Marilyn Dolcy Named New Galloway Chief Financial Officer

After 24 years, a new person will assume the position of Galloway Township Chief Financial Officer, effective Oct. 3.

Marilyn Dolcy was unanimously approved as the Galloway Township CFO at the township council meeting on Tuesday night, Aug. 23.

Dolcy is currently the Chief Financial Officer in Northfield, a position she has held since May of 2001. It is her second term as Northfield CFO from March of 1999 to February of 2000.

She also handled personal income tax preparation and small business accounts for Tony Blum and Company from January of 1991 to December of 1992.

She served as the Assistant CFO in Galloway from December, 1992 to March, 1999. She served as the Director of Accounting at Atlantic Cape Community College, has a Master's degree in Business Administration and Business Studies from the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, and has a long list of academic accolades.

This is why members of the township council didn't hesitate to give Dolcy the same $105,000 salary Gougher is currently making in the same capacity with the township.

"Her resume is second to none," Deputy Mayor Don Purdy said. "She has a great resume and this is a tough position because Jill is not just the CFO, she's the head of finance. She's the boss of a lot of people."

Not everyone was in complete agreement with the decision, however. During the meeting, Democratic Councilman Jim Gorman voiced his concern over giving a new employee the same salary as an experienced CFO of 24 years.

"The candidate is qualified," Gorman said. "My concern is with the pay scale. My concern is that she's coming in at the same pay."

"I had the same concerns," Republican Councilman Tom Bassford said. "But for the sake of not going out and readvertising, and going through the process all over again, I'm willing to pay the $105,000 as opposed to $100,000."

"This is not a training camp," Township Manager Steve Bonanni said. "We are not a small town anymore. We have a $20 million budget. We have to keep things moving and this is a step in the right direction."

"I agree with Councilman Gorman about the pay scale, but this person is running our finances and revenue," Purdy said. "There's a lot at stake here and a lot of pressure."

Earlier this year, Gougher announced her resignation to take the same position with Asbury Park. Originally, she was going to leave the township on July 15.

However, Gougher ended up not taking the position in Asbury Park. Instead, she ended up taking a new position in an Stone Harbor.  The process for finding a new CFO has been ongoing since she initially announced her resignation, however.

"We knew she was going to leave, but we just hoped she was going to stay," Purdy said.

Ultimately, everyone agreed it was the right move in a unanimous 6-0 vote. Mayor Keith Hartman was absent from the meeting.