Bruno Associates - Ledger - Sued by Springfield for $75,000

*
Published in the Star-Ledger, Friday, September 1, 2006

Town sues company for failure to win grants
Springfield wants $75,000 it spent with Bruno Associates

BY JUDITH LUCAS
Star-Ledger Staff

The budget was tight, and Springfield Township officials decided in 2004 to hire a reputable grant-writing company to find them some cash.

According to the municipal at torney, Bruce Bergen, $75,000 was spent in expectation of thousands of dollars in state and federal grants.

The township paid Bruno Associates of Clifton, but Bergen said Springfield has not reaped the money it was promised.

A lawsuit was filed in Superior Court in Union County last week by the township against Bruno Associates for $75,000.

"It's been several years," said Bergen yesterday. "They have not gotten us anything substantial."

John Bruno, who heads the consulting company, said he tried to get money for Springfield with nine applications amounting to $982,443. The company won the township a grant for $3,450 in January 2006.

"Springfield had many internal problems and it was impossible to get the township to agree on anything," Bruno said. "This is totally unfair and uncalled for. We received no cooperation whatsoever.

"We have a contract. If we don't get what they paid, we will stay until such time as we do. We will live up to the contract."

Bruno worried the lawsuit would smear his company's 37-year record of grant writing for public bodies, including municipal governments and boards of education.

"The whole problem lies with Springfield," Bruno said. We cannot help it if state and county agencies deny applications. That is why we said we will stay there until they receive the amount of the money they paid us. They are sick. They have political battles there."

Bruno said his company's record is unassailable.

"We have gotten over $400 million for our clients," Bruno said. "Linden has received at least $5 million."

Bergen said poor results caused the relationship with Bruno and his company to go sour.

"It was his fault, not the township's fault," Bergen said. "Other than this one grant, there is noth ing. This could go on forever.

"I don't care how much money he has gotten for somebody else. Springfield is what I care about."

Judith Lucas covers Union County Courthouse. She may be reached at jlucas@starledger.com or (908) 527-4011

Link to online story.

(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Links posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)

(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*