JACKSON – Lawsuit settlements, complaints by township employees and ongoing investigations were subjects discussed during recent Township Council meetings.
Elliot “Eli” Shem Tov criticized officials during the public comment period of a meeting, pointing to the recent settlement agreement involving former Police Chief Matthew Kunz who retired at the end of January and received $2 million in that settlement.
Shem said that situation “raised serious concerns about internal township administration conflict. This was not a clerical issue. It involved senior officials and had a real financial and public trust consequences.”
He noted that Mayor Jennifer Kuhn and Council President Mordechai Burnstein “had characterized these events as something they inherited. Jennifer Kuhn was council president during the prior administration. She was in a leadership role at the time these issues were unfolding. She was council president when she decided to insert Joseph Candido as director of public safety. This is an added position that pays $200,000 annually and for what? Retribution?”
The resident pointed out that the former chief had not received pay increases over years “which were in upwards of $300,000. Lawsuits involving current and former township employees are now moving through the legal system.”
Shem referenced a harassment lawsuit filed by former longtime township employee Marianne Horta which alleges that Kuhn harbored a toxic work environment that caused her emotional distress and led her to leave her position.
Last fall, an outside law firm was retained to investigate and review a number of employee complaints filed against Kuhn including several by employees of the Code Enforcement Department alleging Kuhn engaged in forms of intimidation, public humiliation, and improper monitoring of township operated vehicles with tracking devices.
Burnstein told The Jackson Times that the complaints that became public prior to Kuhn becoming mayor, had reached a resolution seven weeks ago. He would need to review with the township’s labor attorney what could be released publicly about that situation, because personnel matters are generally kept private.
He did go on record as saying, “those investigations wrapped up and Mayor Kuhn was vindicated and it was determined she didn’t do anything wrong.” This did not involve the Horta litigation.
Kuhn, while still serving as council president, was publicly critical of Kunz’s leadership of the police department during several Township Council meetings and Kunz filed a complaint against her.
“Whether these cases are ultimately proven is for the courts to decide but the pattern is what concerns residents,” Shem added. He noted that the litigation costs were impacting taxpayers who wanted to see accountability from their municipal leaders.
“It is easy to file a lawsuit. It is harder to win a lawsuit,” Burnstein replied during that meeting.
During the latest council meeting and in an interview with The Jackson Times, Burnstein revealed that former Mayor Michale Reina had been warned by Township Attorney Gregory McGuckin that having Candido assume the position of public safety director could expose the township to a legal risk.
Burnstein said this information had never been shared with the members of the council prior to the vote to confirm Candido’s appointment. Reina resigned in September 2025 after 17 years as mayor. His regular job is superintendent of bridges for Ocean County. Reina told The Jackson Times shortly after his resignation was received that he felt “it was time to go.”
Kunz alleged in his lawsuit that Candido overstepped his authority, interfered with staffing and budget decisions and placed himself into central department operations – actions Kunz characterized as an effort by Reina to limit his authority as leader of the department.
Police unions in Jackson supported the creation of the public safety director position due to tensions regarding actions of the former chief at the time. Burnstein, noting the history of the position, said that he, Kuhn and Councilman Scott Sargent voted for the creation of the position in a three to two vote in 2024 but that “the appointment of Joe Candido (a few months later) was all five of us. The problem in the lawsuit was not the position. No judge ever struck down the position. What Joe did in that position over 18 months was phenomenal. (Interim Chief Mary) Nelson has already asked him if he could help her with some of the financial which is the grants.”
The $2 million settlement with the former chief, featured more than $247,000 in back wages dating to 2018. He retired at the end of January. His successor, Mary Nelson, the township’s first female police chief was sworn in on February 10, along with 10 other officers who were promoted as well as a new hire.
During the public comment period of that meeting Candido spoke about the lawsuit, which had also named Reina as a defendant. He said the legal dispute was not over the public safety director position itself a title “plenty of towns” have along with a chief of police – but that he was placed in it while on leave from his position as a lieutenant.
“He was a subordinate of Chief Kunz. The governing body was never at that point given that direction. I even had direct conversations with Director Candido at that point about making sure he felt comfortable with the position.” Burnstein told The Jackson Times.
During the council meeting Candido said, “if we were told certain things when this position was created, and I was asked to take it…”
Burnstein interrupted him at that point saying, “I know what you’re alluding to so I’m just going to put it out.” The council president stated Reina had moved forward with Candido’s appointment despite receiving a legal memorandum (written by McGuckin and dated June 13, 2024) that “very clearly dictated that it was a mistake.”
Candido said Reina had been advised by McGuckin that if Kunz filed a lawsuit, “we believe there is a substantial likelihood the township would lose.” The attorney recommended the matter be discussed with Candido so that he would be aware of the situation before accepting the position.
McGuckin’s memo came to light only in the last few weeks according to Burnstein who shared it with Candido. “Joe really does have the support of the department. If we had known about the legal issue about Joe Candido becoming public safety director I wouldn’t have agreed to it. We were never told. Joe feels betrayed and stabbed in the back. It was embarrassing what he went through and he did it for the department because the unions asked him to step up and he wouldn’t have done it had he been aware of the legal concerns,” Burnstein told The Jackson Times.
Council members were not allowed to speak with department heads under Reina’s administration according to Burnstein noting Reina ran things under a strict Faulkner form of government. He said he had been questioned by former Business Administrator Terence Wall on occasions when he did call a department head.
Burnstein said “that was part of the fallout we had with Mayor Reina. “My method of governing and Jen’s method of governing is very hands-on.” He gave the example of a recent meeting of Department of Public Works employees and other staff at Town Hall. They were there “24 hours straight and learning about the department. You can only show your support of the department if you understand your department.”
