Franklin Lakes August 24, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 7 Construction/zoning official resigns from dual positions by Frank J. McMahon The construction code official/zoning officer for the Borough of Franklin Lakes has resigned from his dual positions as of Aug. 9. Kevin Burnette had been the borough’s construction code official and chief administrator of the borough’s construction enforcement department since being appointed to that position by former Mayor Maura DiNicola in August 2009. He later became the borough’s zoning officer. Last week, the borough council appointed Allendale’s construction code official, John Wittekind, as the borough’s acting construction code official and Thomas Gensheimer, Wyckoff’s construction code official, to perform the necessary inspections pending the appointment of a new permanent construction code official. “I’m very proud of the work I accomplished as the construction official in Franklin Lakes,” Burnette said when contacted about his resignation. “I really enjoyed the position, but because of the lack of support from the borough administrator, the mayor, the council, and my staff, I felt I had no other choice but to resign.” At a July meeting, Burnette was the subject of a public hearing in front of the borough council regarding complaints by residents and criticism about his performance. During that open public hearing, Franklin Lakes Borough Administrator Gregory Hart, Mayor Frank Bivona and the borough council voiced their specific concerns about the operation of the construction office. That discussion was held in public at Burnette’s request because he was under the impression at the time that he would not be permitted to attend or participate in the discussion if it were held in a closed session of the council. Hart acknowledged during that discussion that Burnette was a hard-working employee with whom he had a good relationship, but said complaints about the construction office were the subject of numerous meetings and evaluations and, while there has been improvement in some areas, the mayor and council continued to receive customer service complaints about the department. The council’s Personnel Committee was asked to meet with Hart about Burnette’s job performance and report back to the full council. At the council’s work session on Aug. 2, Bivona and the council discussed Burnette’s performance in both positions again in a closed session of the council. At the end of the public meeting that evening, the council passed resolutions to remove Burnette from his duties as the borough’s zoning officer and its $15,605 salary, but to keep him in the construction code offi- cial position at the construction code official’s salary of $80,474. The council also decided to begin looking for a new zoning officer for the borough. In addition, the council required Burnette to participate in an employment improvement program that was to be provided by Hart, who was directed to report to the council on Burnette’s progress. Those actions by the council resulted in Burnette’s resignation several days later. Prior to being appointed to the dual positions in the borough, Burnette volunteered as the clerk of the works for the major renovation of the borough’s ambulance corps headquarters on Bender Court. He oversaw that entire project from concept to completion. As clerk of the works, he represented the interests of the ambulance corps to ensure that the quality of the materials and the workmanship were (continued on page 8) The Franklin Lakes Lions Club will bring the Zerbini Circus back to McBride Field in Franklin Lakes on Sunday, Sept. 18. Performances will be held under the big tent at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 5 p.m., rain or shine. The show will feature an assortment of acts, including clowns, dogs, jugglers, acrobats, and aerialists. All of the dogs in the act came from animal shelters. The program brings in circus performers from all Zerbini Circus coming to town around the world. Pony and camel rides will be available before and after each show. Tickets are $9 in advance and $11 at the gate. Children age two and under will be admitted free. Advance purchase is recommended. Tickets are available at Cartridge World at the Franklin Crossing Shopping Center, TD Bank at Urban Farms, and the Super Deli Mart at 805 Franklin Avenue. For further information, call (201) 8913431.