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Health & Fitness

If Truth Be Told, Brookdale Looked The Other Way In Birdsall Conflict of Interest

Former CEO of Birdsall Services Group, Howard Birdsall seems to have been in violation of Brookdale College's strict "conflict-of-interest" policy while acting as chairman of its board of trustees.

While acting as chairman of Brookdale Community College's board of trustees for more than 20 years,  Howard Birdsall was a major shareholder and former CEO of Birdsall Services Group (BSG). His tenure as chairman would have seemed to be in violation of the college's strick "conflict-of-interest" policy. However in an article published last week in the Independent titled "County, towns caught up in Birdsall probe", officials at Brookdale stated no:

“At no time during his tenure as a member of the board did Brookdale conduct business with Birdsall Services Group,” the statement read. “The bylaws of the board of trustees clearly state that ‘no board member or employee shall have a direct or indirect interest, financial or otherwise, in a contract with the college,’ and this conflict-of-interest policy is strictly enforced.”


If that statement is to be believed than how does Brookdale officials explain their connection with BSG and its role as energy procurement consultant for the County College Electric and Natural Gas Consortium?
As per BSG's website:

In our role as energy procurement consultant for the County College Electric and Natural Gas Consortium, we initially acquired historical data using an Electronic Data Interchange ("EDI") system, secured, and assembled the most recent 12-month historical usage data from the current supplier(s). BSG prepared comprehensive bid documents that were submitted electronically and by hard copy to all licensed third party suppliers in New Jersey. Upon receipt of competitive bids from third party suppliers, BSG performed a bid analysis and determined that it was in the best interest of to the County College Energy Consortium to enter a utility contract with the lowest bidding New Jersey BPU-licensed Third Party Supplier (TPS). The County College Electric Consortium included Mercer, Middlesex, Union, Burlington, and Bergen County Colleges. The County College Natural Gas Consortium includes Bergen,Brookdale, Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Mercer, Morris, Ocean, Raritan, and Sussex County Colleges.
BSG remains the energy procurement consultant for the County College Natural Gas Energy Consortium....

 

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