Jackson Township, NJ – The long-running legal battle between Jackson Township and Police Chief Matthew Kunz is not over, as a new dispute over the terms of his retirement settlement has pushed the payout well beyond its original six-figure estimate.
Councilman Mordechai Burnstein confirmed this week that unresolved details remain in the agreement, which was intended to end an 18-month feud between the township and its longtime police chief.
Burnstein said the parties are still finalizing financial terms, but sources familiar with the matter told Shore News Network that a township error may have violated a clause in the settlement related to the payout amount.
Initially reported as a six-figure settlement in the media, that figure could now be far higher, according to the source.
That alleged misstep, according to the report, could increase the total cost to taxpayers to more than $2 million — far exceeding the six-figure range previously estimated by NJ.com. That source told Shore News Network that the orginal settlement was for $1.7 million.
Those numbers could not be officially confirmed.
Chief Kunz, who has led the Jackson Township Police Department for more than 17 years, filed a lawsuit against the township in late 2024, claiming he was denied salary increases while subordinate officers received annual raises. The settlement was supposed to resolve the case and allow for Kunz’s retirement in 2026, with back pay and compensation for missed raises included.
“The town council passed a resolution authorizing the mayor and legal counsel to sign a settlement agreement that has been negotiated and agreed to by the parties that will lead to the eventual retirement of Chief Kunz in 2026,” Burnstein said when the deal was first announced. “I cannot discuss the details.”
Kunz has not commented publicly on the latest setback. Township officials declined to confirm whether the alleged error has delayed payment or reopened negotiations.
The disagreement comes after months of internal tension between the chief and township leaders, which had become one of Jackson’s most visible public disputes.
