Longtime Borough Clerk Faces Suspension

WEST WILDWOOD — The possible suspension of longtime Borough Clerk Dorothy Tom-lin prompted about 40 residents to raise their voices and a few signs in protest outside West Wildwood’s municipal building before the Aug. 7 meeting.
Mayor Herbert Frederick said that the borough filed for Tomlin’s suspension after an inde-pendent consulting firm returned a 28-page report addressing concerns in the clerk’s office.
Tomlin, who has worked for the borough for 40 years, was asked to step aside from her duties as clerk until the state can render a decision.
Frederick said that Tomlin is being retained as an employee, maintains her other duties as borough treasurer and tax collector and continues to collect full pay.
“She hasn’t been fired or suspended,” Frederick told the Herald. “She’s been asked to remove herself from the clerk’s duties until the state can review the issues. We’ve just safe-guarded public records at this time.”
Judson Moore, West Wildwood’s Chief Financial Officer, will be picking up Tomlin’s duties in the interim.
However those who picketed on Tomlin’s behalf believe that the suspension is an attempt by Frederick to derail a recall petition against him, and Commissioner Gerald McNamara.
Those residents also claim that Tomlin is the latest borough employee who has been fired because of they had allied with former mayor, Christopher Fox.
Frederick denied that Tomlin’s suspension had anything to do with the recall and the de-cision was long and thought out.
In regards to a possible recall, Frederick said that he would be challenging the validity of a recall petition and whether the notice of intent was properly certified.