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MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF

THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION

 

JANUARY 21, 2026

 

Allison Chris Myers, Chairperson

Dolores Gorczyca

Daniel W. O’Mullan

Diomedes Tsitouras

Christina Mongon

 

JANUARY 21, 2026

 

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    A regular meeting of the Civil Service Commission was held on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., in Trenton, New Jersey.

 

            PRESENT: Allison Chris Myers, Chairperson; Members Dolores Gorczyca, Daniel W. O’Mullan, Diomedes Tsitouras, and Christina Mongon; Levi Klinger-Christiansen, Deputy Attorney General; Dulce A. Sulit-Villamor, Director and Chief of Regulatory Officer, Division of Appeals and Regulatory Affairs; and Annemarie Ragos-Goff, Commission Secretary, were present.  All individuals listed participated via teleconference.

 

          In accordance with L.1975, c.231, the Secretary to the Civil Service Commission opened the meeting with the following statement:

 

    Notice of this meeting was filed with the Secretary of State and sent to the Trentonian, Trenton Times, Courier-Post and Star Ledger on November 5, 2025, and posted at the Civil Service Commission, 3 Station Plaza, Trenton, New Jersey.

 

    All actions were by unanimous vote unless otherwise specified.

 

CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MINUTES

 

Submitted for adoption are the Civil Service Commission minutes of its meeting of December 17, 2025.

 

ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission adopted the minutes of its meeting of December 17, 2025.

VOTE:         Allison Chris Myers                (Yes)

                    Dolores Gorczyca                    (Yes)

Daniel O’Mullan                           (Yes)

Diomedes Tsitouras                    (Abstain)

                    Christina Mongon                   (Yes)

 

WITHDRAWAL OF APPEALS

 

The following appeals were withdrawn and removed from the hearing calendar:

 

Tara Dzurkoc, Trenton, Police Department, removals (3).

 

Maria Rivera, Perth Amboy, Department of General Government, removal.

 

ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission noted the withdrawal of appeals without prejudice.

 

DISMISSAL FOR FAILURE TO APPEAR

 

The Civil Service Commission dismissed the following cases without prejudice for failure to appear at the scheduled hearing before the Office of Administrative Law:

 

Gianna Medina, Ancora Psychiatric Hospital, Department of Health, removal.

 

Monica Sousa, Union County, Department of Human Services, removal.

 

ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission noted the dismissal of appeals without prejudice.        

 

SECTION A – HEARING MATTERS

 

A-1    SETTLEMENTS

 

Serena Bailey

Vineland Developmental Center

Department of Human Services

 

Sydney Drummond

Veterans Memorial Home at Paramus

Department of Veterans Affairs

 

          Kelly Garrett

          Department of Health

          Trenton Psychiatric Hospital

 

Dennis Nagy

Middlesex County

Department of Health

 

Nina Wright

Department of Health

          Trenton Psychiatric Hospital

 

ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission acknowledged the settlements.

 

A-2    QIANA BROWN – CSC DOCKET NO. 2025-268

 

Qiana Brown, a Police Lieutenant with the Hillside Police Department, appeals her removal, effective October 5, 2023, on charges of conduct unbecoming a public employee, other sufficient cause, and violations of departmental rules.

 

Recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge – Reverse the removal. 

 

ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission affirmed the recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge.

 

A-3    SHAWN KELLY – CSC DOCKET NO. 2025-1719

Shawn Kelly, a County Correctional Police Officer with Hudson County, Department of Corrections, appeals his removal, effective January 30, 2025, on charges of incompetency, inefficiency or failure to perform duties; insubordination; chronic or excessive absenteeism; conduct unbecoming a public employee; other sufficient cause; and a resignation not in good standing.

 

Recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge –Uphold the removal.       

 

ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission affirmed the recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge.

 

A-4    C.M. – CSC DOCKET NO. 2025-1313

 

C.M., a Morgue Attendant with Gloucester County, Office of the Medical Examiner, appeals his removal, effective September 23, 2024, on charges of incompetency, inefficiency or failure to perform duties; insubordination; conduct unbecoming a public employee; neglect of duty; and other sufficient cause.

 

Recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge – Modify the removal to a six-month suspension.

 

ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission held this matter over for further review.

 

A-5    V.V. – CSC DOCKET NO. 2025-2558

 

V.V., a Fire Fighter with North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue, appeals his removal, effective May 14, 2025, on charges of failure to perform duties; insubordination; conduct unbecoming a public employee; neglect of duty; and other sufficient cause.

 

Recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge – Uphold the removal.

 

ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission affirmed the recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge.

 

A-6    JENNIFER ZELENKA – CSC DOCKET NO. 2025-1390

 

Jennifer Zelenka, a former Family Service Specialist 2 with the Department of Children and Families, appeals her release at the end of the working test period effective December 15, 2024.

 

Recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge – Uphold the release at the end of the working test period.          

 

ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission affirmed the recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge.

 

SECTION B – MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS

 

B-1    ALLEN MASIS – CSC DOCKET NO. 2025-2720

 

       Allen Masis, represented by Robert K. Chewning, Esq., appeals the bypass of his name on the Fire Fighter (M2249D), New Brunswick, eligible list.

