WEST WILDWOOD — Rather than spend money on a public referendum, Borough Commissioners moved to rescind an ordinance that created the position of the director of public safety the corresponding salary.
Commissioners voted to approve the first reading of the ordinance to repeal the job and salary on Friday, Dec. 5. A second reading, public hearing and possible adoption is set for Jan. 9.
The new director of public safety, Anthony P. Renzi Sr., started work in October, but his job was met with a petition with 75 signatures of those opposed to position.
That petition was submitted to Borough Clerk Dorothy Tomlin. Tomlin then notified former borough solicitor Ron Stagliano, who is representing the opposition, that there were enough signatures to put ordinance 485 and 486 to a vote.
Ordinance 485 creates the position of the director of public safety and ordinance 486 determines the salary for the temporary position.
Mayor Herbert C. Frederick said the petition would force the commission to either rescind the resolution or hold a public vote on the position. And while Frederick had said that the position was needed to temporary oversee the day-to-day operations of the department while Police Alan Fox was on medical leave
Frederick said it would cost more money to have a public referendum, than it would to keep this public safety position. The position was only intended to be temporary, until a new chief of police could be hired.
The public safety position has been a hot button issue since its first reading at the borough’s regular meeting in September. The ordinance would have been up for second reading in October, however that the original meeting date was cancelled when a resident was allegedly the recipient of a threat of a terroristic nature.
The position was finally passed 2 to 1 on in front of a standing-room-only crowd at an Oct. 14 meeting.
According to the ordinance, Renzi was responsible to the governing body for the overall performance of the Police Department. The ordinance calls the director the administrative head of the department and places him in control in the event the chief is incapacitated, retired, ill or otherwise unavailable.
He was hired at $225 per day to oversee the borough’s six-member Police Department. The rate is the equivalent of Police Chief Alan Fox’s pay rate.
Resident Maureen Smith asked what position Renzi would hold in the borough if his initial job had been rescinded.
Frederick said that Renzi had been hired in a temporary part time administrative position for the borough that pays $15 per hour.
Other residents questioned why the job had not been publicly advertised or approved via a resolution in a public meeting.
Frederick responded that the administration position had never been advertised in the past. Solicitor Paul Baldini added that he had been told that part time positions did not have to be approved by resolution.
Contact Suit at: (609) 886-8600 ext. 25 or lsuit@cmcherald.com
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