Millstone votes to send investigations to state

By alison granito
Staff Writer

In an attempt to put the political controversy of the recent past behind them, the Millstone Township Committee decided to send the results of three investigations to higher authorities last week.

The committee voted 5-0 to send the report prepared by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, the results of the special investigation funded by the township and a report prepared by resident Steve Lambros on to a state Department of Criminal Justice investigative unit in Trenton.

All three reports delve into the allegations of improper conduct against former Committee-man William Kastning and the role he allegedly played in an attempt to acquire property for the Millstone Open Space Trust.

The township’s investigation came after the county prosecutor’s office found no cause to charge Kastning with improper conduct while in public office.

"Hopefully this will end this at this level and at these meetings and the political garbage that goes with it," Mayor Evan Maltz, who made the motion to send the reports on to Trenton, said at the meeting.

"The only way to proceed with this is to get it out of the politics of Millstone Township," he added.

As part of Maltz’s motion, which was seconded by Deputy Mayor Cory Wingerter, he said that the state officials could review the documents and "proceed as they see fit."

"It is time to put this to sleep. It should go," Committeeman Charles Abate said.

"I agree; we have to move this on," Committeeman William Nurko added.

Committeeman John Pfeffer-korn also stated support for sending the reports on to state officials.

The motion to send the report came after a heated exchange between Maltz and Pfefferkorn over whether justice had been served in the Kastning affair.

Maltz accused Pfefferkorn of playing politics and said, "Your political horse---- will not be served on this dais."

At the time, the committee was discussing the introduction of an ordinance that will require the Open Space and Farmland Preservation (OSFP) Council to adhere to the Sunshine Law, which governs access to public meetings.

As a part of the ordinance, the OSFP council will be required to make an audio recording of both the public and executive sessions and forward the minutes to the committee to review within 35 days.

Officials said at the meeting that the ordinance is an attempt to address and monitor the issues surrounding property acquisition in the township, in line with recommendations made by the special investigator.

Pfefferkorn has been pushing for further committee review of the situation. "There has been an injustice, and this cannot be

buried because this committee can’t be bothered to address it," he said.

Pfefferkorn said that the council is yet to review the complete findings of the investigations and has said that he feels the township’s investigators did not talk to certain key people involved and presented information biased against Kastning.

The investigation into Kastning, who was a GOP committeeman, has helped feed a subsequent rift in the Millstone’s Republican party.

Maltz, the sitting GOP mayor, did not receive backing from the township party and was subsequently defeated in June’s primary election.