Montclair May Cut Ties With Tim Stafford; Council Vote Sets Stage

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The Montclair Town Council took its first step towards possibly cutting ties with its embattled township manager, Timothy Stafford, during a contentious public meeting on Tuesday evening.

The council voted 5-0 in favor of two moves involving Stafford: one which ends his temporary administrative leave, and the other which adopts a preliminary resolution for reasons of removal. Lori Price Abrams and Bill Hurlock were absent from the votes.

The “reasons of removal” resolution is required under state law, and needs to take place at least 30 days before Stafford can be terminated. Stafford has right to a public hearing, after which the council can vote on a final resolution of removal.

Stafford was placed on temporary paid administrative leave in October 2022 amid accusations that he created a work environment that has cost the township some key female employees over the years. Read More: Montclair Town Manager Put On Leave Amid Accusations

Montclair’s chief financial officer Padmaja Rao has filed a gender discrimination and retaliation lawsuit against Stafford, alleging that he is responsible for creating a toxic workplace at the top level of the town’s government, including a pattern of “bullying, verbal abuse and threatening behavior.”

Stafford has also been named in another lawsuit from Juliet Lee, Montclair’s former deputy town clerk, who says that she retired early from her job due to verbal abuse, humiliation and harassment. Lee – who alleges in the suit that Stafford singled out women for abuse – is seeking punitive and compensatory damages and legal fees.

Rao and Lee aren’t the only Montclair community leaders who have complained about Stafford’s leadership style.

During a town council meeting in October, Ann Lippel, a longtime advocate for senior rights and wellness in the township, was one of the people to speak about the allegations against Stafford. Read More: Mass Resignations Take Place On Montclair Senior Citizen Committee

“As a member of the Senior Citizens Advisory Committee, I had the misfortune of knowing that our town manager’s toxic behavior was a major factor in causing Katie York, the [former] director of senior services, to leave,” Lippel said. “Katie’s competence and leadership skills were unrivaled in her field, and our seniors have been diminished without her.”

• See Related: More Women Level Accusations Against Montclair Town Manager

Several Montclair residents spoke in favor of removing Stafford during a heated public comment section of the meeting, with many expressing frustration when the council moved into executive session to discuss the matter further.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Montclair Facebook page.