Councilman Calls For Investigation Into Mayor Hartman's Absences

When the Galloway Township Council convened Tuesday night, Oct. 11, Mayor Keith Hartman was absent for the fourth consecutive meeting, and on Tuesday night, Councilman Jim Gorman said he would “like an answer.”

Gorman called for an investigation into Hartman’s absences, while Councilman Dennis Kleiner called a censure on the sitting mayor.

“As far as I’m concerned, he surrenders his seat tonight,” Gorman said.

Gorman was referencing not only Hartman’s seat as mayor, but his seat on council overall.

Gorman said he looked into the issue and the actual ruling seemed conflicted. He asked Township Solicitor Michael Blee to evaluate what the actual statute says.

“I believe it’s four meetings,” Gorman said. “And if this is the way it’s going to be, why even run for re-election?”

Hartman and Gorman are two of six candidates seeking three open seats in the Nov. 8 election. Elected as a Republican, Hartman is running an independent campaign after a falling out with the party earlier this year.

Gorman is the lone Democrat on council, and is running alongside Jim McElwee and Kevin Krumaker.

Hartman could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.

The issue isn’t often raised, although it was raised in 2009 with Councilman William Ackerman. At that time, Ackerman missed time due to a stroke, but was able to return to duty before losing his seat, according to a Press of Atlantic City report dated Dec. 9, 2009.

The report stated that state guidelines mandate that an elected official who misses eight consecutive weeks of business must be removed from his or her position, unless members of that same body “excuse the absence for legitimate reasons.”

Councilman Tom Bassford was on council in 2009, and said that situation is different than the one the current council is facing.

“This is frustrating. It is what it is and the mayor’s going to have to explain himself,” Bassford said.

“He’s missing council meetings, he’s missing committee meetings. He’s not available and he’s not around,” Kleiner said. “I’m calling for a resolution to be put forth at the next council meeting for council members to vote on if they approve of the mayor’s actions.”

A censure doesn’t have a direct effect on an elected official. It merely serves as a condemnation.

Roy Foster, a member of the IBEW Local Union 351, voiced his concerns as the President of the AFL-CIO Central Labor Council for South Jersey at Tuesday night's meeting.

“My organization backed Hartman,” Foster said. “It seems to me the township had a meeting to determine the future of the township clerk’s position, and the clerk resigned. Then she went to work on the mayor’s campaign, and now she’s suing every member of council except the mayor. … If this were happening in my organization, I would stand up for my members. You have to do something.”

Tilton claimed on Tuesday night that she has never had any official capacity with Hartman’s campaign; only that she was a supporter. She also stated Hartman is the only member of council not involved in the tort claim notice because he was the only member of council to recuse himself from her July 18 special hearing.