         

          ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be denied.

 

B-2    ROBERT SCHARPNICK – CSC DOCKET NO. 2025-2840

 

         Robert Scharpnick requests permission to submit a late application for the promotional examination for Police Lieutenant (PM2802G), Elizabeth.

         

          ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission directed that this request be denied.

 

B-3    MICHAEL CUMISKEY, ET AL. – CSC DOCKET NOS. 2025-2808, ET AL.

 

        Michael Cumiskey and John Lind (PC5126F), Bergen County Sheriff’s Office; Jay Nejad (PC5131F), Hudson County; and Chantannette Ketelaar (PC5134F), Ocean County, appeal the promotional examination for County Correctional Police Captain.

         

          ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission directed that these appeals be denied.

 

B-4    JACOB CUSTIS – CSC DOCKET NO. 2025-2716

 

           Jacob Custis appeals the promotional examination for Sheriff’s Officer Sergeant (PC5087F), Gloucester County.

         

          ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be denied.

 

B-5    STEFAN ENGERS, ET AL. – CSC DOCKET NO. 2026-418, ET AL.

 

          West New York, Stefan Engers, and Joseph Morrell appeal the determination of the Division of Agency Services, which denied West New York’s request to reduce the one-year service requirement for the promotional examination for Police Lieutenant (PM2838G), West New York.  West New York and Mnawer Menwer appeal the determination of the Division of Agency Services, which denied West New York’s request to reduce the one-year service requirement for the promotional examination for Police Captain (PM2789G), West New York.  Additionally, Stefan Engers, Joseph Morrell, and Mnawer Menwer appeal their ineligibility for the respective examinations.

         

          ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission directed that these appeals be denied.

 

B-6    KEYA S. WILLIAMS – CSC DOCKET NOS. 2025-2723

 

        Keya S. Williams appeals the determination of the Division of Agency Services, which found that she did not meet the experience requirement for the open competitive examination for Senior Community Program Specialist (S1495F), Statewide.

         

          ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be denied.

 

B-7    R.M. – CSC DOCKET NOS. 2025-223 AND 2025-907

 

          R.M., a former Administrative Analyst 2 Procurement, Department of Health, appeals the determinations of the Chief of Staff, which found that the appellant failed to present sufficient evidence to support findings that she had been subjected to violations of the New Jersey State Policy Prohibiting Discrimination in the Workplace.

         

          ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be denied.

 

B-8    ERIC DELGADO AND TIMOTHY MITCHELL – CSC DOCKET NOS. 2025-2589 AND 2025-2590

 

        The PBA State Law Enforcement Unit, represented by David Beckett, Esq., requests reconsideration of the Civil Service Commission’s decision in In the Matters of Eric Delgado and Timothy Mitchell, Sergeant Campus Police (PS3229J), Montclair State University (CSC, decided April 9, 2025).

         

          ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission held these matters over for further review.

 

B-9    M.M. – CSC DOCKET NO. 2026-24

 

        M.M. appeals her nonappointment on the Project Engineer Structural Evaluation (PS6437T), Department of Transportation, eligible list.

         

          ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be denied.

 

B-10  DAVID VAN WINKLE – CSC DOCKET NO. 2026-74

 

        David Van Winkle, represented by Michael L. Prigoff, Esq., appeals his nonappointment on the Police Officer (M0379F), Rutherford, eligible list.

         

          ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be denied.

B-11  PARKS AND WILDLIFE MAINTENANCE SPECIALIST TITLE SERIES – CSC DOCKET NO. 2026-1440

 

           The Division of Agency Services, on behalf of the Department of Environmental Protection, requests the consolidation of the Parks Maintenance Specialist/Supervisor titles with the Parks Maintenance Specialist/Supervisor Botanical Garden variants and renaming the title series Parks & Wildlife Maintenance Specialist.  As part of this request, the DEP requests the establishment of the noncompetitive title of Parks & Wildlife Maintenance Apprentice.

         

          ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission directed that this request be granted.

VOTE:         Allison Chris Myers                (Yes)

                    Dolores Gorczyca                    (Recuse)

Daniel O’Mullan                         (Yes)

Diomedes Tsitouras                  (Yes)

                    Christina Mongon                   (Yes)

 

B-12  RESOURCE INTERPRETIVE SPECIALIST TRAINEE – CSC DOCKET NO. 2026-1649

 

           The Division of Agency Services requests the establishment of the noncompetitive title of Resource Interpretive Specialist Trainee in accordance with N.J.A.C. 4A:3-1.2.

         

          ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be granted.

 

B-13  MICHAEL DOUGHERTY – CSC DOCKET NOS. 2026-597 AND 2026-1314

 

           Michael Dougherty, a Carpenter with Beach Haven, represented by George Burr, Jr., Teamsters Local 97, requests a hearing with respect to his removals.

         

          ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission directed that this request be granted.

 

B-14  C.H. – CSC DOCKET NO. 2025-2211

 

           C.H., represented by David Beckett, Esq., appeals the promotional examination for Police Sergeant.

         

          ACTION:    The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be denied.

 

PUBLIC PORTION

 

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