Margate City, NJ Commission Meeting October 9th, 2025

[Music]
Johanna, will you read the statement of
compliance?
>> The notice requirements of the open
public meeting act for this meeting have
been satisfied. A copy of the annual
meeting notice was sent to the Atlantic
City Press, posted on the bulletin board
in the municipal building, the municipal
website, and filed in the office of the
municipal clerk. Please turn off all
cell phones.
>> Please stand for the pledge of
allegiance.
Attention to the I pledge allegiance to
the flag of the United States of America
and to the republic for it stands one
nation under God indivisible with
liberty and justice for all.
>> Johanna, please take the role.
>> Mayor Collins
>> here.
>> Commissioner Blumbber,
>> I am here.
>> Commissioner Horn, here.
>> All right, I will hand the floor off to
Scott.
>> This is a special session. Is this on? I
don't see a red light.
>> Hold the button till you have the
button.
>> There you go. You're good. It's a
special session of the governing body of
the city of Margate. We are convened
here to consider uh the uh employment
actions of
CFO Lisa McLaclin. To that end, we have
with us William Blay is our labor
council that has been involved with this
matter. Uh if I understand this
correctly and I have it in my hand, Miss
McGlaclin is here. I see her here. She
wishes to have this employment situation
uh discussed in open session. You do
have the right to have this go into
close session. Most people do. What What
is your pleasure?
>> Open, please.
>> You want it open? Okay. With that, uh
I'll turn it over to Mr. Blaine.
>> So, we're we're here today because this
is this.
>> All right. So, we're here today because
this is a matter involving a CFO and CFO
discipline is handled differently than
most other employee discipline. It's
handled by the state department of
community affairs local government unit.
So, what happens is if you're going to
file charges against the CFO, uh it has
to be done in a very specific manner. Um
charges have to be prepared.
The
statute doesn't say who can prop propose
charges against a CFO. Almost anyone it
looks like under the statute could
propose charges against the CFO if they
have the ability to to
determine that there's been some alleged
wrongdoing by the CFO. So the process is
the complaint is filed with the
Department of Community Affairs local
government unit. They will take in the
complaint. They'll review it and
99 out of a hundred times they send it
down to the New Jersey Office of
Administrative Law for a hearing in
front of an administrative law judge.
That judge will then make a written
determination as to whether he thinks
the charges were sustained or not. After
a hearing where both the complaintant
and the employee could present their
cases, call witnesses, have people
testify under oath. At the end of the
day, that written decision goes back to
the Department of Community Affairs to
the director of the Department of
Community Affairs who will then make the
final determination on that. They can
either accept the judge's
recommendations, reject the judge's
recommendations, or modify them. Um they
can also make certain
um determinations with regard to lensure
because it's a license position and
they're in charge of the license. Okay.
So, in the instant case, I I've spoken
with the administrator who indicated
that he would like to file charges. I
have circulated those charges to each of
the commissioners or or actually Mr.
Moran circulated them about two weeks
ago. Everybody saw we were supposed to
come for a close session. Uh
approximately two weeks ago, there was a
problem with the rice notice. So, the
the employee was not notified on time.
So, now we're having a special meeting
to do that. the employee was away for
approximately two weeks, which is why we
have this delay. Um, we're here today
just to kind of inform you as to what
the process is and what we're doing. Um,
Mr. Moran's going to bring the charges.
If you've all seen the charges, if
there's questions about the charges or
you like Mr. Moran to speak on the
charges, he's he's available to do that.
Does anybody have any questions for me?
>> Yeah, I I have a couple of questions.
Um, who prepared the complaints?
>> I prepared the complaint based upon
information that was sent to me by Mr.
Moran.
>> By Mr. Moran,
>> who factchecked them before they were
sent to Lisa's attorney?
>> It was sent to Mr. Moran and he fact
checked them. Correct. So,
>> Mr. Moran fact checked him.
>> Correct. He provided me with emails and
other materials which substantiated what
he was alleging. So, there were
significant amount of emails that he
forwarded to me. So I did review them
all. Obviously it's one side at that
juncture, right? It's the person
providing you with the complaint. So
they're only allegations and so they
wind up in front of the Department
Community Affairs and there's a hearing
on it. And did the Morgate City
solicitor review them prior to them
being sent to Lisa's attorney?
>> I believe yes, they were sent to him as
well.
>> Solicitor, is that is that the case you
No. Did you see them before they went to
Lisa's attorney two Fridays ago?
