Toms River reiterates call to sue former schools chief

TOMS RIVER, N.J. - The Toms River Township Council has urged the Board of Education to sue former Schools Superintendent Michael Ritacco, charged in a multimillion-dollar bribery-kickback scheme in the Ocean County district.

For the second time in a month, the council wrote to the board urging it to sue Ritacco, who has said he will be acquitted at trial. The council wants an answer for the public before its Dec. 14 meeting, Mayor Thomas Kelaher said.

Ritacco is accused of taking as much as $2 million in bribes from the district's insurance broker. He retired Oct. 21, the day he surrendered to the FBI in Newark.

In a copy of the letter, given to the Asbury Park Press, Kelaher wrote that although Ritacco, former director of athletics Frank D'Alonzo, former health insurance co-broker Frank Controneo, and former broker Francis X. Gartland have not been convicted of any crimes, the money was diverted from taxpayers. The mayor said the council wants to take all possible steps to recover the money.

Kelaher said he recognized the autonomy of the school board according to state law. However, he said he thought he had to cite the importance of safeguarding "the assets of the taxpayers whom we collectively represent."

If the council does not receive a response by Dec. 10, "the governing body will be in a position to take appropriate legal steps as soon as possible to protect the assets that rightfully belong to our taxpayers and residents," Kelaher wrote.

The board's offices were closed Friday and no one could be reached for comment.