Opinion - John Basilone Parade Committee Municipal Funding Misuse

Editor’s Note from Raritan Neighbors NJ
The following is a guest opinion submitted by a sitting member of the Raritan Borough Council. As a community platform, Raritan Neighbors NJ welcomes a range of perspectives from local leaders and residents. The views expressed in this piece are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raritan Neighbors NJ or its editorial team.

Responses or rebuttals from other officials or residents are welcome and may be submitted to raritanneighborsnj@gmail.com for future publication.

OPINION | Council Member Adam Armahizer
Concerns About Fiscal Oversight in Raritan

By Adam Armahizer
Adam Armahizer is a member of the Raritan Borough Council.

BOROUGH OF RARITAN

22 First Street

Raritan, New Jersey, 08869

Tel: (908) 231 – 1300

To: Nicolas Carra

Raritan Borough Mayor

Members of the Raritan Borough Council,

The Borough of Raritan, NJ

22 First Street

Raritan, NJ, 08869

Re: John Basilone Parade Committee Municipal Funding Misuse

Dear Mayor Carra and members of the Raritan Borough Council,

I requested a formal report on the matter of the John Basilone Parade Committee to be made from either Mayor Carra or Council President Tozzi back in January of 2025. We are now in June of 2025, and no report has been given to members of the public or to the other members of this Governing body. There has been no formal vote or discussion on the issue beyond executive session- despite numerous requests to address the issue over the last 6 months. I expect a full report on the issue of the John Basilone Parade Committee’s ‘Municipal Funding Misuse’ to be given to members of the public by either Mayor Nicolas Carra or Council President Don Tozzi as soon as possible. I feel strongly that my constituents- the residents of Raritan Borough who gave me their trust and confidence- deserve nothing but absolute transparency and honesty from this municipal leadership moving forward.

I am attaching a more informative and updated recap of the email that I sent back in January outlining the situation below. I also included my position on turning the committee into a 501(c) (3) non-profit / private entity and explain why it is an unrealistic solution for this situation moving forward. You may use this information to help you construct your report. For more information, I would recommend reaching out to Police Chief Thomas Fisher, Captain James Raniere, and/or John Basilone Parade Committee Chairman Bruce Doorly. They all gave me rather thorough and consistent explanations early on. I would also recommend reaching out to the committee’s new treasurer Bill Cunningham, Raritan Recreation member Joyce Melitsky, (now former) Police Chief Nolte, member Kim Van Note, member Joni McKelvey, or former treasurer Peter Vitelli.

Internal Investigation by Raritan Borough PD:

I was informed by Raritan Borough Administrator Eric Colvin that in January of 2024, Chairman Bruce Doorly of the John Basilone Parade Committee came forward with claims that the John Basilone Parade Committee’s long-time treasurer (Peter Vitelli) had stolen substantial portions of the municipal funding that had been allocated towards the John Basilone Parade Committee in recent years. Raritan Borough Administrator Eric Colvin told me that Bruce Doorly filed a claim with Raritan Borough’s Police Department. Bruce Doorly filed this claim after approaching Council President Don Tozzi and Councilwoman Joyce Melitsky with the issue. Bruce Doorly’s initial claims had reported the potential misuse and mismanagement of anywhere from $4,000 to $8,000 from 2023’s municipal funding alone- according to (then Lieutenant, now Captain) James Raniere.

The Raritan Borough Police Department, unbeknownst to certain members of Raritan Borough’s Governing Body, conducted an ‘internal investigation’ on the John Basilone Parade Committee. This internal investigation lasted roughly 72-96 hours. After interviewing committee members and evaluating recent financial data- the Raritan Borough Police Department determined that the committee’s long-time treasurer (Peter Vitelli) had stolen roughly $2,000 from 2023’s funding alone. The committee’s long-time treasurer was

then removed from his position and set on a ‘repayment plan’ in the rough amount of $2,000. It is also worth noting that (now former) Police Chief Nolte was/is listed as an active member of the John Basilone Parade at the time his department conducted its internal investigation. This is in addition to multiple other Raritan Borough officials and employees being listed as members of the John Basilone Parade Committee at the time of the internal investigation as well (to include former mayors, active and former councilpersons, municipal volunteers, and members of the Raritan Borough Police Department).

From this investigation, it was also discovered that the John Basilone Parade Committee has not formally operated with appropriate accounting procedures for quite some time. The committee did not have an EIN, file/report any taxes, or have any legitimized financial reporting procedures/governmental oversight whatsoever for nearly four decades. The John Basilone Parade Committees (now former) treasurer had been a long-time member of the committee, and his position as treasurer offered him relatively unlimited access to the organization's public and private funds for several years. The committee’s (now former) treasurer was accused of using his position, accessibility, and the limited governmental oversight on the committee’s finances in order to write himself a series of personal checks unrelated to organizational operations.

