OC Council Balks at Deal to Share CFO With Sea Isle

Ocean City Council decided not to allow a shared services agreement to take place with Sea Isle City, which would have had the towns share a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for a period of a few months, while Sea Isle worked on hiring a permanent employee, according to a report.
Ocean City CFO Frank Donato had been approved by Sea Isle City Council to serve as their CFO, until June 30, due to former Sea Isle CFO Paula Doll’s retirement in January. However, to Donato’s surprise, Ocean City Council balked at the deal, the Press of Atlantic City reported.
George Savastano, who serves both towns as business administrator, told Ocean City Council the deal had been brokered by he and Donato with Sea Isle City Mayor Leonard Desiderio and Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian.
The arrangement would have cost Sea Isle $7,000 a month, with $5,000 going to Ocean City and Donato pocketing $2,000 a month, the Press reported. 
While Donato assured council he could handle the extra work, they questioned if the arrangement would be beneficial to Ocean City taxpayers. Five of the seven council members reportedly voted against the agreement. Only council members Pete Madden and Karen Bergman voted for the arrangement. 
Donato, who also works as West Cape May’s CFO, called it a “neighborly thing to do,” and said he wouldn’t let things slip in Ocean City and would take more time out of his week. 
Savastano reportedly said the deal would allow Sea Isle more time to find a good candidate to replace Doll as CFO and that the state promotes this type of arrangement. 
Gillian was not at the council meeting. After the vote, Desiderio told the Press he had no problem with the outcome, calling it, “their prerogative.”  
At the meeting, Ocean City Council members praised Donato’s work for their city, where he earns a salary of $153,000 annually.
Sea Isle will continue to search for someone to fill the vacant job.