Barberio, Nelson Clash Over Department Head Directive

Parsippany Councilman Jonathan Nelson and Mayor James Barberio have been clashing after Barberio ordered the heads of township departments not to speak with Nelson without first getting permission from the mayor.

Nelson, who is running against Barberio in November, was contacted by a resident who requested him to follow up on information. After leaving a message for an administration member, Nelson received a call from the administrator's assistant informing him he was no longer able to speak with the head of any department without first getting permission from Barberio's office.

“The council has every right to speak to department heads when it concerns residents of the township,” said Nelson. “They are under the direct order of the mayor not to speak to council members.”

According to Barberio, this is not an official policy but is specifically a directive against Nelson.

“Generally I permit councilmen to contact department heads directly,” said Barberio. “But because Mr. Nelson has been harassing township employees, his request will have to go through the business administrator.”

Barberio said he could not elaborate as to the nature of the alleged harassment.

“Anybody who knows me knows I have never harassed anyone in my life, least of all the terrific township employees of Parsippany,” said Nelson. “For anyone to even suggest I ever harassed anyone, that is the mayor's paranoia speaking and not the truth.”

According to Nelson, Barberio held a staff meeting on Friday in which department heads were directed not to speak with all council members, and not just Nelson.

“It is my understanding that the mayor held a meeting and directed that any department head who speaks with any council members, or specific residents of Parsippany, would be written up for insubordination,” said Nelson.

Barberio did not return calls to inquire as to the nature of this meeting.

Councilman Paul Carifi Jr. also said that about a year ago he was told he was not allowed to speak with department heads without first getting permission from the mayor's office. As for the new alleged edict, he has not yet seen anything in writing, he said.

Councilman Michael DiPierro said that this is nothing new and that other mayors have had this policy in the past.

“The purpose is not a gag thing,” he said. “Department heads have their work to do and when five councilmen go to them, they get distracted. All department heads report to the mayor, not the council. All this does is give the mayor some idea of what the workload is and what kind of time it’s going to take on the employee.”

Barberio maintains that there is no policy and that only Nelson will have to go through the business administrator “if he continues to harass employees.

“I have an open door policy and if he has a question, he can ask me,” he said.

However, Nelson said that the directive is “symptomatic of the paranoia of the administration in not allowing the council to do their job.”