Official Site of The State of New Jersey
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MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF
THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
APRIL 8, 2026
Mary Cruz, Acting Chairperson
Dolores Gorczyca
Daniel W. O’Mullan
Diomedes Tsitouras
Christina Mongon
APRIL 8, 2026
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A regular meeting of the Civil Service Commission was held on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., in Trenton, New Jersey.
PRESENT: Mary Cruz, Acting Chairperson; Members Dolores Gorczyca, Daniel W. O’Mullan, Diomedes Tsitouras, and Christina Mongon; Levi Klinger-Christiansen, Deputy Attorney General; Dulce A. Sulit-Villamor, Director, 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 March 18, 2026.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission adopted the minutes of its meeting of March 18, 2026.
VOTE: Mary Cruz (Yes)
Dolores Gorczyca (Yes)
Daniel W. O’Mullan (Abstain)
Diomedes Tsitouras (Yes)
Christina Mongon (Yes)
WITHDRAWAL OF APPEALS
The following appeals were withdrawn and removed from the hearing calendar:
Brielle Hayes, City of Millville School District, release at the end of the working test period.
Jonah Jones, Burlington County, Department of Solid Waste Management, release at the end of the working test period.
Kamil Warraich, City of Asbury Park, Police Department, suspension.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission noted the withdrawal of the appeals without prejudice.
SECTION A – HEARING MATTERS
A-1 SETTLEMENTS
Ebenezer Eso
Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital
Department of Health
Mario Fernandez (2)
Hudson County
Department of Corrections
Byron Geronimo and
Gabriel Serrano (Consolidated)
City of Newark
Department of Public Safety
Efrain Gonzalez
Jersey City School District
Reagen Pierre (3)
City of Orange Township
Police Department
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission acknowledged the settlements.
A-2 NA’ASHA BROWN – CSC DOCKET NO. 2024-1336
Na’Asha Brown, a County Correctional Police Officer with Mercer County, Department of Corrections, appeals her removal, effective February 15, 2023, on charges of incompetency, inefficiency or failure to perform duties; conduct unbecoming a public employee; neglect of duty; and other sufficient cause, specifically, violations of the Mercer County Public Safety Table of Offenses and Penalties.
Recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge – Reverse the removal.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission affirmed the recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge.
A-3 N.B. – CSC DOCKET NO. 2024-1324
N.B., a Municipal Recycling Coordinator with the Township of Lakewood, Department of Public Works, appeals his removal, effective November 28, 2023, on charges of inability to perform duties; conduct unbecoming a public employee; neglect of duty; and other sufficient cause, specifically, a violation of an agreement between the township and the union.
Recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge – Uphold the removal.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission affirmed the recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge.
A-4 VANESSA HOWARD – CSC DOCKET NO. 2023-2131
Vanessa Howard, a former County Correctional Police Sergeant with Monmouth County, Department of Corrections and Youth Services, appeals her 45 working day suspension, effective March 3, 2023, on charges of incompetency, inefficiency, or failure to perform duties; conduct unbecoming a public employee; neglect of duty; and other sufficient cause, specifically, violations of departmental rules and regulations.
Recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge – Uphold the 45 working day suspension.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission affirmed the recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge.
A-5 GINA LEWIS – CSC DOCKET NO. 2024-2622
Gina Lewis, a County Correctional Police Officer with Union County, Sheriff’s Department, appeals her layoff for reasons of economy or efficiency effective June 30, 2024.
Recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge – Grant the appointing authority’s motion for summary decision and uphold the layoff.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission affirmed the recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge.
A-6 S.P. – CSC DOCKET NO. 2023-2641
S.P., a Supervising Sewage Plant Repairer with Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, Department of Municipal Utilities, appeals his removal, effective April 1, 2023, on charges of incompetency, inefficiency or failure to perform duties; conduct unbecoming a public employee; neglect of duty; inability to perform duties; discrimination that affects equal employment opportunity; and other sufficient cause, specifically, a violation of the township’s discrimination and harassment policy.
Recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge – Dismiss the appeal for failure to appear.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission affirmed the recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge.
