Edison, New Jersey – Edison Mayor Sam Joshi is facing scrutiny for attempting to award a no-bid contract to a friend and campaign ally for the construction of a new municipal website. This comes on the heels of a recent controversy involving Council President Nish Patel, who allegedly pushed for the rezoning of cannabis businesses to benefit a close friend and neighbor with a cannabis license.
According to public records, the Mayor’s administration plans to award the contract to Xduce a company owned by Jayesh Dave, a friend and supporter to the Mayor’s re-election campaign, as the vendor for the website project. Xduce submitted a bid of $144k significantly higher than those offered by several other qualified firms that submitted bids of $71.5k, 74.3k, $39.6k.
According to the nomination petition submitted on March 27th 2023 for District 35 committee person Jayesh Dave’s wife Amita Dave filed to run for committee person with the support of Mayor Sam Joshi. That petition was signed by Jayesh and notarized by Joshi’s campaign manager Saketa R. Chadalavada using Notary Commission #50124293
Councilman Rich Brescher demanded answers and asked to have the police investigate possible pay to play law violations at Monday’s council meeting. Mayor Joshi has not filed his last three quarterly reports as required by law with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission.
Some residents allege that the Mayor’s actions demonstrate a concerning pattern of prioritizing personal connections over transparency and fiscal responsibility. They point out that awarding a no-bid contract, particularly at an inflated price, defeats the purpose of a bidding process designed to ensure the township receives the best value for taxpayer dollars.
Business Administrator Sonia Alves-Viveiros has defended the actions of the mayor, claiming that the friend’s company possesses unique qualifications for the project which was not required to go out for bid. However, details regarding these qualifications have not been made public, raising further questions about the legitimacy of the selection process.
This incident follows last month’s controversy surrounding the Council President Nish Patel’s efforts to rezone cannabis dispensaries. The Council President has a close personal relationship and is the neighbor of one of the cannibis license holders. While the rezoning effort ultimately failed, it raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest within the township administration.
These back-to-back incidents have eroded public trust in the local government and sparked calls for stricter ethics regulations to prevent similar situations in the future. The residents of Edison deserve a government that prioritizes transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility. Whether through internal investigations or a closer look by the public, a thorough examination of these events is necessary to restore public confidence. A vote on this $144k contract is scheduled for Wednesday night.