>> I I'm not sure about 14 days, but I know
I've seen them.
>> It was two Fridays ago attorney.
>> It was two Fridays ago when I spoke to
you at lunchtime, you said to me you had
not seen them.
>> Well, at the time I spoke to you, I had
not seen them.
>> Okay.
Did any of any of the commissioners
review them before they were sent? They
were sent to Lisa's attorney.
>> Yeah, they were all sent to the
commissioners the night prior to being
sent to the attorney.
>> That's not true. I didn't see them.
>> Well, Mr. Moran sent them out by email
to everyone.
>> They were sent a Friday on Friday lunch
time.
>> They were sent on Friday at lunchtime. I
don't have the date in front of me just
so I can correct the record. They were
sent Friday at lunchtime where the email
said these went to Lisa's attorney. We
will be filing these later on this
afternoon. That was the first time we
saw them. Scott hadn't seen them. The
understanding is that they had already
been sent to her attorney. I just want
to try and, you know, be transparent
here and understand the time frame. My
understanding is that there was an email
sent around midnight the night before um
from Mr. Moran and I think I was copied
on it. At least he told me he sent it.
And so so are you able to tell me
whether or not any of the commissioners
approved the sending of these complaints
to Lisa's attorney?
>> Well, they're not before they were sent.
>> I don't know that that I wouldn't know
that. I spoke to Mr. Moran. He said they
were good to go. So I didn't speak to
>> but Mr. Moran said that they were good
to go to Lisa's attorney
>> and they were sent so you understand
they were sent to her attorney as a
courtesy copy of what would be filed
>> but but I would have thought that there
would have had to have been commission
approval
for them to go
>> well they weren't filed there should be
>> to go to her attorney. No, there doesn't
need to be there there didn't need
>> they were sent they were sent as a
currency copy and a draft
>> to her attorney
. They weren't sent this
is filed
>> without approval of myself, Mike or
Kathy.
>> My understanding is that they were
approved and Mr. Marian's the one who
files it. It's not it's not the
commission that's filed.
>> So your understanding is they were
approved but you're not
>> I'm not sure whether they were approved.
Can you tell me so just so you know I'm
the commissioner of the revenue and
finance department of which Mrs.
Mccclaclin works
>> right
>> where can you tell me where in the Walsh
act that my fellow commissioners have
any
>> I'm not going to give you legal advice
in an open session we have close session
for that
>> so in in the Walsh Act I I'm not asking
for legal advice where do the my fellow
commissioners have standing in my
department do they have standing
Generally under the Walsh Act, the
commissioner makes decisions on
personnel matters when it involves a
strict personnel matter.
>> In this circumstance, it falls under the
Department of Community Affairs and
there's it's it's pretty clear under the
department this statute that anyone can
file charges.
>> Anybody can file a charge
>> because it's a statuto not on behalf of
the city of Marty. You're saying anybody
can file a charge, but not on the behalf
of the city of Margie. That's why
>> especially if the commissioner of the
department may or may not be um involved
andor on board. Correct.
>> Not anyone like someone can walk off the
street or out in the audience on behalf
of the city of Margaret, but this is
your administrator.
>> Okay. Um,
can I ask you who authorized
the hiring of the private investigator
to investigate the employee in my
department
and why wasn't I informed?
>> You have Mr. Moran.
>> So, Mr. Morant,
can you answer that question for me? who
authorized the hiring of a private
investigator to investigate
the employee in my department without my
knowledge and/or approval.
>> I spoke to our uh QPA qualified
purchasing agent and spoke to him about
hiring the private investigator. I also
spoke with our solicitor with regard to
the legality of hiring that person.
>> And was there any commission approval on
that?
No. No.
>> So, no commission approval on that. So,
we spent almost $5,000 in taxpayer money
to hire a private investigator
for an investigation in which, my
understanding is the employee being
investigated
admitted
to the charge.
Is that true? Was she not interviewed by
you and asked whether or not she had
gone into the office to look for
something on a computer? She was not
asked by me. She was asked by the um
investigating personnel
and she advised that she did go in after
hours
used or looked and found the employees
ID u his sign on ID and his log on
information and impersonated him to open
up his computer so she could go inside
of it.
>> Oh, so she got into the computer.
>> She was denied the two factor. So, she
never got into the computer.
>> No, it was an attempt.
>> Okay. All right. Um, so
I I'm going to give you my opinion on
the matter as this has been prepared and
done
and I have I have been totally shut out
as commissioner of revenue and finance.
