 In 1977 investigations began into the city's dealings with Rudolph Orlandini, who was hired for a $2.2 million project to construct additions on the city's two high schools at the time, Emerson High School and Union Hill High School, projects that ultimately incurred $12 million in spending.In 1979, with a trial looming, Deputy Public Works Director Bruce D. Walter and Board of Education Secretary Robert Menendez (both of whom would later serve terms as Mayor of Union City) formed the Alliance Civic Association, and publicly questioned the overrun costs on Orlandini's construction company.In April 1981, a grand jury indicted Musto and six others on 36 counts of racketeering, extortion and fraud.