State Investigating Double Dipping Sheriff’s Officers
By Art Gallagher
The Star Ledger is reporting that the Treasury Department has initiated an investigation into sheriff’s officers in Essex, Monmouth and Union counties who are collecting pensions from the state Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (PFRS) while continuing to perform as law enforcement officers, but with civilian titles, allowing them to “double dip”….collect a pension and a salary for job that would not allow for collecting a pension if it were properly classified.
Only elected officials are supposed to be allowed to do that in New Jersey.
In addition to the Treasury Department probe, John Scierchio, chairman of the PFRS board of trustees, has asked the Attorney General’s Office to launch a criminal probe into three sheriff’s officers suspected of circumventing pension guidelines, according to the Star Ledger.
The three officers are Monmouth County undersheriff Mickey Donovan, formerly the chief warrant officer, Essex County chief warrant officer John Dough, and Union County sheriff’s chief Harold Gibson.
This issue was first raised publically regarding Donovan, who retired from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office in 2005 and was hired as Monmouth’s chief warant officer by then Monmouth County Sheriff, now Lt. Governor, Kim Guadagno in 2008, last October by NJ Watchdog.
NJ Watchdog alleges that Guadagno, as Sheriff, eliminated the chief warrant officer position on September 16, 2008, but then gave Donovan that title a week later, even though he was hired in reality to be the chief law enforcement officer, so that he could collect a pension of $85,000 per year and a salary of $87,500 per year.
In a piece published on April 11, 2011, NJ Watchdog says that Donovan has improperly collected $227,000 in pension payments since 2008. Additionally, he should have contributed $18,000 to the pension system, according to NJ Watchdog.
Guadagno declined to comment when MMM raised this issue with her when it became public in October.
Shaun Golden, then Acting Sheriff, told MMM in October that he had discussed Donovan’s employment status with state pension official months earlier and offered to make any changes they required. There were no changes required at the time. Golden said he told the officials that if they require changes in Monmoth County that they should also look into Essex and Union Counties.
Apparently they did.
Golden announced on February 15, 2011that Donovan was sworn in as undersheriff and is in charge of the law enforcement division.
Undersheriff is a civilian title, not a PFRS job, meaning Donovan, who now makes over $90,000, continues to collect his $85,000 pension.
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Looks like the chickens are coming home to roost. Lets be perfectly clear on this matter–the matter involving the sheriff’s department is more than “double-dipping”– it’s about the utilization of fraud and deceit to permit “double-dipping.”
Mr. Donovan was hired by then-sheriff Guadagno for a non-existent job. A job that was eliminated (chief warrant officer) from the sheriff’s department Table of Organization 6 days prior to his employment.
Mr. Golden was fully aware of the situation, and even allowed Mr. Donovan to stay in the position of Chief of Law Enforcement for a 13 months permitting Mr. Donovan to collect a pension and a county salary, when Mr. Donovan should have been re-enrolled into the PFRS pension system, thus stopping the pension payments.
Now Mr. Golden laterally moves Donovan over to “undersheriff” in an attempt to “quiet” the situation. The move to undersheriff has the same duties and responsibilities as chief of law enforcement–the previous job held by Mr. Donovan–now with a 5K raise!
Didn’t Golden run on a platform of fiscal responsibility????
@Jim Sage, Do you have solid proof that the reason why Mr. Donovan was moved to undersheriff in an attempt to quiet the situation? Or is it just what you think? I’d be very careful on what you say. Because you just made an allegation and if it is not true, you will be held accountable in a court of law.
@commonsense- don’t know where you practice law, but opinions are typically not actionable.
So I retire from a gov. job and get a pension of 85 grand a year. I take up fly fishing.
meanwhile an opening in the sheriffs office comes up and somebody gets a job making 80 grand a year.
Cost to Tax payer 185 grand a year.
Scenario 2.
I retire from a govt. job and get a pension of 85 grand a year. An opening in the sheriffs office comes up and I get a new a job making 80 grand a year. Cost to taxpayers 185 grand a year.
So explain to me how double dipping hurts the taxpayer. Seems that people who complain about this are just jealous. I know I am.
Now if you want to talk about the absurdity of a person being able tocollect a pension as early as age 45 that is a different story and is fiscally unsustainable. I am on that train.
Shaun Golden should stop attending every Republican fundraising event and clean up the Sheriff’s Office.
He has been part of the administration since Kim was Sheriff three years ago and it’s still a mess.
Devote more time to keeping the ridiculous ot down in the jail, and stop hiring retired chiefs at taxpayer expense with crazy undersheriff jobs
get your own initials
TR, I’ll admit – I’m just jealous, really.
Jealousy aside, some other considerations:
1) if Double-Dipper Jim Sage didn’t retire/start collecting that pension, he would be paying into the system, not taking money out of the system… there is a savings for taxpayers there in that the fund is growing, not shrinking. Raising the retirement age, as you said, would address this problem.
