Council Passes Resolution Authorizing Deputy Mayor to Sign in Mayor's Absence

Despite an objection from Galloway Township Mayor Keith Hartman, the council passed a resolution on Tuesday night, July 26 authorizing the signature of the deputy mayor in the absence of the mayor.

The resolution authorizes the deputy mayor to sign any documents, proposals or contracts issued or received in the absence of the mayor.

“We had a police officer’s grant that had to be in last week, and it needed to be signed right away,” Township Manager Steve Bonanni said. “We received it on (July) 11 and it needed to be signed on the 12th. In that situation, if it isn’t signed right away, we could lose the grant.”

After consulting with Township Solicitor Michael Blee and Chief Financial Officer Jill Gougher, Bonanni signed the grant in the capacity of CEO for the township. It was then approved at the subsequent council meeting.

Hartman objected to the resolution passed on Tuesday because there is already a statute in place that handles this type of situation.

Statute 40:69A-87 in the township charter states all bonds, notes, contracts and written obligations of the municipality shall be executed on its behalf by the mayor, or in the event of his inability to act, by such councilman as the municipal council shall designate to act as mayor during his absence or disability. The powers and duties of the mayor shall be only such as are expressly conferred upon him by this article.

“There’s an existing policy that already allows him to sign for me,” Hartman said. “It already authorizes him to do so, so there’s no need for this resolution.”

Councilman Jim Gorman initially suggested the resolution to council and the township solicitor. At the time, he said he was unaware of the statute and that its existence wasn't raised when he made the suggestion.

"It wasn't personal," said Gorman, the lone Democrat on the seven-member council. "I thought it would be a good idea to have something in place in the event something needed to be signed."

Hartman clarified he had no problem with Deputy Mayor Don Purdy signing in his absence, but with the statute already in existence, he was concerned about the precedent passing the resolution would set.

"I already signed when the mayor wasn't around anyway," Purdy said. "The resolution was suggested and I didn't have a problem with it. I don't see how it's any different now than what it was."

The resolution passed with a 6-1 vote.