I recently became aware of the fact that a resolution was being sponsored by Councilman Fernando Gonzalez to censure me at the special meeting of December 27, 2012. After discussions with other members of the Council and our City Attorney Mark Blunda, I am submitting this letter to rebut and to more fully respond to the allegations that have been made. This is particularly important given the fact that the proposed resolution itself speaks only in generalities and does not especially accurately or fairly correspond with the conclusions of the investigation by various parties into the above matter.

First and foremost, as far I can determine from reading the proposed language, there are two different but related allegations being made. First, that I attempted to steal paid parking from the City of Perth Amboy on several occasions by parking my car in a handicap space and secondly, that I unlawfully misappropriated the placard of another for my own personal use. I will attempt to address each of these concerns.

At the outset, I wish to point out that I have always paid for my parking in the parking deck on a monthly basis for the past several years. This has been confirmed by both Mr. Blunda and the Perth Amboy Police Department based upon records obtained from the Parking Utility. Accordingly, I have no reason to not park my car in a space that I have already paid for in advance. This issue aside, over a period of two months from May until June of 2012, a private detective retained by a private citizen followed myself and members of my family on a regular basis. This private detective prepared a report alleging that on seven occasions he observed either my own personal vehicle or the vehicle of my wife parked in a handicap space with a handicap placard displayed in the windshield. To be exact, he alleged that my personal vehicle was parked in a handicap space but did not see me operate the vehicle at all. Of the remaining six instances that he alleged that he observed my wife’s vehicle to be improperly parked, he alleges that he observed me operate that vehicle on one occasion. Based upon this allegation, the citizen personally issued one parking ticket against me which was heard in Woodbridge Municipal Court and subsequently dismissed. No other tickets are pending.

The other allegation appears to be that I used the placard of a deceased person in my car. As I have already publicly stated, the placard was obtained by my wife’s grandfather for his use and for the use of his wife both of whom were disabled. My wife became their primary care giver over time and was the person who transported them both around. Upon the death of my wife’s grandfather, his wife came to live at our home and we continued to use the placard when transporting her. It was my understanding that the placard was issued for both of their uses and so my wife and I continued to use it for that purpose. At the insistence of the same private citizen referenced above, the issue of the use of the placard has now been investigated by the Perth Amboy Police Department, Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and the City Law Director. All three have concluded that no law was broken by the usage of the placard to drive around my wife’s relative. However, I have also advised the Perth Amboy Police that my wife and I have ceased using the placard and shall make a direct application to the Motor Vehicle Commission for a new placard that will in no way be attached to her grandfather’s name so that there shall be no future confusion on this issue.

I hope that this addresses the Council’s concerns as to this issue.

Sincerely,

Kenneth L. Gonzalez