Vernon official rebuked for theft

July 18, 2008

By TOM HOWELL JR.

Dressed in shackles and orange jail garb, former Vernon Manager Don Teolis turned Friday and said, "I'm sorry," to two township officials seated in the front row of a Superior Court room.

Teolis, 51, was sentenced to five years in prison for bilking Vernon of thousands of dollars to finance an affair with a township employee in 2005 and 2006.

His quiet apology to Mayor Austin Carew and current Township Manager Melinda Carlton occurred as he shuffled out of the courtroom to serve his sentence.

Carew, Carlton and Vernon Police Chief Roy Wherry attended the hearing to represent the "26,000 victims" of Teolis' crimes in Sussex County's most populated municipality.

"The damage caused by Mr. Teolis is really, in my judgment, immeasurable," Vernon Mayor Austin Carew told the court.

The public saga has deteriorated trust of government in the township as it seeks investors in four redevelopment areas, according to township officials.

"It's a very serious matter," Assistant Prosecutor Gregory Mueller said. "Public corruption breeds public cynicism."

A yearlong investigation began when then-Councilman Jim Oroho reported irregularities in vouchers Teolis submitted for reimbursement in December 2006, officials said.

Teolis pleaded guilty in May to official misconduct, a second-degree crime, and must repay the township $13,796, money he used to pay for personal trips with township employee Annette Yankalunas.

His attorney, Gerard Hanlon, said Teolis prepared a check Friday for $3,000, a significant first payment to Vernon.

"I will always be proud of the positive things I accomplished as Vernon Township manager," Teolis told the court.

But he apologized with "deep regret" and "a heavy heart" for defrauding the public. He said he lost his home, career and "a large part of my dignity" because of his crimes.

Judge N. Peter Conforti said the ability to control one's free will is the most important responsibility of mature citizens.

"This defendant abused his responsibilities in his position," Conforti said.

During the investigation by prosecutor's Detective Patrick Higgins, facts surrounding Teolis' September 2006 trip to San Antonio with Yankalunas led investigators to question trips to Florida, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, New York and Washington, D.C., the prosecutor's office said.
Authorities said Teolis used township money for Sea World tickets, a cruise in Miami and other personal expenses, and he billed the township for conferences or services that may or may not have existed.

In remarks to the court, Carlton said Teolis' actions placed a black eye on the township and her profession. The Vernon "bilking" case was cited by an anti-fraud consultant at a meeting she attended in Parsippany on Thursday.

"That was much more than an embarrassment -- it was painful," she said. "That struck a knife through my heart."

Yankalunas, 43, of Milford, Pa., will avoid criminal prosecution on charges she falsified records regarding a hotel stay with Teolis in San Antonio.

She was enrolled in the pre-trial intervention program for a span of one year. The charges will be dismissed if she completes 60 hours of community service, pays fines and follows all rules of court supervision.

Teolis had resigned from his Vernon post -- citing "disrespect and animosity" from the township -- shortly after he was accused of striking his wife in February 2007.

Assault charges stemming from the incident were administratively dismissed by prosecutors on Friday.

Teolis was arrested at John F. Kennedy Airport when he flew in from Brussels, Belgium, after spending months in Europe.

His attorney said Teolis had planned to turn himself in on Jan. 30.

Teolis received 182 days of credit for time served in the Sussex County Jail. His earliest opportunity for parole will be one year and five days into his term, according to the judge.

Residents seek vote on ballfield bonds: Petition drive in Vernon aims to repeal ordinances

(The Star-Ledger Archive)

Date: 2002/05/08

By JIM LOCKWOOD
STAR-LEDGER STAFF

In a rare move, some Vernon residents have mounted a petition drive aimed at repealing a pair of bond ordinances totaling $4.7 million for recreational ballfields and instead placing the project before voters in a referendum.

But the council is asking residents not to sign either of two petitions being circulated, saying they would only delay much-needed ballfields by a year.

The controversy, which has been brewing for a month, is the latest surrounding council plans to build a recreational complex on 180 acres of town-owned land on Maple Grange Road.

That tract includes the 40-acre "Black Creek" Native American site that on April 1 was designated historic by state Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bradley Campbell.

On April 8, the council approved an $8 million bond ordinance for several capital expenses, including $4.7 million for the first phase of Maple Grange Park.

However, because some residents said they would petition to withdraw that bond, the council rescinded it April 10, and split it into three separate bond ordinances that were adopted April 29, including:

$1.4 million for football fields and parking on the 40-acre historic section.

$3.3 million for some 10 other fields on the remaining 140 acres, for soccer, lacrosse, football and baseball, as well as an outdoor roller hockey rink, a bocce ball court, a snack bar/pavilion, parking and restrooms.

$3.7 million for various non-controversial capital and equipment items that are not targeted by the petition drive.

Two separate petitions aimed at withdrawing both park bonds were launched last week by Jessica Paladini, Dennis Miranda, Chris Fuehrer, Carol Gunn-Kadish and former mayor Jim Kilby.

On Friday, Mayor John Logan, Councilman Neil Desmond and Freeholder Howard Burrell, who live in Vernon, urged residents to not sign the petitions.

Logan called the petitions an "anti-park political ploy" targeting seniors with "false information and innuendo" about rising taxes.

