McPherson Moved to Public Safety Building

VILLAS — Lower Township Councilman Wayne Mazurek asked Mayor Walter Craig and Township Manager Joe Jackson at a council meeting Monday why Township Personnel Manager Kathy McPherson’s office is being moved out of township hall and to a less accessible location in the public safety building at the county airport.
He said he was informed of the change by a memo in his mailbox.
“Common sense alone dictates that you want the personnel manager in the main building in town hall, not buried in some police station three miles away in the back of a building where people can’t access that person” said Mazurek. “To me, it makes it next to impossible for any township personnel to have a private conversation with the personnel director…”
He said employees would have to first enter the police lobby and be allowed access to a locked door by a police secretary.
“Not only that, we spent a couple thousand dollars to renovate an office over there when we have a perfectly good office here,” said Mazurek.
He said he downloaded a description of the personnel manager’s job from a state Web site. Mazurek said the position includes providing advice and assistance on personnel issues, direct personnel activities and recruiting new employees.
“How the heck are you going to do that from the back of the police station?” he asked.
Mazurek questioned why McPherson would not be in the same building with the township manager who hires and fires employees.
“Personnel directors are supposed to be accessible, so if employees have problems, they can come in and discuss it,” he said.
“It’s my call to run this township the way I see fit,” replied Jackson.
He said any employee can get into any building.
Mazurek said he brought up the issue at a council meeting because the public had the right to know.
“It has nothing to do with the public,” replied Jackson.
The audience grumbled hearing Jackson’s reply.
He said he would be moving the offices of other employees.
A former township employee, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Herald the move was designed to make McPherson less accessible to employees and the press.
A move to replace McPherson began early in 2005 after the election of Republicans Mayor Walter Craig, and Councilman Robert Nolan and reelection of Stig Blomkvest.
On Sept. 7, 2005, a resolution was on council’s agenda to remove McPherson from her job as township manager. After 40 minutes of positive comments from the public on her job performance, it was not voted upon.
Former Councilman Michael Beck led a charge to keep McPherson in her job. At that time, Mazurek said McPherson was not “political,” and “one of the best things the township has.”
Beck questioned why Craig and former Township Solicitor Tony Monzo held a private meeting with McPherson Aug. 12, 2005 of which he was not informed.
In a 4-1 vote, Jan. 17 of this year, council accepted the resignation of McPherson.
Mazurek, who cast the lone dissenting vote against accepting her resignation, said there “was absolutely no reason to replace her.” He said she was “induced to resign.”
McPherson remained a township employee continuing as personnel manager. She lost about $14,000 in salary, the stipend she received as manager over her $70,000 salary of director of personnel.
At the Jan. 17 meeting, Joe Jackson was hired at a salary of $85,000 per year.