsuits involve hundreds of thousands of dollars and have material impact upon the township and its taxpayers," he read from a written statement during the public comment portion of the meeting. "We have been attempting to meet with the mayor, several councilmen and their attorneys to discuss all of these matters to try and reach an amicable global settlement."

The developer noted that he—and the town's administration—has spent tens of thousands of dollars on attorneys and experts to argue these unresolved cases. Mosberg noted that right now, at least three suits are in an active state.

"Unless we are able to sit down and discuss settlement, these expenses will continue to substantially impact the taxpayers," he warned. "I believe I wil prevail substantially in these cases."

Mosberg raised the issue of litigation filed during the term of former Mayor Marceil "Mimi" Letts. The businessman said the administration refused to settle the case.

"The township spent over $800,000 of taxpayers' money in legal fees, all of which came out of the taxpayers' pocket. Ultimately, I won those cases, and in order to cause the least damage to the township, I settled them, and the township did not have to pay out millions of dollars in damages, and it didn't create a precedent which might have caused additional claims."

Mosberg said he was making the offer to protect "everyone's best interests."

"All I am asking... is that the mayor and two councilmen and your attorneys meet with me and my attorneys to discuss these cases to see if we can work them out to everyone's satisfaction.

"The bottom line is this has the potential for saving tens of thousands of dollars of taxpayers' money and the township will get good results."

He then encouraged the town's lawyers to call his attorneys to arrange a meeting.

Township Attorney John Inglesino urged the council members not to respond, given that the topic involved litigation.

Inglesino then addressed Mosberg.

"You have your attorneys contact us," he said to the developer, who then walked to his wife and led her out of the room and the building.