Ocean City Council Seat Will Remain Vacant Until Special Election

Ocean City Council will move forward with just six members on its governing body, Council President Keith Hartzell confirmed Tuesday afternoon.

The at-large seat vacated by Michael Allegretto on Sept. 14 will be filled in a special election in May. The winner of that election will assume the seat immediately, and serve until the next regularly scheduled election for the seat in 2018.

Allegretto, who had been serving as Council Vice President, resigned after he was appointed by Mayor Jay Gillian as the new Director of Community Services.

At its last meeting, council named Pete Madden as the new Vice President.

If it had wanted to fill the seat, it would have had to do so by Oct. 14, meaning interviews and the appointment of a new councilman would’ve taken place at the Oct. 8 meeting. To do that, council members would’ve had to place it on the agenda for that meeting. At least three council members would’ve needed to make that request, and that didn’t happen, Hartzell said.

Had they made that request, council would’ve discussed specifics and made a final decision on filling the seat during the workshop that had been scheduled for Thursday night, Oct. 1. That workshop meeting was canceled on Tuesday.

Council members who attended the Sept. 24 meeting were split on whether they wanted to fill the seat, with Hartzell, Madden and Councilman Pete Guinosso saying they were OK with leaving the seat vacant. Councilmen Antwan McClellan and Michael DeVlieger were unsure, and Councilman Anthony Wilson was absent.

Having six council members leaves open the possibility of a tie when it comes to voting on legislation.

“If it’s a 3-3 tie, we’d have to compromise,” Hartzell said. “That’s part of legislation. We haven’t had any infighting because the administration usually brings us good stuff and we pass it. If we had a tie, we would have to work on it.”
If they can’t work something out, the legislation would die.

After Ocean City Councilwoman Sue Sheppard was elected to the Cape May County Freeholder Board in 2010, council appointed John Flood to fill her seat.

“John did a great job, but after we did that, people asked me why,” Hartzell said. “I spoke to a lot of people and they felt like they should’ve made that decision. That’s when I said if it ever happens again, I’m going to rethink it.”