Jerry Giaimis, who was terminated from his position as Raritan Township's township administrator in August, said he is planning to take legal action.
RARITAN TWP. -- Jerry Giaimis, who was terminated from his position as township administrator in August, said he is planning to take legal action against the township.
Jerry Giaimis (Courtesy photo)Giaimis said he has not been given his final paycheck because he will not sign a release saying he will not sue the township for wrongful termination.
Township Attorney Jeffrey Lehrer said he could not comment because of pending litigation.
"His attorney threatened litigation against the township," Lehrer said. "I'm not at liberty to say anything else because of the threat of ligation made by Mr. Giaimis' attorney. There have been more than one threat of ligation made."
On Monday afternoon, the township called a special meeting Thursday at 8 a.m. to discuss the threatened litigation by Giaimis.
On Aug. 26, the Township Committee voted 4-1 to terminate Giaimis during which he said was an illegally held meeting. He was replaced on an interim basis by the township's Chief Financial Officer Bill Pandos, it was previously reported by NJ Advance Media.
Giaimis had been hired as interim administrator in March 2015 and given the post permanently in October.
Giaimis said his firing was illegal and he is keeping open his option of filing a lawsuit for wrongful termination. He has 45 days to challenge if the meeting in which he was fired was held in violation of the Open Public Meetings Act and up to a year to file a wrongful termination lawsuit.
He said he is also considering additional legal action against the township for withholding his final paycheck of approximately $42,000.
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Giaimis and his lawyer, Morristown-based attorney Michael B. Lavery, said following his termination hearing that they are contemplating taking legal action. As a result, Giaimis said, the township told him it is withholding his final paycheck until he signs a release saying he will not file a lawsuit.
"They have no legal basis to withhold my money," said Giaimis. "Jeffrey Lehrer is doing a major injustice to the Township Committee and taxpayers by giving such advice. I will utilize all legal remedies and hold them collectively and personally responsible for acting in bad faith and contrary to law."
Giaimis, who earned an annual salary of $124,000, was due to receive four months pay if he was fired, according to a resolution passed terminating his employment. Lavery, Giaimis' attorney, didn't return a phone call seeking comment.
Giaimis said two pay periods have passed since his termination. He said the township has offered to negotiate a higher payoff if he signs the release, but he has declined.
"It's clear they owe me the money," said Giaimis. "I'm not going to sign anything. I just want my money. They're basically trying to extort me. They want to give me hush money. After I get my money, maybe we can negotiate."
Giaimis succeeded Allan Pietrefesa as township administrator and had been the municipal manager in Scotch Plains. Giaimis served as a borough councilman in Washington in Warren County from 2001-2004, and held posts of assistant township manager in Randolph in Morris County and township manager/business administrator in Vernon in Sussex County before coming to Scotch Plains.
"This was very difficult and painful," said Mayor Karen Gilbert at the time of Giaimis' termination. "The township administrator serves at the pleasure of the governing body and it was a question of whether it was a good fit. He's just not the right fit. He was let go without cause."
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.