Mount Holly, May 12, 2008- A recent letter by Jack Kelly's former boss at the Atlantic City Airport raises even more questions about what, if anything, Kelly did as Airport Analyst and Airport Business Manager between 1999 and 2004, two jobs that Kelly wasn't even qualified to hold, and which his former boss said were "patronage."
"The taxpayers deserve an explanation from Mr. Kelly, and they deserve it now," said Chris Myers, who noted that his campaign has made numerous requests to the South Jersey Transportation Authority seeking Kelly's work product and so far nothing has been produced. "Was this a no-show job? Was this a no-work job? How can you be the Business Manager at an airport and there be nothing with your name on it outside of your paycheck? It's high time Mr. Kelly provided indisputable proof-beyond just his or someone else's word-that he showed up and fulfilled his responsibilities at the Atlantic City Airport or admit that he didn't, and face the very serious consequences."
The May 7, 2008 letter published in the Asbury Park Press from James Crawford, Executive Director at the SJTA during Mr. Kelly's tenure said:
"He (Kelly) was an important part of a small SJTA management team at the airport that accomplished much."
However, an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request made on April 15, 2008 by the Myers campaign asked: "The job description for the position held by Mr. Kelly, namely, ‘Airport Analyst,' lists a number of specific duties and activities performed. Among them is the following:
Do you have agendas/minutes/notes of said staff meetings that would indicate Mr. Kelly's attendance and participation?"
The email response from the SJTA's Custodian of Records on April 21, 2008 was: "...no, there is nothing as far as agendas/minutes for Mr. Kelly at staff meetings in the Airport Analyst position."
"If Mr. Kelly was such an "important part" of the management team at the Airport, than why is there no record he attended or participated in any of the staff meetings with Mr. Crawford that his job description required?" asked Myers.
Mr. Crawford's May 7, 2008 letter to the Asbury Park Press also said that: "His (Kelly's) role later expanded to include supervision of the various tenant agreements at the airport."
However, an OPRA request made on April 15, 2008 by the Myers campaign asked the following: "The job description for the position held by Mr. Kelly, namely, ‘Airport Business Manager' lists a number of specific duties and activities performed. Among these are the following:
Is there a work product to indicate that Mr. Kelly performed these functions?"
The email response from the SJTA's Custodian of Records on April 21, 2008 was: "...no, there is no work product for any of the questions concerning Mr. Kelly in the Airport Business Manager position..."
"Mr. Kelly's job description said he was supposed to negotiate and prepare leases, and Mr. Crawford said Kelly supervised tenant agreements," said Myers. "If he, in fact, did any of this, wouldn't there be something-anything-in writing from Mr. Kelly that the South Jersey Transportation Authority could provide?"
Finally, Mr. Crawford's May 7, 2008 letter to the Asbury Park Press also said that: "He (Kelly) would report on problems and on successes."
Despite repeated requests, the South Jersey Transportation Authority was unable to provide any "report" produced by Mr. Kelly between 1999 and 2004.
"Is the taxpayer who forked over nearly $400,000 and counting in salary and benefits supposed to believe that all of Mr. Kelly's reports were verbal in nature? That not one of these alleged reports were ever put in writing?" asked Myers. "It's becoming more and more clear by the day that not only was Jack Kelly's job at the Atlantic City Airport ‘patronage" like his boss admitted, but it was a job in which he took home enormous amounts of taxpayers cash and didn't do a thing to earn that money."
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Chris Russell
(609) 731-0770
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