The John Basilone Parade Committee has received more than $450,000 in municipal tax dollars from the Borough of Raritan since its creation in 1981. This is in addition to an estimated $250,000+ in public donations/contributions as well- for a combined total of $700,000+ which the John Basilone Parade Committee has received since their point of formation / first donation. The Borough of Raritan is unable to account for how most of the public funds were utilized between the years of 1981 and 2021. The John Basilone Parade Committee is also unable to properly account for how most of the funds were utilized between the years of 1985 and 2019.

........

The following accounting information can be found in the John Basilone Parade Committee’s 2023 financial report, which was provided to me upon request by Chairman Bruce Doorly following the internal investigation held by Raritan PD:

Check Number 1901 - $113 – ‘Fundraiser' for ‘Peter Vitelli’

Check Number 1903 - $136 - ‘Fund Raising’ for ‘Peter Vitelli’

Check Number 1904 - $90 - ‘Expenses’ for ‘Peter Vitelli’

Check Number 1913 – $100 - ‘Working Lunch’ for “Peter Vitelli and gang”

Check Number 1922 – $100 - ‘Expenses’ for ‘Peter Vitelli’

Check Number 1943- $100 - ‘Postage/Cellphone’ for ‘Peter Vitelli’

Check Number 1944 - $200 - ‘Expenses’ for ‘Peter Vitelli’

Check Number 1945 - $100 - ‘Working Lunch’ for ‘Peter Vitelli and gang’

Check Number 1946 - $75 - ‘Working Lunch’ for ‘Peter Vitelli and gang’

Check Number 1948 - $100 - ‘Expenses’ for ‘Peter Vitelli’

Check Number 1949- $100 - ‘Expenses’ for ‘Peter Vitelli’

Check Number 1950 - $150 - ‘Expenses’ for ‘Peter Vitelli’

Check Number 1951 - $500 - ‘Expenses’ for ‘Peter Vitelli’

These were just some of the checks which (now former) John Basilone Parade Committee treasurer Peter Vitelli was accused of addressing to himself in the year of 2023, according to the 2023 financial report provided to me by John Basilone Parade Committee Chairman Bruce Doorly. 

...

Additional John Basilone Parade Committee Expenses in Question:

Check Number 1908 - $8,008.00 - ‘Saturday Night Dinner’ for “Raritan Valley Country Club’ Check Number 1909 - $4,342.00 - ‘Sunday Dinner’ for ‘RVCC’

Check Number 1911 - $3,596.00 - ‘Hotel, Lodging, and Meals’ for ‘Hilton Garden Inn’ Check Number 1912 - $220.00 - ‘Facebook Advertising’ for ‘Joni McKelvey’ (*COMMITTEE MEMBER*)

Check Number 1899 - $336.00 - ‘Internet’ for ‘Tier One Ventures (Alvaro Patrick)’ Check Number 1927 - $672.00 - ‘Internet’ for ‘Tier One Ventures (Alvaro Patrick)’ Check Number 1906 - $470 - ‘DJ + Clark Bar’ for ‘Bill Lester’ (*COMMITTEE MEMBER*) Check Number 1957 - $600 - ‘Christmas Lunch for Committee’ for ‘Uncle Vinnies’

An evaluation of the John Basilone Parade Committee’s 2023 financial report revealed that a significant portion of the municipal funding provided towards the committee has been used before and after the parade itself roughly 70% of municipal funding to be more precise. Much of these funds are not spent on goods and services that are accessible to most Raritan Borough residents or even generally related to the functioning of the John Basilone Parade. While some of these things may sound great... I would like to remind you that this municipality (and most definitely the John Basilone Parade Committee) does not have an ‘unlimited spending credit card’ designated for the use of housing / transporting other government agencies, paying for special guests/attendees, or holding exclusive dinners and lunches inaccessible to the average Raritan resident. I would also like to remind you that all of this was spent in 2023... and the John Basilone Parade was cancelled for that year.

Following the Internal Investigation and its Findings:

- In February of 2024, the John Basilone Parade Committee’s long-time treasurer Peter Vitelli was removed from his position after it was discovered he had misused a substantial portion of municipal funds.

- In March of 2024, Police Chief Nolte announced his retirement from the Raritan Borough Police Department. Police Chief Nolte was/is listed as a member of the John Basilone Parade Committee during the time of the internal investigation.

- In May of 2024, Councilwoman Joyce Melitsky resigned on the night she was supposed to report on the Parade Committees budget- her first year being their assigned Council liaison.

- In February of 2025, Council President Don Tozzi directed members of the John Basilone Parade Committee to formalized themselves as a 501(c)(3) non-profit without proper approval or authority. - In May of 2025, Raritan Borough receives EIN 39-2225011 for ‘JOHN BASILONE PARADE COMMITTEE’ - a newly established non-profit pending tax-exempt status. This was after the committee attempted to submit a faulty EIN which did not appear in the IRS’s tax-exempt organizations database.