2) if Double-Dipper Jim Sage is “retired” and getting that $80K, his income is that pension. If that unemployed MBA living in his parent’s basement next door to you can now go get that $85K opening, it’s one less person I have to pay unemployment benefits to — but if Double Dipper Jim Sage takes the job, I’m still paying all of those unemployed MBAs their unemployment benefits.
But those little things aside… really, I’m being as honest as possible – I’m just jealous that I 1) don’t know of a thing called a “pension” in the private sector, we get a 401k and 2) I can’t collect from my retirement/401k while still working/doing the same job, or a similar job, for the same employer.
True story – for a long time – a former employer of mine matched 100% up to 10% of my salary that I put into my 401k. It was a free 10% raise… I’d of loved to “retire” and start collecting from ***my own*** 401k that year to take the 10% raise as cash…. then the market tanked, taking my 401k with it and way more than that 10% they were putting in with it, but Double-Dipping Jim Sage’s pension was still worth the same amount, the real world market conditions didn’t change what the state owed him or what he was taking home… I’m just jealous, bitter even, really, and I think for good reason, because the private sector doesn’t offer me the benefits of the public sector and I don’t know the right people to get one of those lucky-devil government jobs… not that I really want one. And I guess the claims are the market came back… I don’t know.. my 401k still looks to a bit quite a bit off, I won’t be retiring for a while, if ever.
Art, as a longtime reader of your blog, I am very surprised you are posting something critical of the sheriffs department. Perhaps you, like I, are getting tired of the same wasteful, mismanaged bullcrap.
Commensense, you are wrong with your actionable comments. Elected and appointed public officials have far less rights than we the common folk. Istrongly urge you to look up Sullivan vs. NY Times.
As for Shaun Golden and Jim Sage..I have the honor and privilege of knowing both. both are active in political circles, and I have seen them for years. Shaun is a very affable guy…capable of running the SO. Unfortunetly, he inherited a mismanaged agency. The problems going on now are attributable to Kim Guadagno–I see future problems down the road because of her actions. Jim Sage is a retired and much decorated Port Authority cop. I believe in the late 70’s or early 80’s he shot and killed a suspect that killed another cop way back then. I also believe Sage himself was shot in that altercation. He is a federal agent now and leads o works in a national union for federal agents–So I guess Mr. Hogan is right that he is a double dipper. However Mr. Hogan, he got the job through legitimate means–not by fraud. Sage is a nononsense guy—not as friendly as Shaun. I know he is much critical of the sheriffs office, which would expalin why these two guys aren’t working together.
Shaun worked for two municipal agencies one here in Monmouth County and another in Toms River. I remember Shaun telling me he was cited for rescuing some kid I believe in an overturned vehicle in Tom river–kudos to you Shaun.
There are people that want Sage to run for Sheriff–but he doesn’t want it. Shaun is very happy and will stay forever provided the voters keep him in. I know Jim is pissed that Shaun accused him of bringing and paying for homeless people to attend a debate at the county library in Manalapan, some time ago. I was there, and know it wasn’t true—In fairness to Shaun–he received bad information regarding Sage about this.
For the sake of the party, please Jim (again if it is you on here) reach out to Shaun or perhaps Shaun to you.
So maybe we can have a “beerfest” in the future?? Just invite me, lol along with Mr. Hogan.
Best of health and luck to everybody on here.
When is the madness going to stop in Monmouth County? Club Monmouth is alive and well ! Getting friends and colleagues and people that attend political fundraisers job is just WRONG. We have had enough. Who is looking out for the taxpayers? Cronyism in Monmouth is still rampant. Can someone investigate Mickey Donavan and SHaun Golden and even Guadagno and let us know who did wrong ? Lets get Curley on this ! He seems to NOT be afraid of anyone? More disgusting fraud in Monmouth County and shady deals. And I agree, stop going to fundraisers 6 nights a week and clean house !
James I am glad you see my point. The problem is not with the people who take full legal advantage of a system. The problem is with the system.
I dam well would retire at 45 with a big fat pension if I could and then get a second job.
Really who would not.
The problem is that the system allows it.
Lets reform the system.
Btw I heard Jim Sage wanted a job in the Sheriffs department and did not get it?
Does anyone know if that is true? it would explain his Jihad.
OK, let’s all take a deep breath.
As mentioned above, the problem is with the way the system has been set up for years by the politicians (who like to get elected). It is not the fault of the people who are in the system. For the most part, they didn’t have a hand in setting it up.
It is not an abuse of the system if it is legal and allowed. The system has been designed to be gamed.
The only way to restore sanity to the system is to have a complete reformation – end grandfathering, end double-dipping, normal retirement age should be set age age 70 (or the Social Security age, which will probably be raised shortly). By ending grandfathering, all the mentioned abuses would stop as of a certain date.
Early retirement should not be before age 62, and no health benefits should be provided in retirement until/unless the retiree is eligible for and on Medicare.
Sorry, but this should also apply to paid police and paid fire personnel (perhaps the older ones not still physically fit for duty could be assigned training duties).
