Maplewood CFO Joseph Kolodziej

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Jerry Giaimis claims he was forced out after he repeatedly warned Dafis and the TC about bid-rigging and the Township CFO’s failure to submit a timely 2022 budget.

Maplewood municipal leaders said that a precipitous increase in the cost of state employee health benefits plans could mean as much as a 6.9% tax rate increase for residents, far beyond the state-mandated 2% tax levy cap. 

The Maplewood Township Committee unanimously passed the town’s 2022 municipal budget on September 6, “just in time to start the next budget,” as TC member Nancy Adams said when she voted to approve its passage. 

“It was a long time getting here, and that will not happen again,” said Maplewood Mayor Dean Dafis. 

A combination of unexpected budget shortfalls — from a failed liquor license bid to fire department overtime — and the need for state approvals on some budgeting measures, are contributing to an “embarrassingly” late timetable for adoption of the Maplewood 2022 township budget, according to the town’s CFO.

“We’ve been advised by our CFO [Joseph Kolodziej] that he is still working with the auditor to pull together the annual financial statement which is a requirement to intrude our budget,” Mayor Dean Dafis reported.

“We wish we had more residents who would interact with us in this process,” said Mayor Dean Dafis, who said there will be a special session explaining the budget in greater detail and “plain language” once the budget is adopted.