Gina LaPlaca Hypocritical Disciplinary Procedures and Favoritism
Subject: OPRA Request for Emails Pertaining to David Milmoe, Ed Santiago, DPW, Suspension, and Disciplinary Actions
Dear Gabriella Siboni,
I hope this message finds you well. Pursuant to the Open Public Records Act (OPRA), I am requesting copies of emails between, but not limited to, the following employees of Neptune Township that pertain to any subjects related to David Milmoe, Ed Santiago, DPW, suspension, disciplinary actions, or requests on behalf of character. The specific employees involved in these email correspondences are David Milmoe, Ed Santiago, Gina LaPlaca, and Michele Narciso.
The timeframe for this request is from June 1, 2024, through July 10, 2024.
It has come to the attention of many Neptune Township employees that Ms. LaPlaca shows favoritism towards certain individuals within the township's payroll, particularly those in whom she has a special interest. There are reports of deals being made to help Mr. Milmoe retain his title and position as the head of the DPW, with character statements being requested on Ms. LaPlaca's behalf. Simultaneously, she is making judgment calls regarding the future positions of other Neptune Township employees, including those who have made deals for early retirement to preserve their reputations.
This is once again a major concern for transparency and fairness across the board, for which Ms. LaPlaca is solely in charge. To put such power in the hands of an individual who abuses her power to have affairs, steal time, and utilize multiple resources provided by the taxpayers—such as a free vehicle and gas for her hour-plus commute—on top of an already astronomical salary of $186k+ is a complete and utter failure on Neptune's part.
Not to mention, a meeting referring to Ms. LaPlaca's inappropriate behavior involving drinking after work and affairs with subordinates, prior to driving all the way back to Lumberton, has never been addressed or voted on. It seems quite hypocritical to be having a vote on others' positions of power. Please refer back to the special meeting in November that Mr. Cafferty conveniently cancelled, pertaining to Ms. LaPlaca's affairs after she scrambled to save her job by calling upon higher-ups and political figures who were able to sweep her wrongdoings under the rug.
Please provide any email correspondences that fall within the parameters described above. If any portion of the requested documents is exempt from disclosure, please provide the non-exempt portions and justify any deletions by reference to specific exemptions of OPRA.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. I look forward to your response within the statutory timeframe.
Sincerely,
John Klein
OPRA 24-533
The Township of Neptune received an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request
on July 10. As such, the seven (7) business day deadline to respond to
your request is July 19.
The request was for:
“Pursuant to the Open Public Records Act (OPRA), I am requesting copies of
emails between, but not limited to, the following employees of Neptune
Township that pertain to any subjects related to David Milmoe, Ed
Santiago, DPW, suspension, disciplinary actions, or requests on behalf of
character. The specific employees involved in these email correspondences
are David Milmoe, Ed Santiago, Gina LaPlaca, and Michele Narciso."
The timeframe for this request Is from June 1, 2024, through July 10,
2024.”
In response to this request:
E-mails between Michele Narciso and David Milmoe or Ed Santiago
• Under the Workplace Democracy Enhancement Act, your request for
records generated or received by Michelle Narciso, in her capacity as
majority representative for the Department Heads Association, with
respect to both Santiago and Milmoe constitute union “communications,’
which “are not government records and are exempt from any disclosure
requirements” of OPRA. N.J.S.A. 34:13A-5.13(d). See also N.J.S.A.
47:1A-9(a) (providing that OPRA shall not be construed to “abrogate
any exemption of a public record or government record” precluded by
statute).
E-mails between Michele Narciso, Ed Santiago, Gina LaPlaca and/or David
Milmoe with subject relating to suspension, disciplinary actions or
requests on behalf of character
• Pursuant to NJSA 47:1A-10 Personnel and Pension records are exempt
from disclosure, except specific information identified as follows: a.
an individual’s name, title, position, salary, payroll record, length
of service, date of separation and reason for such separation and the
amount and type of any pension received. B. When required to be
disclosed by another law, when disclosure is essential to the
performance of official duties of a person duly authorized by this
State or the United States, or when authorized by an individual in
interest, c. Data contained in information which disclose conformity
with specific experiential, educational or medical qualifications
required for government employment or for receipt of a public pension,
but not including any detailed medical or psychological information.
• Under the Workplace Democracy Enhancement Act, your request for
records generated or received by Michelle Narciso, in her capacity as
majority representative for the Department Heads Association, with
respect to both Santiago and Milmoe constitute union “communications,’
which “are not government records and are exempt from any disclosure
requirements” of OPRA. N.J.S.A. 34:13A-5.13(d). See also N.J.S.A.
47:1A-9(a) (providing that OPRA shall not be construed to “abrogate
any exemption of a public record or government record” precluded by
statute).
E-mails between Michele Narciso, Ed Santiago, Gina LaPlaca and/or David
Milmoe with subject relating to subjects “David Milmoe,” “Ed Santiago” or
“DPW”
• A request for a “file” “all” “any and all” etc. is invalid because it
represents a blanket request for a class of various, unidentifiable
records and constitutes a broad and unclear request. See Morgano v
Essex Cnty. Prosecutors’s Office, GRC Complaint No. 2007-190 (February
2008); Nunley v N.J. State Parole Bd., GRC Complaint No. 2013 -335
(July 2014); Redden v. Cape May Cnty. Prosecutor’s Office GRC
Complaint No. 2007-206 (September 2009); Bragg v. N.J. Dep’t of
Corrections, GRC Complaint No. 2010-145 (March2011); Bradley-Williams
v. Atlantic Cnty. Jail, GRC Complaint No. 2011-232 (December 2012);
Torian v. N.J. State Parole Bd., GRC Complaint No. 2013-245 (June
2014)
• Please clarify the requested documents. Since the content requested is
the same as the employee e-mail address, name and e-mail signature,
the search cannot be completed. A search under these parameters
returns any and all e-mails sent or received by the individuals
because the department and their name are included in every e-mail
that is sent.