"I feel it is just a mean-spirited attempt to inject politics into what should be a positive event," Logan said.

Paladini disagreed, saying the park project has become larger and more expensive than originally envisioned. She also cited voters' defeat of the Vernon schools budget last month as evidence of concern over spending and taxes.

"We're not opposed to ballfields or a park. We're for a referendum. This park has taken on a life of its own. The cost has now skyrocketed," Paladini said.

Logan said the new bonds replace other debt that has been retired. He also outlined a plan to offset costs with various revenues that a park may generate, such as rentals, fees, a cell tower, events and sponsorships.

The annual tax impact from the park bonds would range from $8 to $39 for a homeowner with a $150,000 property tax assessment, depending on how much revenue could be raised, Logan said.

He questioned why proponents of preserving the Black Creek Native American site would circulate a petition that deals with the rest of the property, and why there was no outcry for a referendum when the 180-acre tract was purchased by the council two years ago.

"It's all the people we beat in the last election and their supporters," Logan said. "All they're looking to do is get in position for next year's election and who loses? The kids."

But Paladini called the council's approval of a bond ordinance for fields on the historic section "arrogant," because construction there cannot readily take place without first going through state review and approval.

"How irresponsible is this to borrow money for land that can't be developed?" Paladini said.

Logan likened bond ordinances to "opening a line of credit," in which financing is prepared so it is available when needed.

Each petition needs about 865 signatures of registered voters to be valid. If the petitions are successful, the council would have to rescind the bonds or put them before voters in a referendum, probably in November.

Municipal ordinances are enacted after a series of actions are taken over several weeks, including a first vote for introduction, a public hearing and second vote for adoption. An ordinance then takes effect 20 days after it is officially published, unless there is a petition to recall it within that time frame.

Such post-adoption petitions are not unheard of, but they are rare, according to the New Jersey League of Municipalities.

The Star-Ledger Archive
COPYRIGHT © The Star-Ledger 2002

Date: 2002/05/31 Friday Page: 039 Section: COUNTY NEWS Edition: WARREN Size: 929 words

Local News Briefs

Vernon

Petitions to withdraw a pair of bond ordinances totaling $4.7 million for a recreational park in Vernon were certified as valid this week by the township clerk, township Attorney Joseph Ragno said yesterday.

Now, the township council has to rescind the bond ordinances or put them before voters in a public referendum, Ragno said.

The council also could rescind the ordinances and adopt substantially similar ones or rescind them and place its own park referendum question before voters, he said.

The petitions submitted May 21 contained about 1,756 signatures - nearly double the 864 signatures needed - and stemmed from council plans to build a recreational complex on 180 acres on Maple Grange Road purchased by the town a few years ago.

That tract includes the 40-acre Black Creek Native American site that was designated historic on April 1.

The bond ordinances, which were adopted April 29, include $1.4 million for football fields and parking on the 40-acre historic section and $3.3 million for some 10 other various fields on the remaining 140 acres, an outdoor rink, bocce ball court, a snack bar/pavilion, parking and restrooms.

The petitions want to place the bonds before voters in a referendum.

The Star-Ledger Archive
COPYRIGHT © The Star-Ledger 2002

Date: 2002/06/12 Wednesday Page: 023 Section: MORRIS Edition: MORRIS Size: 406 words

Vernon rethinks its plans for park

Petition drive leads council to reconsider

By JIM LOCKWOOD
STAR-LEDGER STAFF

The Vernon Township Council, in response to a petition drive, is planning to rescind a pair of bond ordinances totaling $4.7 million for a park, officials said yesterday.

The petitions, submitted last month, contained about 1,756 signatures - nearly double the 864 needed - and stemmed from council plans to build a recreation complex on 180 acres on Maple Grange Road. The town purchased the land a few years ago.

After being deemed valid, the petitions left the council with several options: withdraw the bond ordinances; place them before voters in a public referendum; rescind the ordinances and adopt substantially similar ones; or rescind them and place the council's own park referendum question before voters, Township Attorney Joseph Ragno said.

On Monday, the council introduced an ordinance to rescind the two park bond ordinances, and a public hearing on the withdrawal measure will be held June 24.

"We will unveil on the 24th a plan that addresses the concerns by all those who signed the petitions," Vernon Mayor John Logan said. He would not be more specific.

The Maple Grange tract includes the 40-acre Black Creek Native American site that was designated historic on April 1.

The bond ordinances, which were adopted April 29, include $1.4 million for football fields and parking on the 40-acre historic section and $3.3 million for some 10 other various fields on the remaining 140 acres, an outdoor rink, a bocce ball court, a snack bar/pavilion, parking and restrooms.

Ragno said there likely would not be a referendum on the rescinded bonds, and he and the town's bond counsel and engineer are working on a new proposal.

"A plan has to be made for the ultimate development of Vernon's park," Ragno said. "There were enough signatures to indicate concern about the (dollar) amounts proposed in those bonds."

One of the petition organizers, Jessica Paladini, said, "Should the council insult the residents by rescinding the original park bonds and replacing them with slightly lower dollar amounts, we will circulate a petition for an initiative (to) once and for all put a park question on the ballot for voter approval.