An investigation by the Paterson City Council has found rampant abuse of overtime payments by city officials during back-to-back summer storms.

The Record of Woodland Park reports that Paterson Mayor Jeffrey Jones and his seven department heads, as well as rank-and-file police officers, racked up thousands of dollars in questionable overtime during Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.

The report says Jones and the department heads were ineligible for overtime because they are salaried employees.

The Record says Jones could not be reached for comment as his cell phone mailbox was full.

The council has no power to terminate the mayor, but is recommending the suspension without pay of other high-level city officials they claim authorized or knowingly accepted overtime they were not entitled to.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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