The Township did execute the following searches under this request that
would produce records that are not overly broad. They are separated below
and identified.
Search 1
• Between:
◦ Gina LaPlaca and David Milmoe
• Date Range:
◦ June 1, 2024- July 10, 2024
• Search Term: (Must include)
◦ “Ed Santiago”
Exempt from disclosure Pursuant to NJSA 47:1A-10 Personnel and Pension
records are exempt from disclosure, except specific information identified
as follows: a. an individual’s name, title, position, salary, payroll
record, length of service, date of separation and reason for such
separation and the amount and type of any pension received. B. When
required to be disclosed by another law, when disclosure is essential to
the performance of official duties of a person duly authorized by this
State or the United States, or when authorized by an individual in
interest, c. Data contained in information which disclose conformity with
specific experiential, educational or medical qualifications required for
government employment or for receipt of a public pension, but not
including any detailed medical or psychological information.
Search 2
• Between:
◦ Gina LaPlaca and Ed Santiago
• Date Range:
◦ June 1, 2024- July 10, 2024
• Search Term: (Must include)
◦ “David Milmoe”
Please see attached document titled “ OPRA 24-533 Search 2 for David
Milmoe.pdf”
Search 3
• Between:
◦ Gina LaPlaca and David Milmoe
◦ Gina LaPlaca and Ed Santiago
◦ Ed Santiago and David Milmoe
• Date Range:
◦ June 1, 2024- July 10, 2024
• Search Term: (Must include)
◦ “DPW”
Please see attached document titled “OPRA 24-533 Search 3 for DPW with
Vaughn Index”
If your request for access to a government record has been denied or
unfilled within the seven (7) business days required by law, you have a
right to challenge the decision by the Township of Neptune to deny access.
At your option, you may either institute a proceeding in the Superior
Court of New Jersey or file a complaint with the Government Records
Council (GRC) by completing the Denial of Access Complaint Form. You may
contact the GRC by toll-free telephone at 866-850-0511, by mail at P.O.
Box 819, Trenton, NJ, 08625, by e-mail at [1][email address], or at
their web site at [2]www.state.nj.us/grc. The GRC can also answer other
questions about the law. All questions regarding complaints filed in
Superior Court should be directed to the Court Clerk in your County.
Best Regards,
Gabriella Siboni
Township Clerk
Township of Neptune
25 Neptune Blvd
Neptune, NJ 07753
732.988.5200 Ext. 234
Office Hours
Monday- Friday 8:00AM-4:00PM
Summer Hours (May 6- August 30)
Monday-Thursday 8:00AM-4:00PM
Friday 8:00AM-1:00PM
Dear Ms. Siboni,
I am writing to address my concerns regarding the responses I have received from your office. These responses have often been vague and laden with case law that seems to be used in a scattershot manner, hoping that something will stick. This approach is unhelpful and frustrating, especially when your documents are copied and pasted into an OPRA request, rather than actual, unedited emails, such as the ones you have documented screenshots of. They should be presented in this manner for future reference.
Additionally, I would like to bring to your attention the recent email from Michele Narciso, who, as the Head of the Department of the Association, sent communications that appear to be unsolicited pleas for support of Mr. Milmoe's character. It is unclear whether she was directed by the Business Administrator, Gina LaPlaca, to send these emails based on your response, but township employees have clarified that indeed it was on her behalf. If you are claiming this is not the case, it raises questions about Ms. Narciso's motivation and the appropriateness of her actions, which many have heard could be a result of what Ms. LaPlaca has offered her daughter in her future positions within the DPW.
Ms. LaPlaca’s involvement in these matters appears to reflect a troubling pattern of behavior. It seems unfair and inappropriate for her to take sides and protect certain employees who have engaged in misconduct while passing judgment on others for similar actions. Case and point, you have both a police officer who is being reprimanded heavily and being forced to take early retirement without medical for his inappropriate comments-which Ms. LaPlaca is present for in depositions, while your DPW Director is being given a 30 day suspension in the middle of summer-sounds more like a vacation- with the Business Administrator running to his aid to protect his job. This selective enforcement of rules and policies undermines the integrity of the township's administration.
Moreover, the situation bears a striking resemblance to the case of Howell’s Police Chief, who has faced criminal charges for similar behavior. Ms. LaPlaca's admitted affairs with subordinates, and subsequent denials in public, mirror the misconduct that Chief Andrew Kudrick was accused of—engaging in inappropriate relationships, lying to maintain his position, and unfairly treating subordinates. Is this what Neptune Township's committee stands behind?
Neptune Township has a troubling history of covering up inappropriate behaviors. As Business Administrator, Ms. LaPlaca should exemplify professionalism and refrain from fraternizing with subordinates. Yet, her close friendships with certain employees such as, Michele Narciso and Bob Purgatorio, have also been involved in similar offenses. Reports of sexual acts occurring within township offices during work hours set a detrimental precedent for the community.
The use of township resources, including vehicles, for personal and adulterous activities is unacceptable. When public officials, such as former Mayor Keith Cafferty, form "close" friendships with individuals like Ms. LaPlaca, and subsequently cancel meetings that were intended to address her inappropriate behaviors, it erodes trust in the township's governance.
The employees of Neptune Township, including those in Public Works , Senior Center and the Police Department, deserve a workplace that values professionalism and integrity. They come to work intending to perform their duties responsibly, not to be surrounded by misconduct and favoritism.
I urge you to address these issues promptly and take the necessary steps to ensure that the township's administration upholds the highest standards of conduct and fairness.
Yours sincerely,
John Klein