Committee Background Information:

- The John Basilone Parade Committee was formed by Raritan Borough Mayor Steve DelRocco in 1981. The initial committee was comprised of municipal officials and community volunteers- Mayor Steve DelRocco was the John Basilone Parade Committee’s first chairman, followed by Jim DeCicco, Joseph Amorsa, and ultimately John Pacifico from 1988 until his death in 2019.

- The John Basilone Parade Committee has received the majority of its operational funding from the Borough of Raritan, New Jersey, since its creation in 1981.

- The John Basilone Parade Committee has received more than $450,000 in municipal tax dollars from the Borough of Raritan since its creation in 1981. This is in addition to an estimated $250,000-$350,000+ in public donations/contributions since their creation as well- for a combined total of $700,000-$800,000+ which the John Basilone Parade Committee has received since their point of formation / first donation.

- The John Basilone Parade Committee has not held an EIN or filed any taxes for almost 44 years.

- The John Basilone Parade Committee operated with the Raritan Borough Municipal Building (22 First Street, Raritan Borough, New Jersey) as its mailing address from 1981 until 2024.

- The Borough of Raritan has provided the John Basilone Parade Committee with a Council Liaison (generally responsible for operational/financial oversight) for the last 44 years.

As for becoming a 501(c) (3) non-profit ...

There is public record of THIS committee operating/working with the Borough of Raritan and receiving public funds since 1981. Under the same name, with the same purpose, with the same registered agent, board members, founders, and primary funding sources. The John Basilone Parade Committee has not held an EIN or filed any taxes for almost 44 years.

After 3 consecutive years of failing to file taxes, the IRS will automatically revoke the organization's tax-exempt status (as mandated by the Pension Protection Act of 2006). Once revoked, the organization is no longer exempt from federal income tax and would have to pay taxes like any other for-profit entity.

In addition to IRS penalties and fees ($20/day for smaller organizations and up to $10,500 per return missed, $100/day for larger organizations and up to $51,000 per return missed), the organizations would likely be expected to pay ‘back taxes’ for the period after their tax exempt status would have been revoked. Having started in 1981 and given the three-year ‘initial good standing’ window, that assessment would likely be between the years 1984 and 2024. That’s if they are being nice about the first three years (they would more than likely view all income as taxable back to the point of formation/first donation in 1981). The IRS will typically only grant retroactivity exemptions if you file within 27 or so months of initial formation- in this case, it has been 520+ months since the John Basilone Parade Committee first began operating and receiving donations.

The state-level consequences for failing to file/report are equally severe. Failure to report could result in loss of state tax exempt status, charitable solicitation registration revocation, ineligibility for state / municipal grants and contracts, and additional penalties and fees that could last multiple years to overcome. Regardless of it they have to pay ‘back taxes’ or additional penalties and fees from the IRS and State of New Jersey, the committee would most certainly receive a “Red Light” for government contracts involving public funds until they are in good standing with both agencies (which could cost a considerable amount of time, paperwork, and financial resources).

In short, the John Basilone Parade Committee suddenly operating as a 501(c( (3) is just not a realistic solution. Filing as an LLC, LLP, C Corps, S Corps, or any other private entity for that matter would likely all have similar if not more severe consequences in terms of punishment and penalties with state and federal agencies. I do not see the John Basilone Parade Committee established in 2025 under EIN 39-2225011 being able to disassociate themselves from the John Basilone Parade Committee that we have been operating with for the last 44 years. I also do not see the Borough of Raritan being able to disassociate itself from either of the organizations in discussion.

The only (somewhat) realistic option I see for the committee moving forward would be to: 1. Establish themselves as a formal committee under the Borough of Raritan.

2. Establish financial accounting procedures that are non-exempt from municipal/state audits, and 3. Spend public funds on purposes only allowable by written law in the State of New Jersey. This wouldn’t necessarily require the complete retrieval of all financial accounting records and documents since 1981- although I would recommend it, and which one would view as ‘worst case scenario’ with becoming a Raritan Borough Committee. The ‘worst case scenario’ for establishing as a private entity such as a 501(c) (3) is heavier financial observation/scrutiny by federal and state agencies, potentially severe penalties/fines, and possible discontinuation of the committee's ability to operate altogether.

I want us to be on the same page with this. We should all be collectively pushing for financial accounting, accountability, and appropriate action moving forward. There are only a few things that the Borough of Raritan can do to make this situation right- and disregarding a dozen different rules and regulations in order to cover up past, present, and future misuse of municipal funding is not one of them. I really feel a unified and transparent approach to this would be best. Please formalize the John Basilone Parade Committee as a Raritan Borough Committee to ensure proper procedure and spending can be followed moving forward.