Has the Jersey City DPW director's plan for a secret private barbecue grill led to his impending exit as one of the city's top administration officials?

That's what sources are telling The Jersey Journal about Mike Razzoli, who will soon be out as Jersey City's public-works director.

It's not clear whether Razzoli will be out of city government entirely or just as head of the DPW. But sources who asked not to be identified discussing personnel moves said Mayor Steve Fulop asked for Razzoli's resignation today.

The move comes as Razzoli faces questions about how a gas line ended up in the new DPW complex, under construction on East Linden Avenue. Sources say the gas line leads from the complex's ground-floor boiler room up to Razzoli's third-floor office, and that Razzoli wanted it so he could put a grill on his private balcony.

Michael Razzoli

Razzoli's apparent departure as DPW chief has stunned some city officials. Razzoli was a major supporter of Fulop during last year's mayoral campaign, and he was one of the first appointments Fulop made after he became mayor.

But Fulop's administration is planning a number of changes, the first of which came last week when the mayor announced he plans to demote Police Chief Robert Cowan.

Sources tell The Jersey Journal that Fulop was seeking a way to get rid of Razzoli, who today emailed the mayor asking to be returned to his old position as a code-enforcement official. Razzoli makes $117,048 as DPW director.

Razzoli was causing heartburn among top city officials, most recently because of the gas line, which was discovered by the architect of the $87 million DPW complex, an outside consultant, the sources said. After the architect began asking questions about why the gas line was installed, who was planning to pay for it and whether it was up to code, the city agreed to pay for it and make sure it was up to code, the sources said.

The gas line was installed over one weekend in June, the sources said.

Razzoli also sought to give DPW clerk Yesenia Rivera, who sources said he describes as his "second in command," a $9,000 raise that administration officials scuttled. The raise was one of six Razzoli approved for DPW workers, including a $5,700 pay hike for Hector Ortiz, his assistant director, according to documents obtained by The Jersey Journal.

Last year, The Jersey Journal reported that Razzoli, who owns a home in Sayreville, was claiming residence at College Towers, a complex for low- and middle-income families. At the time, Razzoli said the apartment belonged to his father-in-law and that he "crashed" there.

Fulop promised during his mayoral campaign that all department directors in his administration would live in Jersey City.

City spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill did not immediately return a request for comment.