Tom Bassford Reflects on Time as a Councilman

Former Galloway Township Mayor and soon-to-be former councilman Tom Bassford sees stability finally returning to the manager’s office, but he would like to see an increase in numbers for the police department.

Bassford’s term as councilman expires at the end of this year, and he’s decided 12 years is enough time to be involved in government.

“I’ve always been a believer in term limits,” Bassford said. “I don’t think anyone should be a career politician.”

So Bassford didn’t register to run in the Galloway Township Republican League’s (GTRL) primary, to be held June 4. Instead, the GTRL’s four candidates are incumbent Mayor Don Purdy and challengers Frank Gargione, Robert Maldonado and Tim Meadows.

“I knew I would not be here 20-25 years, and I think this is a good time to give new people the chance to run and get involved,” Bassford said. “We have strong people running.”

First elected in 2001, Bassford is entering his 12^th year as a member of council. He served as mayor from 2007-2009, when Jill Gougher was serving as township manager.

“We hired a good manager, and we had stability for many years,” Bassford said of Gougher’s time as manager. “The manager is everything in our form of government.”

Bassford said one of the worst things to happen to the township was when Gougher was replaced as manager. Initially, she was replaced by Roger Tees, who was manager for less than a year. In January of 2011, he was replaced by Steve Bonanni, who was manager for a year.

Over that time period, the township was subject to lawsuits from former Township Clerk Lisa Tilton and current employee Jodi Smith. Each lawsuit was settled for $250,000.

Township employees were also subjected to furlough days for two years, before current Township Manager Arch Liston decided layoffs were a necessary evil.

“You can survive without having a great mayor, but not without a great manager,” Bassford said. “Jill was that and she did a great job. I don’t think we would’ve had the problems we had over the last three years if we had a strong manager.”

Bassford is happy with Liston, whom he says brings back much needed stability to the township.

While the manager’s office seems to be getting more stable, Bassford isn’t happy with the state of the police department, as far as number of officers is concerned.

“It was in the high 50’s when I first got here, and we were able to get it up to 74, when the economy was good,” Bassford said.  “Now we’re back (at 48).”

Bassford understands the dire state of the economy, but he also cites a need to ensure the public’s safety.

“We don’t need to hire 10 guys at a time,” Bassford said. “Just keep hiring guys whenever possible. We have to increase the police force.”

The economic nosedive hit the country hard toward the end of Bassford’s time as mayor. Bassford joined council at the end of the country’s prosperous era.

“We were relying on growth,” said Bassford, who said most of the township’s growth came in the first six years of his term as a. councilman. “We had new businesses and new homes coming into the township every year. We could always count on that extra revenue.”

The township grew by 6,000 people, from 31,209 in 2000 to 37,349 in 2010, according to U.S. Census data. The township had evolved from the 8,276 people residing in the township as of 1970.

But the economy hit everyone hard, and the growth stopped.

Bassford was hit, losing his job in Atlantic City. He was forced to take a job in Pennsylvania, where he ended up living part of the week.

Questions were raised over Bassford’s status as a township resident, and his ability to serve as a councilman. Atlantic County Superintendent of Elections John Mooney ruled he was allowed to continue to serve as a councilman in January of 2012.

“That’s politics,” Bassford said this week. “I’ve always considered Galloway my home.”

He will continue to consider Galloway his home. However, his political career is now over, he said, and he looks forward to working.

He will always look back fondly on his tenure as a councilman. He will remember helping to get Tartaglio Field built.

“A township of our size should have decent recreation,” he said. “I took a lot of criticism for it, but I did it fairly and cheaply.”

He will always remember his time as mayor, where he had more access to information than the other council members.

“You’re more visible, you get to go to more events, and you’re in touch with the manager more,” Bassford said. “ … It’s not a powerful position, and it shouldn’t be. … But you’re expected to be out there and make yourself more available. I enjoyed being mayor.”

And through the end of the year, he’ll continue to enjoy being a councilman.