Employees of a small public works department in Union County, who have spoken out about problems at their work site, were notified Friday that they may lose their jobs.
All six employees of Roselle Park Department of Public Works would be affected by Rice Notices they received Friday, according to a copy shared with NJ Advance Media.
Rice notices are formal notices that a New Jersey public employee’s employment will be discussed, and could result in discipline or termination.
The employees’ termination is up for a vote on Thursday at the next regular town council meeting, according to meeting minutes.
The workforce reduction is marked by an asterisk, meaning the matter is “considered to be routine and non-controversial by the council and will be approved by one motion,” according to the Roselle Park website.
In addition to the notice, on Thursday, Roselle Park is expected to authorize a shared service agreement with Kenilworth for public works services, according to meeting minutes.
“This has been in the works for months, if not years,” said Mayor Joseph Signorello III, who refuted any accusations that the layoff action was retaliation for health and safety concerns being aired publicly.
The “hard reality,” Signorello said, is that the building needs to be replaced and Roselle Park can’t afford what it costs to replace it right now.
“The real impetus around me seriously thinking about this and prior mayors thinking about this is our buildings are old and need to be replaced. We went out to bid years ago and we got bids way out of our price range,” Signorello said.
“It’s worth noting we anticipate to save somewhere between $100-200,0000 a year and also be able to have a larger workforce because of this,” the mayor added.
The proposed cuts come two weeks after NJ Advance Media published an article detailing a 30-year history of contamination at Roselle Park DPW and employees’ concerns about it.
“I think it’s retaliation for the safety and health concerns being brought to light,” said laborer Josh Regan, one of the employees who spoke up about his concerns.
Regan said he and his colleagues were handed the notices Friday morning and told to clear out their lockers.
“I do believe it’s retaliation because we voiced our concerns and won’t back down,” said Eric Kennedy, who worked as a laborer at the public works from 2015 to December 2024.
In an email to NJ Advance Media Friday night, Borough Clerk Andrew Casais said the notices were sent in advance of the release of the meeting agenda.
Casais said if the shared service agreement is approved, “the governing body will then consider the authorization of a layoff action for its existing personnel who serve in public works functions.”
It’s unclear if any of the Roselle Park DPW employees will be rehired under the tentative shared services agreement. Existing employees will all have the opportunity to apply for their role in Kenilworth, should the agreement be approved, said Signorello.
“We cannot compel Kenilworth to hire them,” the mayor said. “My guess is some will be rehired but they will have the opportunity to interview for their roles.”
The Roselle Park DPW on West Webster Avenue is listed as a “known contaminated site” by the state.
Despite efforts by the town and the state to remove contaminated soil and conduct regular monitoring, current and former employees — some who’ve become sick, and the family of one who died of cancer five years ago — said not enough is being done.
The employees claim that more than a half dozen former public works employees have died from different types of cancer between 2017 and 2024.
The public works building itself has its own problems – fungi and water damage, not enough ventilation, a chemical known to cause cancer, and a crumbling infrastructure, according to a December report from a consulting firm hired by the township.
Township officials say most of the issues in the building have been addressed and they continue to comply with state laws requiring them to clean up the contamination of the grounds, under the direction of a licensed site remediation professional.
A new environmental consulting firm, Matrix New World, was appointed in May and is conducting a review of all of the aspects of the property, said Casais, the borough clerk.
Casais said any remaining issues relate to the building’s structural integrity, which may require a more time-consuming, expensive fix.
Stories by Jackie Roman
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Jackie Roman may be reached at jroman@njadvancemedia.com.