Washington Twp. fires solicitor, citing conflict of interest

John Armano was hired to defend Washington Township in its legal matters. But when the role was reversed - and Armano became a defendant of sorts - he did not appear.

In a peculiar, courtroom-like setting in the municipal building Wednesday night, the Township Council voted to remove the solicitor from his post halfway through his contract, due to an alleged conflict of interest and a "fundamental breakdown" in the client-attorney relationship. All the while, a seat for the lawyer sat empty.

Stuart Platt, a lawyer hired to act as a prosecutor in the matter, told the council of his discussions with an attorney for Armano: "The basic position is that they . . . did not agree with the charges that were filed, felt that the actions of this council was a sham."

"All of which I completely disagree with," Platt said. Documents provided to Platt in Armano's defense, including an expert's opinion, were disseminated to the council.

Less than an hour after the special hearing began, and Platt finished presenting case law and documents he said supported the removal, four members voted to oust Armano. Scott Newman, one of four Democrats on the five-member council, cast the only vote of dissent.

Platt said Armano and an attorney had received notices about the hearing and did not indicate they would not attend until "the eleventh hour."

The personnel charges were authorized by the governing body during the town's reorganization meeting this month because of Armano's law firm's connection to a legal dispute in last year's Democratic primary election.

Armano's partner John Trimble represented three Democratic council candidates - John Daly, John Hoffman, and Scott Dzierzgowski - who sued the township Democratic Executive Committee and its endorsed candidates during the 2014 primary. The suit alleged that the committee violated its bylaws and chose its endorsed candidates in secrecy. The plaintiffs later agreed to dismiss the suit.

Two of the committee-backed candidates - Angela Donato and Sean Longfellow - are now on the council. They joined Council President Michelle Martin, who acted as a representative for the Democratic committee during legal proceedings.

The resolution to bring the personnel charges said Armano engaged in "action which was contrary to the interests of current clients."

"They sued members of council personally," Martin said Wednesday night. "That trust was broken."

Nick Fazzio, the council's sole Republican, also voted to remove Armano.

Armano, who also headed the town's law department, was under a four-year contract not set to expire until the end of 2016. His base salary was nearly $97,000, according to the 2013 contract, which allowed him to also earn $125 per hour for certain legal work.

Armano did not return requests for comment on the matter earlier this week.

Some say that ill feelings from the bitter primary are also at the root of a proposal made at the reorganization meeting to cut certain employee salaries.

One township source said that there was a push to have the administration remove Armano, and that the salary ordinance was introduced because of Democratic Mayor Barbara Wallace's unwillingness.

Early documents filed in relation to the ordinance would cut Wallace's salary 40 percent, from $25,000 to $15,000. Six other employees, including the business administrator and clerk, would also see salary reductions.

Martin, who proposed the salary ordinance, has denied that the potential cuts are politically motivated. She also denied pressuring the mayor or administration into removing Armano.

Wallace, in a statement this month, called the salary measure "politics at its worst." A second reading for that ordinance, which was approved at the reorganization in concept only, has not been scheduled.

The mayor, who was not at Wednesday's hearing, is empowered to appoint the next solicitor.