The city Parking Authority's Board of Commissioners asked its attorney Tuesday to research whether it can break a $129,255 buyout agreement with the agency's former director now that it knows he is the target of a criminal investigation.

Board Chairman Ismael Hilerio said the commissioners were unaware Anthony Scarduzio was being investigated until they received a letter from the state Attorney General's Office late last month.

The letter, dated May 30 and addressed to commission members, states:

"The Division of Criminal Justice is conducting a criminal investigation of activities at the Camden City Parking Authority. ... This is to advise you that Mr. Scarduzio is a target of our investigation relating to his activities as executive director of the authority, although formal charges have not yet been filed."

Board attorney Carlos Morcate said the letter is not grounds for breaking the agreement, but agreed to look into it further.

"We were not aware of the situation when we offered the buyout," Hilerio told Morcate during the board's meeting Tuesday.

The Courier-Post in November reported that the state Division of Criminal Justice had subpoenaed thousands of documents dating back to 1995. The subpoena came less than a week after two employees sued the agency, claiming they suffered retaliation for blowing the whistle on what they allege is illegal activity within the organization. One employee had been fired, the other suspended without pay.

The Courier-Post later found that Scarduzio awarded a close friend a contract to park cars during OpSail 2000, the largest event on the Camden Waterfront in recent years. Meanwhile, two major parking companies said they never had a chance to bid on the work even though Scarduzio insists he solicited proposals from them.

In February, Scarduzio filed amended financial disclosure forms indicating he worked in 1999 for a telecommunications company that provides long-distance phone service to the Parking Authority, the city and some vendors that do business with the authority. He also acknowledged that he accepted gifts from two vendors, including a trip to Miami for a Philadelphia Eagles game in 1999.

Reached at his Washington Township home Tuesday, Scarduzio said he was unaware the commissioners were contemplating breaking the buyout agreement.

"I'm kind of surprised," Scarduzio said.

Scarduzio resigned May 31 under an agreement with the Parking Authority, ending his five-year contract 18 months early.

His labor contract mandated that under a buyout he be paid 90 percent of the contract's current value for the fourth year and 80 percent of the contract's current value for the fifth year. That amount totals $113,821.

The buyout also compensates Scarduzio $13,839 for unused sick days and $1,595 for unused personal days.

Also during Tuesday's meeting, the board voted 3-0 to appoint Judy Fulton as executive director. Fulton had been serving as acting executive director since Scarduzio's departure. She will earn $75,000 annually.

The board also voted 3-0 to reinstate its contract with financial consultant Elvis Gooden for $2,000 a month. The board had voted 3-1 in April to fire Gooden, who has spoken out against impropriety within the authority and publicly contradicted Scarduzio on at least one occasion.

Commissioner Thomas Buckingham called the decision to fire Gooden a misunderstanding.

Gooden, through his lawyer Michael Hoffman, declined to comment.