Ex-Sewerage Officials Convicted of Misconduct

Two former Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission officials have been convicted of using on-duty employees to perform personal home improvements and repairs.

Paul Bazela and Anthony Ardis were found guilty Monday of conspiracy, theft and official misconduct charges. Each man faces up to five years in prison when he's sentenced May 9.

The 47-year-old Bazela was an operations supervisor for the PVSC and also is mayor of Northvale. The 59-year-old Ardis is a former PVSC commissioner who held several posts at the agency, including chief ethics liaison.

The two were accused of using PVSC employees as "personal handymen" to do repairs at their homes or for relatives and friends.

The commission serves more than 1.3 million people, handling the sewage of 48 communities in Essex, Bergen, Passaic and Hudson counties.

Two other former commission officials previously pleaded guilty to similar charges in 2012.

Kevin Keogh, who was the superintendent of special services, admitted using a PVSC worker to make repairs and improvements at his home. Chester Mazza, a former state trooper who served as the commission's assistant superintendent for special services, admitted ordering PVSC employees to install a vent or fan in the roof of his Totowa home and make repairs to a masonry wall while on agency time.

Both Keogh and Mazza are awaiting sentencing.