A whistleblower lawsuit filed by Belleville’s construction official and zoning officer was settled for $250,000, resolving claims that the mayor retaliated against the employee for denying a building permit.Frank DeLorenzo alleged in the complaint that Mayor Michael Melham targeted him after DeLorenzo denied the mayor’s permit application in 2018 because it violated township codes.The suit, filed in August 2022 in Superior Court of Essex County, claimed Melham took a series of retaliatory actions, including filing a...
A whistleblower lawsuit filed by Belleville’s construction official and zoning officer was settled for $250,000, resolving claims that the mayor retaliated against the employee for denying a building permit.
Frank DeLorenzo alleged in the complaint that Mayor Michael Melham targeted him after DeLorenzo denied the mayor’s permit application in 2018 because it violated township codes.
The suit, filed in August 2022 in Superior Court of Essex County, claimed Melham took a series of retaliatory actions, including filing a complaint against DeLorenzo with the state Attorney General’s Office.
As part of the dispute, Melham accused DeLorenzo of improperly withdrawing thousands of dollars from a developer escrow account — allegations DeLorenzo has denied.
State investigators later served a subpoena at Belleville Town Hall, though the Attorney General’s Office declined to confirm whether it was investigating.
The lawsuit argued that Melham exceeded his authority by creating a committee to oversee DeLorenzo and the construction and zoning departments. It also said a subsequent internal review found the mayor did not follow best practices, though no corrective action was taken.
DeLorenzo, a decades?long township employee who earns more than $179,000 a year, said the mayor’s actions violated New Jersey’s whistleblower and anti?discrimination laws. He said those actions created a hostile work environment and caused him emotional and economic harm.
The settlement, reached on Oct. 22, 2025, resolves all claims. Neither side admitted wrongdoing.
As part of the agreement, Melham was dropped from the lawsuit, which was dismissed on Dec. 1, 2025, court records show.
DeLorenzo received a check for $210,000, while his attorneys were paid $40,000, according to the agreement.
Melham declined to comment on the case, other than to say that the settlement money came from a combination of municipal and insurance money, not taxpayer funds.
“This settlement was strictly an economic decision,” the mayor said.