Watchdog Blasts Mayor's Pick for Economic Development Consultant

Joshua Berry does see eye-to-eye with Mayor David Mayer on some things.

Really.

Perhaps even many things.

The mayor's annual Toys for Tots campaign?

Check.

Green initiatives like solar panels to power the municipal building?

Check.

The township's new economic development consultant?

Not so much.

During the public portion of last Monday's Township Council meeting, Berry, political director for conservative watchdog group South Jersey Citizens, blasted the Mayer administration's selection of The Kolluri Group LLC as the township's new $3,000-per-month economic development consultant.

The Kolluri Group is a sole proprietorship founded in 2010 by Kris Kolluri, a Gloucester Township native who served as commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation and chief of the state's Schools Development Authority under former governor Jon Corzine.

"That means that if he gets a cold or gets hit by a bus, you've lost your economic development consultant," Berry said. "This is not like a Remington & Vernick (the township's engineering consultant) that might have dozens or hundreds of engineers who can step in."

Last Wednesday, Patch caught up with Mayer, a Democrat, at an event at the Hider Lane Senior Center and asked him about Berry's assessment of the Kolluri Group appointment.

"If you look at transportation and education, they are catalysts of economic development," Mayer said. "If Mr. Berry doesn't think they go hand-in-hand with economic development, I really wouldn't want Mr. Berry commenting on economic development."

Mayer noted Kolluri is familiar with the township's infrastructure having served as DOT commissioner when the $5.8 million Route 42 Exit 7B bridge project received DOT funding.

Berry, who is one of several bloggers to regularly contribute on Gloucester Township Patch, told Council his criticism of the Kolluri Group appointment extends beyond the Mayer administration.

He is disappointed the process in place required Council to vote at the township's Jan. 2 reorganization meeting on Mayer's recommendations of the economic development consultant, as well as other professionals, just two days after they received the administration's selections.

Berry labeled the process "an embarassment and a disgrace."

"How can you make an informed decision when you don't have the information, when the seven of you are not sitting around a table getting a detailed report from someone that talks about this firm's or the engineers' ... or the accountants' qualifications?" he rhetorically asked Council.

Mayer expressed surprise that Berry, a staunch opponent of pay to play, singled out The Kolluri Group. The mayor noted that neither the consulting firm nor its principal have made campaign donations to township Democrats.

"I think he is just finding something to complain about," Mayer said.