A-7 MATTHEW STRAUSS – CSC DOCKET NO. 2024-2528
Matthew Strauss, a County Correctional Police Sergeant with Bergen County, Sheriff’s Department, appeals his demotion to County Correctional Police Officer, effective May 15, 2024, and his suspension for 60 working days, effective May 16, 2024, of charges of incompetency, inefficiency or failure to perform duties; inability to perform duties; conduct unbecoming a public employee; neglect of duty; and other sufficient cause, specifically, violations of standard operating procedures, the use of force policy, and employee rules and regulations.
Recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge – Reverse the demotion and uphold the 60 working day suspension.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission affirmed the recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge.
SECTION B – MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS
B-1 J.G. – CSC DOCKET NO. 2025-2449
J.G., represented by Timothy M. Smith, Esq., appeals his rejection as a Police Officer candidate by Weehawken Township and its request to remove his name from the eligible list for Police Officer (M0395F).
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be denied.
B-2 SULAIMAN SHITTU – CSC DOCKET NO. 2026-635
Sulaiman Shittu appeals the removal of his name from the eligible list for Fiscal Analyst (M0527D), City of Newark.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be granted.
B-3 CHRIS WOJACZYK AMD LESLIE ROBERTSON – CSC DOCKET NOS. 2025-2628 AND 2025-2869
Chris Wojaczyk and Leslie Robertson appeal the promotional examination for Correctional Police Lieutenant (PS9117P), Youth Justice Commission.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that these appeals be denied.
B-4 M.A.-B. – CSC DOCKET NO. 2026-649
M.A.-B., a former Government Representative 2 with the Department of the Treasury, appeals the determination of the Assistant Treasurer, stating that there was insufficient evidence to support a finding that the appellant had been subjected to a violation of the New Jersey State Policy Prohibiting Discrimination in the Workplace.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission remanded the matter to the Department of the Treasury.
B-5 PATRICK GEARY AND CHARLES DISHON – CSC DOCKET NOS. 2026-852 AND 2026-902
Ocean County, represented by Robert D. Budesa, Esq., requests reconsideration of the decision of the Civil Service Commission in In the Matters of Patrick Geary and Charles Dishon, Ocean County (CSC, decided September 10, 2025). Patrick Geary, a County Correctional Police Lieutenant with Ocean County, requests a retroactive date of appointment.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that these requests be denied.
B-6 CAROLYN WHITEHEAD – CSC DOCKET NO. 2026-1000
East Orange, represented by Sean M. Pena, Esq., requests reconsideration of the decision of the Civil Service Commission in In the Matter of Carolyn Whitehead (CSC, decided September 24, 2025).
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this request be denied.
B-7 CAROLYN WHITEHEAD – CSC DOCKET NO. 2025-721
Carolyn Whitehead requests a determination by the Civil Service Commission regarding the back pay awarded in In the Matter of Carolyn Whitehead, East Orange, Department of Policy, Planning and Development (CSC, decided February 28, 2024).
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this request be granted and ordered the City of East Orange to pay Carolyn Whitehead $370,518.47 in gross back pay.
B-8 STEPHEN SZELES – CSC DOCKET NO. 2026-566
Stephen Szeles, represented by Stuart J. Alterman, Esq., appeals his nonappointment on the Supervising Medical Security Officer (PS5107H), Ann Klein Forensic Center, Department of Health, eligible list.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this appeal be denied.
B-9 INVESTIGATOR AND INVESTIGATOR, BILINGUAL IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH – CSC DOCKET NO. 2026-2217
The Division of Agency Services requests the reallocation of the Investigator and Investigator, Bilingual in Spanish and English, titles to the noncompetitive division of the career service for use by the New Jersey Judiciary in accordance with N.J.A.C. 4A:3-1.2.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this request be granted.
VOTE: Mary Cruz (Yes)
Dolores Gorczyca (Recuse)
Daniel O’Mullan (Yes)
Diomedes Tsitouras (Yes)
Christina Mongon (Yes)
B-10 PUBLIC WORKS TRAINEE – CSC DOCKET NO. 2026-2069
The Division of Agency Services requests the establishment of the noncompetitive title of Public Works Trainee for use in local government in accordance with N.J.A.C. 4A:3-1.2.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this request be granted.
B-11 STATE PROCUREMENT SPECIALIST TRAINEE – CSC DOCKET NO. 2026-2049
The Division of Agency Services requests the establishment of the noncompetitive title of State Procurement Specialist Trainee for use in the Department of the Treasury in accordance with N.J.A.C. 4A:3-1.2.
ACTION: The Civil Service Commission directed that this request be granted.
PUBLIC PORTION
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