Wrongful Termination Lawsuit Alleges Brick MUA Director Was Fired After Reporting Corruption

A wrongful termination lawsuit recently filed in Ocean County Superior Court alleges that the former public utility commissioner fired the former director after he reported corruption within the authority to investigators.

Former Director Scott Bundy - who worked with the authority from 1998 to 1998, and then again from 2007 until 2012, according to the lawsuit - filed a lawsuit against the Brick Township Municipal Utility Authority and then-Commissioner Patrick Bottazzi in Ocean County Superior Court.

"In or about August 2010, plaintiffs learned that defendant Bottazzi was suffering financial difficulties," the complaint, which was published on Courthouse News Service, states.

"Plaintiffs further learned that defendant Bottazzi was then attempting to obtain a loan from Crown Bank and in exchange for the loan had agreed to transition the BMUA's bank accounts to Crown Bank."

Bottazzi allegedly started harassing Bundy after he reported these beliefs to the township's auditor.

In an interview with the Asbury Park Press, Bottazzi denied the allegations, calling the claims "completely false."

The lawsuit claims Bottazzi received the personal loan of about $1.5 million after the board approved moving the authority's money from TD to Crown, with Bottazzi stating publically: "I got my loan."

Bundy is seeking to be reinstated, as well as backpay and punitive damages. He is represented by Kevin Costello in Mount Laurel. An attorney representing Bundy was not immediately available for comment this morning.

Reached at the authority this morning James F. Lacey, Executive Director of the BTMUA, told Patch this is a "personnel matter.  We're in litigation and I can't comment on it."