Grants coordinator keeps her job
A majority of Lower Township Council decided July 7 against backing Township Administrator Joe Jackson’s move to abolish the position of grants coordinator.
The vote was 3 to 2, with Mayor Walt Craig and Councilman Robert Nolan voting to eliminate the position. Council members Glenn Douglass and Wayne Mazurek stated their unequivocal opposition to the move.
As the swing vote, Councilman Thomas Conrad asked to speak last, describing it as a very tough decision before he called for a vote. He voted no, and applause erupted in the crowded meeting room.
A yes vote would have cost grants coordinator Colleen Crippen her job. Numerous residents turned out on Monday night to support her and to praise the work she’s done.
While Crippen did not speak during the meeting, afterward she said she was thankful to keep her job. She has worked for the township for 16 years, and says she brings in far more in grants than her salary costs the township.
She had been notified by Jackson that she would be fired the day after council approved its 2008 budget, which included her salary. Before that, Nolan had suggested eliminating the position as a cost-saving move, but said he had worked with Jackson and township auditor Leon Costello to further trim this year’s budget, and nothing more was mentioned about the position when council approved the final budget.
Mazurek said he is also concerned about future budgets, but that if the township is considering layoffs, council should look at every position. He also said he is in favor of cutting stuff, not people, from the budget. He has said the township is understaffed already.
But Nolan said tougher budget years are ahead, and that the issue will not go away. He told Mazurek that there are no more cuts to be made to stuff, meaning the operating and capital budgets.
Douglass said he was concerned about the process followed in the firing, and said he would oppose the move. Douglass and Nolan are running mates on the Republican ticket this year, after Douglass challenged Craig for the Republic nomination for mayor in a primary election. Nolan is seeking reelection to the council.
Mazurek maintains that Jackson overstepped his authority. He said the administrator has the power to hire and fire employees, but that council has the authority to create or eliminate positions in the township.
By the end of the meeting, that question had yet to be settled.
Township attorney Paul Baldini gave an opinion that Jackson had the authority to eliminate the position. Jackson did not say anything during the discussion, but Baldini said Jackson would abide by council’s decision. Baldini said Lower Township did not have a jurisdictional fight coming between the administrator and council.
The vote was 3 to 2, with Mayor Walt Craig and Councilman Robert Nolan voting to eliminate the position. Council members Glenn Douglass and Wayne Mazurek stated their unequivocal opposition to the move.
As the swing vote, Councilman Thomas Conrad asked to speak last, describing it as a very tough decision before he called for a vote. He voted no, and applause erupted in the crowded meeting room.
A yes vote would have cost grants coordinator Colleen Crippen her job. Numerous residents turned out on Monday night to support her and to praise the work she’s done.
While Crippen did not speak during the meeting, afterward she said she was thankful to keep her job. She has worked for the township for 16 years, and says she brings in far more in grants than her salary costs the township.
She had been notified by Jackson that she would be fired the day after council approved its 2008 budget, which included her salary. Before that, Nolan had suggested eliminating the position as a cost-saving move, but said he had worked with Jackson and township auditor Leon Costello to further trim this year’s budget, and nothing more was mentioned about the position when council approved the final budget.
Mazurek said he is also concerned about future budgets, but that if the township is considering layoffs, council should look at every position. He also said he is in favor of cutting stuff, not people, from the budget. He has said the township is understaffed already.
But Nolan said tougher budget years are ahead, and that the issue will not go away. He told Mazurek that there are no more cuts to be made to stuff, meaning the operating and capital budgets.
Douglass said he was concerned about the process followed in the firing, and said he would oppose the move. Douglass and Nolan are running mates on the Republican ticket this year, after Douglass challenged Craig for the Republic nomination for mayor in a primary election. Nolan is seeking reelection to the council.
Mazurek maintains that Jackson overstepped his authority. He said the administrator has the power to hire and fire employees, but that council has the authority to create or eliminate positions in the township.
By the end of the meeting, that question had yet to be settled.
Township attorney Paul Baldini gave an opinion that Jackson had the authority to eliminate the position. Jackson did not say anything during the discussion, but Baldini said Jackson would abide by council’s decision. Baldini said Lower Township did not have a jurisdictional fight coming between the administrator and council.
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