The longtime Recreation Director in Highland Park has settled the whistleblower lawsuit she filed against the borough for $125,000, records show.
Andrea Costas claimed she was fired in 2021 after a long-running dispute with Borough Administrator Teri Jover over how the Recreation Department was being run and alleged safety hazards at the Highland Park Community Center.
Costas had worked for the borough since 2008 and was earning just over $70,000 annually when she was terminated, according to borough records. She initially sought $2.5 million in back pay and damages, but her allegations never got before a civil jury and she settled for far less.
“She wants to put this behind her and move on with her life,” said Costas’ attorney, Gina Mendola Longarzo. “She didn’t want to be in litigation for the next three or four years.”
In her lawsuit, Costas claimed that the borough dipped into the Recreation Trust fund to pay her and the salary of another employee. She claimed this practice, which nearly drained the trust fund, violated state law, which limits the use of trust fund expenditures to program expenses, not salaries.
Costas also filed a complaint with the Public Employee Occupational Safety Administration (PEOSHA) over what she termed “horrendous” conditions at the Highland Park Community Center. Costas complained of a leaky roof, leaky pipes, wet carpeting, mold, and the smell of sewage when it backed up in the building, the lawsuit said.
“The Borough was sent a letter...
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