To : TheDigger
Like it says in an earlier post, it’s not the double dippin thats the problem, it was the fraud that allowed it to flourish, and line the pockets of those not entitled to a pension. Double dipping isn’t illegal—fraud is.
TR and Hogan should probably read the Star Ledger and Watchdog reports before going off on nonsensical rants about double dipping. The issue is not double dipping (which most agree is legal but just not right), it is about creating job titles that didn’t exist and then eliminating them so a guy could fit into the system. In doing so, they appear to have blatantly circumvented and flat out violated the law. The fraud is the issue. Unfortunately, Kim (and Golden) is in the middle of it. It will be interesting to see how and if the Treasury Dept and AG takes the matter up or if they bury the issue.
AP Plaza,
Hmmm, what law was violated? What does this law prohibit?
Double dipping legal but just not right.
Do you mena that it is not right for peolpe to legally work the system to their maximuim advantage or the system itself is not right?
I see how early retirements hurts the public. A system that allows a 45 or 50 year old person to start collecting is fiscally unsustainable.
However, if such a system exists I don’t see how the taxpayers are hurt by the young retiree getting a new job whether it be with the government or elsewhere. ( unless of course it is a made up job that really does not do anything but that is a whole other issue).
lets agree that the system sucks and work to fix it.
What law(s) were violated?? Didn’t you read the Watchdog Report?? Pension laws were violated and probably criminal laws were violated like “Theft by Deception”
Fraud is a criminal offense…Sheeesh!
AP Plaza–you were doing so well until you said “unfortunately Kim and Golden is in the middle of it.”
They are part of the problem why this situation existed in the first place–let the chips fall where they may.
If I had read them i wouldn’t have asked.
Apparently you don’t understand the article enough to answer my question.
always”cronyism” and “Club Monmouth”, when Republicans win, and hire quailfied Republicans they know and like and trust, but, when the Dems win and do the same, it’s perfectly fine?.. enough with the jealousy, false accusations and complaints..Shaun, unlike, (apparently), some posters, can actually walk and chew gum at the same time, that is, do the necessary political appearances, while being an excellent administrator running a large and award-winning, (under the last 3 GOP Sheriffs), law enforcement agency!!..please get over the same-old dissing of people who can get a pension which they earned, and remain legally and gainfully employed, as well!..
As you know there are problems in the jail. It consumes 70% of the sheriff’s department budget. 50% of the employees work there. Overtime is through the roof. Yes, Mickey Donovan earned his pension; however, once he became Chief of Law Enforcement–his pension stops and he is supposed to get re-enrolled back into the pension system. It’s the law. Now don’t tell me he was the Chief Warrant Officer–Because Mr. Cerrato, the previous Chief Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Officer was demoted to make way for Mr. Donovan. Did you read the Watchdog article. It is loaded with information (I assumed obtained through Freedom of Information Requests) with damning information that fraud was committed to permit Mr. Donovan to obtain his pension and county salary.
Perhaps Mr. Golden should indeed stay off the political trails and devote his time to law-enforcement operations instead of glad-handing everybody.
This is disgusting, immoral, unethical–and probably criminal as well.
Stop defending the undefendable!!!
We can only assume it’s “cronyism” and “Club Monmouth” when “Republicans win” because Dems haven’t had control of Monmouth since the 80’s (not counting the 1 year that McMorrow became a Dem). Walking and chewing gum are significant accomplishments but can he oversee 600+ employees, reduce expenses and get himself out of the Donovan mess all at the same time? Time will tell. The Donovan mess may be a thorn for him and Guadagno for some time.
which are MUCH worse-look beyond your own little world/gripe, for once!.. EVERY jail has problems, in a 1300 bed facility like ours, filled with CRIMINALS, and with the ONE year of Dems you speak of, firing so many officers in ’09, the overtime HAS to go up, to fulfill the MANDATED baby-sitting that is required-look,this argument has hair all over it, it’s so old, it has see-sawed over and over again for more than 25 years!!..again, it was Sheriff Oxley, then Guadagno, now Golden, that all got the place, and have kept it,to the highest-rated/accreditated such facility anywhere, that’s just a fact.. but, go ahead, keep beating one year, one guy to death, and ignore the things that are done right and well, by all the staff, every single day.. it’s plain disgusting negativity and ingratitude, toward all the people who do good jobs for us!..
I hope Art can update us soon on this post because this is a huge issue in Monmouth County. Yes Sean, can make the required political appearances. But, can he get the out of control overtime back to some sain levels? Oxley and Guadagno failed to do it. Can us taxpayers and Republicans take more abuse? The sherrifs officers and jail workers are making “Wall Street type money” and you expect us to say that Golden Is doing a great job? Fight the unions, step up, fight for the taxpayers!!! Buck the system. Take a clue from Christe and make change and REFORM. Will Golden fall into the smiling, hand shaking, status quo RINO ? Or will he step up and make change for us taxpayers ? Lets all see and get updates on here? Taxpayers in Monmouth County have been beaten and abused so much in past 30 yrs and its been by our own people>fellow Republicans?