This employee is in my department and
this has all been done secretly, if you
will, without my knowledge. I've been an
elected official in Margate City for 19
years as commissioner of revenue and
finance. I have overseen this department
for the past 15 years working with Lisa
McLaclin, the employee being discussed
today. Lisa works with me and my
department per resolution and the state
law.
I do not support the proposed actions
and was not party to the drafting of
these complaints.
In my opinion, what we have here is a
true failure of communication.
Further, in my opinion, I believe this
is a targeted attack of retaliation
against a respected longtime
in goodstanding and accomplished
employee by my fellow commissioners,
facilitated by a freshman administrator
as a result of internal complaints filed
and her managerial decisions.
Moreover, these AC accusations
contradict the opinion of our former
veteran business administrator for over
30 years who thought highly of Lisa's
work, her work ethic, and her
professionalism. Again, these actions
are not supported by me as the
commissioner in charge of the department
and further I believe cannot move
forward without my approval per the
statutes laid out by our ordinances and
the state's Walsh Act. To do so would be
a travesty of justice, unethical,
and more importantly a violation of the
public trust.
This is an exemplary employee with a
great reputation and over a 22year
proven track record unmatched by any CFO
in the state.
You just don't treat people like this,
especially in Margate. And never in my
19 years of service have we operated in
such a fashion.
If the commissioners and administrator
have an issue, it should be handled
internally
where it can be heard and properly
adjudicated.
In fact, on several occasions, I asked
the administrator to just allow Lisa to
do her job.
That has fallen on deaf ears. Further,
when I requested that we hire a mediator
to help, the administrator lost his
temper. threatened me and stormed out of
the meeting. Lisa and Scott were present
and they were shocked at the behavior,
the outburst,
and the act of insubordination.
In my opinion, certainly not what is
expected from a $150,000 a year
professional.
The incident was documented and now I
have a target on my back as well. We
used to have an ethics board that
handled matters and disputes such as
these. It's not the state.
Finally, this complaint is riddled with
untruths and was not reviewed by me nor
the solicitor prior to being sent as a
threat and ultimatum to Lisa's attorney.
Many of the actions listed in the
complaints against Lisa were sanctioned
and pre-approved by me as the
commissioner in charge of the
department.
These documents are factually incorrect
and need to be rescended. It is my hope
that this situation can be resolved
internally
before we spend thousands of dollars on
legal fees and a drawn out fight that
could yield millions of dollars in
consequential and punitive damages
awarded to the employee should she
decide to sue us over these false
accusations.
That's all I have. Thank you.
[Applause]
May I respond?
>> I guess I can. So, the veteran
administrator that you spoke of, and I'm
assuming that's Mr. Rich Deany. Um, and
I think you've also brought this up
previously. Uh, Mr. Deany, um,
>> Mr. Deany has been right noticed, so be
careful you say that.
>> Not employee. He's not employee,
>> right?
>> Okay. So, the the former administrator,
which was improperly hired, um, which
was a violation of the uh public
contracts law, who didn't have a
professional services contract. The
public was led to believe that he was a
savings when in fact, I believe that the
city spent almost $180,000
with his private company on top of what
he was getting. So, the veteran
administrator, um, I'm not so sure was
on the up and up. Um, the several times
that you actually said to leave alone
were also documented. No point of being
at odds with her. You just got to learn
to deal with her. Leave her alone. You
won't farewell with with her if you try
to discipline her. Um, no investigation
or discipline for other employees. and
refused to take action for an employee
violating policy. There were several
emails and I have them right here.
Several times I contacted you via phone
and you blocked me from actually
conducting an investigation
or for me to even bring forward
allegations of wrongdoing.
As far as a target on your back
in December, I believe December 14th,
you came to me about a bid spec
that you wanted change because the
company you wanted to get didn't get it.
You wanted me to change that
and I wouldn't. I contacted the
solicitor immediately. You can verify
that with him. I sent an email. our QPA
was also present
and and saw the same thing and
experienced the same thing and actually
sent an email to our solicitor as well.
So, as far as the target on your back,
that has nothing to do with this. That
has something to do with your own uh
issue in trying to manipulate a bid
process. And as a matter of fact, if
anybody wants to go back and look at
that meeting, they could see that Mr.
Blumbberg actually lost his temper
there. We went into close session and
not only did he repeat as to why he
thought that we should be hiring this,
he also admitted that that company
worked in his personal business and
clean for his company
outside of outside of of Margie,
which should have excluded him from even
having a vote for it.
