Township Clerk Set to Return to Wildwood; Council to Hold Special Meeting Tuesday Night

will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 5:30 p.m. at the municipal complex, 300 East Jimmie Leeds Road, Galloway, the township announced on Monday, Jan. 30, and among the discussion will be the appointments of a new township manager and a new township clerk.

Township Clerk Kimberley Hodsdon confirmed on Monday that she submitted in writing her intent to leave Galloway Township Monday morning. She said she would be returning to Wildwood to reprise her role as Human Resources Director, but didn’t comment any further than that.

According to the announcement the township released Monday afternoon, Tuesday’s meeting was called in order to "conduct an executive session for the discussion of personnel matters, including the potential appointment of an Acting Township Manager, the selection process for hiring a Township Manager, and staffing in the clerk's office. Formal action on these issues and other township business may be taken following the executive session.”

Steve Bonanni, the Acting Township Manager since , announced his intention to retire on Jan. 10 of this year. That retirement takes effect

On Monday, Hodsdon confirmed she will be leaving, as well. took over the role of clerk on Oct. 4, 2011. Prior to that, Hodsdon served as the Director of Human Resources in Wildwood, and, according to Wildwood Township Clerk Chris Wood, that position has remained vacant since Hodsdon left last year.

In Wildwood, the individual commissioners staff their own departments. Hodsdon’s nomination back to her previous position was on Wildwood’s agenda for last week, but was removed because council doesn’t need to approve a commissioner’s hire. Wood wasn’t sure why the resolution was placed on the agenda in the first place, he said.

Wood spoke with Galloway Patch last week, before anything was official. Commissioner Peter Byron would be in charge of hiring Hodsdon in Wildwood. He didn’t return a call seeking comment on Monday afternoon.

Mayor Don Purdy confirmed on Monday that Hodsdon told him she planned to leave her position with the township, but he had nothing in writing as of Monday afternoon.

Hodsdon will have served in her position as Galloway Township Clerk for just over four months. She was hired to take over the position after former Clerk Lisa Tilton reached an agreement with the township to resign in July. Since then, Tilton has filed for $9 million in tort claim notices against the township, Atlantic County and the county’s Board of Elections.

Hodsdon was one of three township employees who came under fire for requesting recently. Although Township Solicitor Michael Blee found no wrongdoing, Hodsdon and Township Chief Financial Officer Marilyn Dolcy have since withdrawn their requests.