Officer’s lawsuit came and went with a price

A South River police officer’s lawsuit against the borough, charging that he was unfairly passed up for a promotion in favor of someone who used a bogus college degree, has been settled. The complainant officer is gone; the borough is off the hook. But the people of South River will pay for the whole ordeal.

Among other benefits, the settlement gives Lt. Joseph Kolakowski significant salary increases for both last year and this year, and allows him to use up various forms of leave until he is eligible to retire in January. The borough will also pay for Kolakowski’s legal expenses, expected to be $8,000.

The settlement is not an admission of guilt on behalf of the borough or Kolakowski, who goes away and agrees not to sue the borough again.

But the whole issue will likely leave a bad taste for some, who might feel that the borough has been cheated here, that an apparent loophole in an ordinance could at first cost someone a promotion and now cost the town a decent enough chunk of change.

Borough officials, some of whom were named in the suit, acknowledge that there is a problem with a system where someone can advance their career at the expense of others through the use of a college degree that is obtained for a fee, with no studying or exams. This problem appears to have occurred because the borough’s ordinance does not discriminate against degrees from any institution as long as they are accredited — regardless of who is doing the accrediting or based on what criteria.

Borough officials should also acknowledge, however, that there was some moral wrongdoing here, instead of simply falling back on the excuse that the ordinance was not violated.

There is a clear need for action to be taken on a larger scale so that so-called universities that involve no books, no studying and no tests do not devalue the achievements of those who actually worked hard for years to earn their diplomas at real schools.

Locally, officials should follow through with their stated intention to re-examine their ordinance and the promotions process, incorporating new language consistent with present-day technology. Other governing bodies should take note so that they do not wind up in a similar predicament, perhaps with an equal or greater cost.