PETERSBURG – The Upper Township Committee has removed Business Administrator Gary DeMarzo from that post and is taking steps to remove him as personnel director as well.
The governing body did not give a reason at its Jan. 27 meeting for releasing DeMarzo and is not required to do so. Some 30% of his salary is accounted for by the administrator post, with the remainder by his personnel director position.
The committee authorized its labor counsel to formulate a layoff plan for the personnel officer position, which would be submitted to the state Civil Service Commission for approval.
Municipal Solicitor John Amenhauser advised the committee it could make the termination effective immediately and pay DeMarzo for three months, or essentially give him three months’ notice of termination. Mayor Curtis Corson told Amenhauser the committee wanted to proceed with immediate termination.
Prior to the actions DeMarzo, 57, read a statement into the record. He first expressed a desire to keep the dialogue civil, and then said, “I am always willing to walk away from positions, but I will not allow myself to be drummed out through lies, manufactured embarrassment and potential sabotage.”
DeMarzo spoke about the failures of the administration prior to his hiring with regard to higher costs and legal actions.
“I was left with a broken command staff, poor legal counsel and no path forward, financially draining, extremely distracting and crushing to the daily operations of the workforce,” he said. “Under my direction, I brought conclusions to those multiple, costly lawsuits that were drawn out for years.”
DeMarzo spoke about rebuilding relationships with the workforce, establishing written policies and settling a five-year labor contract, saying he brought stability, peace of mind and a willingness to talk about matters.
“I have brought efficiency and reduced the operating economy of this township through clear policy, realistic approaches and a unique set of skills,” he said.
DeMarzo went on to say the last 45 days were very troubling, referring to “a play of no transparency, odd deals, shady meetings and sneaky conversations.” He did not elaborate on his statement, and the committee did not comment.
Amenhauser said the resolutions on DeMarzo’s positions pertained to a personnel matter, and such matters are typically discussed in closed session; however, DeMarzo opted to have the discussion made a matter of public record.
DeMarzo said one of the committee’s first actions was to hire the law firm of Blaney, Donohue & Weinberg, which is to prepare the layoff plan directed at him as the personnel officer. He suggested the hiring of the firm was at the direction of law firm principal Mike Donohue, who is the CapeGOP chairman, and was meant to replace him as personnel officer/administrator with a political appointee.
He also pointed out that Amenhauser was the treasurer for the campaign of Committeemen Zack and Sam Palombo, cousins who were sworn in at the annual reorganization meeting and who voted for the firing.
DeMarzo questioned whether the new committee members could in fact vote on his removal, given the political connections of the Palombos, Amenhauser, Amenhauser’s law firm and the CapeGOP chairman.
Amenhauser told DeMarzo he advised the new committee members regarding their vote, but whether they voted or not was their decision. Committeeman Tyler Casaccio, who was named to fill the final year of the term of Committeeman Mark Pancoast, who’d resigned, abstained from the votes. Each resolution passed 4-0.
DeMarzo noted in his statement that the Palombos are among those named in a defamation suit he has filed. He claimed they made false statements about him in campaign literature. He said he filed the lawsuit before the Palombos were sworn in.
“Regardless of whether you exaggerated, lied, or were told to do it, these allegations you have placed on me have created a false stain and tarnish on my reputation. I know in my heart and in my facts I am true – I have clean hands,” DeMarzo said.
Also at the meeting, resident Nathalie Niess called for Mayor Curtis Corson’s resignation, claiming he was “strong-arming” the rest of the board. Corson was named mayor at the Jan. 3 reorganization meeting.
Resident John Grugg, who said he did not initially see eye-to-eye with DeMarzo but now feels he “knows what he is doing,” spoke in DeMarzo’s favor, as did tax collector Rhonda Sharp.
“He’s fixed every problem we had and finished every project,” Sharp said.
Sharp asked the committee what its plan was for replacing the personnel officer, but the committee declined to answer, saying it was a personnel matter. The resolution on the layoff of the personnel officer said the committee determined there was no need for such an officer and the duties could be assumed by other township employees.
DeMarzo concluded his statement by again saying Zack and Sam Palombo, as well as Casaccio, should not be voting on the resolutions related to his removal, and that these actions, described in the resolutions as being for economy and efficiency, would end up costing the township money.
He further called on the members of the committee to prove their interest in economy and efficiency “by taking no salary for 2025” and returning the salaries they have already received this year.
Committee members did not respond to any of DeMarzo’s statements after he stopped speaking.
DeMarzo is a former Wildwood mayor who ran for the Wildwood Board of Commissioners in 2020. He is a resident of Wildwood.
As Upper Township administrator and personnel officer he was earning $120,000 per year. He was hired as administrator in April 2022 to replace Scott Morgan.
Contact the reporter, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or 609-886-8600, ext. 128.
