We reported yesterday that Bob Balicki was hired as the second in command at the county jail. The Daily Journal followed up with another story today. We find Balicki’s salary interesting.
Robert Balicki, 58, was named Monday as confidential assistant to the warden. The appointment was announced Wednesday. The job pays $95,000 a year.
Louis Magazzu is quoted many times saying that a salary that high is obscene. His choices for sheriff and surrogate ran on the premise that any salary more than $75,000 was obscene and unconscionable. We predict that Lauren Van Embden, candidate for county clerk will also promise to take a major pay cut.
Our question is why is the county sheriff, head of all county law enforcement and entrusted with keeping the public peace and safety worth $20,000 a year less than a second in command at a local jail?
Why is Louis not screaming bloody murder and demanding that Balicki give back to the taxpayers that $20,000? Where is Lou when yet another county employee is getting paid an outrageous North Jersey salary?
July 9, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Oooh. Oooh. Can I guess first? It’s really too easy. The answer is in the headline. Hypocrisy. If Lord Lou actually believed that a salary of $95,000 in Cumberland County was obscene we would hear about it incessantly. Instead it only comes up when it is in his political interest to do so. Of course he is a politician and is going to be political. Problem is when he spends our (the public’s) money to reach his goal like staying out of the way while Balicki gets in at $95k through some clever title maneuvering so as not to require Board approval.
Politics as usual.
July 10, 2009 at 12:33 am
It’s also interesting that the media reported Balicki took a $15,000 pay cut to come to Cumberland. Could it have something to do with Gloucester County paying out a $4 million settlement for it’s jail personnel illegally strip searching inmates that Pete McCarthy of the Gloucester County Times reported? That embarrassment was under Balicki’s watch. We don’t need to hire Balicki to do that for us – we can do it on our own, and we have. Also, Balicki said he will help us work with the mentally ill in our jail. Balicki needs to get with the program – we had already started a mental health program to help keep the mentally ill on their meds and out of jail. Freeholder James Rocco, plus many others, get the credit for bringing that program to Cumberland County, not Balicki. Sounds like Cumberland County has taken a giant step backwards with the Balicki hire. This is what happens when a county has people serving as freeholders who don’t bother to find out what has been going on, nor do they have time to attend committee meetings. In the end what we get is poor leadership that results in poor government.
July 10, 2009 at 6:38 am
Half a story without all the facts. Virtually EVERY County in the state has settled a lawsuit regarding strip searches!!! Was a class action lawsuit brought forward by a large law firm. Very bad decision by the courts not allowing prisoners to be thoroughly searched but that’s another discussion. Sure Balicki knows about our County’s efforts but will hopefully improve the mental health program. Only story may be the questioning of his salary. BUT Balicki will do an OUTSTANDING job!!
July 10, 2009 at 8:46 am
That’s right Tryagain. It’s an important and responsible job and the salary commensurate with it is apparently $95,000. So, it seems that at least certain important and responsible county jobs are worth paying more than $75,000 per year.
July 10, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Tryagain Lou ignores the fact the reason he refused to reappoint Warden Saunders is that the county was sued for the strip searches. Louie was as usual verbally abusive to Saunders and argued venemently to delay his reappointment for allowing strip searches that were in violation of of DOC regulations.
It is just minor error when one of his campaign helpers makes the same mistake.
Balicki is being appointed as confidental assistant so he can become warden when Saunders retires after being pushed out by Louie.
Balicki is willing to take a pay cut to $95,000.00 because he will be the new warden in January and will recieve an pay raise that will make him whole.
The next step is a regional jail involveing multiple counties. You can guess who is planned to oversee it’s creation and construction.
Good bye Cumberland County Jail and Bridgeton will be stabbed in the heart again.
July 10, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Hey Swallower, where have you been? Gargling? Or just fantasizing? Regional jail sounds like a great idea! Think Magazzu and Co. should take your idea and give it some real consideration! IMO strip search settlement in all counties and court prohibiting it is a disgrace. Can’t blame Magazzu on horrible court decisions although you will try to find a way. Don’t remember Saunders saying anything about verbal abuse?
July 10, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Is there a State statute that governs the salary of a confidential assistant to a county jail warden? I thought there was one governing the salaries of County Clerk, Surrogate,and Sheriff and we do not follow the law in Cucumber County. Oh, that’s right, this is where those who are loyal to Lou, run as a sacrificial lamb for an office and lose are rewarded with a position. Where can I sign up for a job like this? Oh, you have to prostitute yourself to Lou?…never mind, I will stay poor and be able to look at myself in the mirror.
July 11, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Be careful not to break the mirror!!
July 12, 2009 at 9:43 am
knotu shows his colors by endorsing unconstitutional acts by our jail wardens.
The basis of the lawsuit was that the County of Cumberland illegally strip searched individuals upon their admission to the Cumberland County Correctional Facility who were charged with non-indictable crimes or other minor offenses, in violation of the unreasonable search provisions of the United States Constitution.
knotu believes that the 21-year old female that forget to pay a parking ticket was reasonably strip searched and cavity searched.
If the jail had proper oversight, and that oversight IS partly Magazzu’s responsibility, the county would not have had to pay millions in settlements to such vile criminals as those that were late paying traffic fines or that ran a traffic light.
But knotu – the one who continually lies and libelously claims that I am extremelt partison is the only truly partisan one on this forum.
knotu – who hides behind various fake names – has never failed to defend any democrat – whether it be Florio who with his ill-conceived boat tax destroyed thousands of jobs overnight, and put many businesses into bankruptcy, or whether it be the Cumberland county democrats that violated the constitution and allowed people’s rights to be trampled for the sadistic pleasure of some jail guards.
Some people do (and did) get off on the humiliation of others, and that sort of activity has absolutely no place in our judicial system or local jails.