“This is being referred because of two votes, one from a man who has a vile hatred for me.”
Following a lengthy closed session to begin an Oct. 2 work session meeting, the Cinnaminson Township Committee voted to refer the Donald Brauckmann investigation to both the state Division of Consumer Affairs and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.
A seven-month internal investigation was discussed in public at the Cinnaminson Township Committee meeting on Sept. 25, and the referral passed by a vote of 2–0 Monday evening.
Following the closed session, which lasted close to an hour, the meeting reconvened in the main chambers to accommodate the number of townspeople who were in attendance.
Deputy Mayor Ben Young made a motion to refer the investigation to the DCA and the Prosecutor’s Office, and Mayor Anthony Minniti seconded. Both voted in favor of the motion. Minniti left the meeting following the vote, leaving Young in charge of the remainder of the meeting. Brauckmann was not allowed in the voting process.
Committeeman Howard “Bud” Evans recused himself due to his close friendship with Brauckmann, while Committeeman John McCarthy abstained from voting because he said he did not have enough time to thoroughly read the 38-page report and make an informed vote.
“To ignore the findings in the report would amount to a ‘coverup’ and constitute a dereliction of our obligation to our town and residents,” Minniti said in an email early Tuesday morning. “Quite simply, if Committeeman Brauckmann is confident that he has done nothing improper, then he should fully endorse our actions because he will be exonerated. I believe his reaction stems from his finally coming to grips with the gravity of his actions and possible consequences.”
Brauckmann is also accused of promising to vote to approve Young to the position of director of public works in exchange for getting his wife a job at Rowan College at Burlington County. The 47-year-old is also accused in the report of “inserting himself into a law enforcement action concerning ticketing and issuing tickets” and calling former Committeewoman Kathleen Fitzpatrick following a closed session meeting to discuss an employee.
With the referral, the committee is asking the law enforcement agency to look into possible criminal violations. The DCA is tasked with looking into the possible ethical violations against Brauckmann.
The public asked for a re-vote to be done following McCarthy having more time to read the report, but officials commented that an issue couldn’t be tabled after it has already been voted.
“This is my life, my career,” Brauckmann said during the meeting. “This is being referred because of two votes, one from a man who has a vile hatred for me. He’s said it to numerous people. He is clearly conflicted. The other person is a little more soft spoken about it, but this entire investigation is about him not getting the director of public works position.”
For more information on the township committee, check http://www.cinnaminsonnj.org/?page_id=84#twpcomm.
