Ex-Hopatcong Mayor Fined $22,5K For Bad Conduct: Records

HOPATCONG, NJ — Former Mayor of Hopatcong Clifford Lundin was fined a maximum penalty of $22,500 for multiple violations while holding the position of district manager of the Sussex County Soil Conservation District for nine years.

Lundin, who is also a lawyer, was accused of using his district office to meet with clients and conduct real estate closings and of using his state computer, telephone, and fax machine for his private law practice.

When the State Ethics Commission seized Lundin's state computer hard drive, they found "lewd photographs downloaded from pornography websites," including images of "nude or naked males", according to documents from the New Jersey Office of Administrative Law. A majority of the files were personal and had been altered during work hours.

The investigation into his conduct while in office also found that Lundin used state cars for personal and unaccounted travel. It determined the former mayor used state resources to further his own private legal business and worked as a lawyer for people who were his supervisors and "therefore ultimately responsible for any salary increases," the same document reads.

He represented various state agencies including the Department of Environmental Protection, despite having answered "no" on a form that asked whether his practice required him to have contacts with NJ State agencies, according to the document.

Lundin was appointed for the district manager position in September 2009. As a “state officer or employee”, he was bound by the Conflict of Interests Law, and, having participated in multiple training sessions, he was made aware of the ethics rules, the document states.

He retired from his position around April 2018.

The decision to fine Lundin $22,500 was upheld by the State Ethics Commission.