As far as the charges against the
employee,
I have approximately
60 to 65 emails and documentation
to prove what I have written or what
I've sent to Mr. Blay. With regard to
not being notified, everybody was sent
the same email and I believe it was 11
probably 1120
on the night before it was sent to Mr.
um
or the employees attorney.
For whatever reason, I couldn't get it
up on my phone,
but that that was forwarded to me after
it was forwarded to me by Mr. Blay. We
worked on it. Um he contacted me and I
sent it right out.
So, you were notified. Um
did I discuss the matter with you? Now,
you've already attempted to keep me from
doing my job. You've harassed me. You
have threatened me. And the day that I
got up and walked out of the meeting, I
advised you simply of that I put you on
notice and you didn't like it. You asked
for my resignation
because you said that I lied about
something which was blatantly not true.
I have that email as well.
You have been antagonistic
back in December after we did not change
the bid specs as you requested. Told me
to stop calling you every night that you
did not want to talk to me at night at
home which cut off communication.
And I think at that point I I don't
think it's fair I don't think it's even
necessary to go further with this. It's
quite obvious to see that um especially
in one of these cases you're intric
intricately involved. I mean one of
these cases we are saying that she had
knowledge that it was illegal to pay an
employee without a license
and continued to do so for eight months
costing about $106,000.
That employee is no longer with us. He's
he's retired since, but those numbers
were also certified to pension and she's
the certifying pension officer
and those numbers
could be considered inaccurate
and you're intricately involved in that
whole situation. As a matter of fact, we
ended up paying that employee a payout
because you offered him the ability to
pay his fine
and you were the reason we had to do a
settlement for it.
You have consistently
had issues with me for trying to do the
right thing.
Now, you can paint me out the way you
want, but there's significant evidence
here that points to wrongdoing, and that
itself should go to administrative law
judge and let them decide.
Thank you.
>> That's it.
>> Okay. May I have a motion to go into
close session to discuss
>> one one more thing? I did want to verify
something else. When I first got here um
as far as management and stuff, I know
Mr. Bumbberg had mentioned something
earlier. When I first got here, I was
met by multiple employees about a stipen
that was taken by our CFO.
And that stipen was determined to be
illegal by three different attorneys
including our solicitor.
And that was approximately I think it
was an estimated 8,700. I don't have the
exact figures in front of me. Uh but I
think she collected 6,300 of it and was
not required to give that money back.
She took that money
in addition to what she said were her
duties
to do payroll which falls under the
purview of the CFO.
It would be like the chief of police
getting paid a stipen to go out and
direct traffic.
And then not only did she give herself
that awarded to herself without
approval, you then approved it a month
later. From what I understand,
I wasn't here and present for that, so I
can't actually testify to that, but I'm
being told that you had said that you
approved that a month after it was after
she implicated or she she put it into
place herself.
>> You done? Yes.
To go to make motion now. We're going to
go into close session to discuss further
action.
>> There's no public.
May I have a motion to go into executive
session approving resolution number
258-2025?
Motion.
>> Second.
>> Mayor Collins.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Blumbberg,
>> no.
>> Commissioner Horn,
>> yes.
>> Okay. At this time, I must ask everyone
to leave.
>> I've never been a place where somebody
could stay testify for an attorney.
attorney and say
you
got to be here for a while.
>> All right. Is there a motion to come out
of close session?
>> Motion.
>> Second.
>> Mayor Collins. Yes,
>> Commissioner Blumbberg.
>> Yes,
>> Commissioner Horn.
>> Yes.
>> There it is. We determined to come out
session.
>> This will move forward.
>> I can let it go now. Okay. Mr. Blay and
I will be meet Mr. Blay and I will be
meeting with Commissioner Blumbberg
first thing Monday morning. 9:00
>> 10:00.
>> 10 o'clock. Uh at at which city hall?
Union Avenue, right? And then we will be
uh meeting, Laney and I will be meeting
the attorney for Lisa at 1:00. Uh the
complaint is basically ready to go, but
Commissioner Plumbumber wants to go
through some of the provisions with Mr.
Blay and maybe make some corrections. Um
and then at that point after our meeting
we will
unless there's some resolution there uh
the complaint will be filed.
>> That's it. Is there a motion to adjurnn?
>> Motion.
>> Second.
>> Mayor Collins.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Blumbberg.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Horn.
>> Yes.