By WILLIAM CLARK
The Neptune Township Committee voted to terminate embattled Director of Public Works David Milmoe.
After some confusion over abstentions, Deputy Mayor Robert Lane and Committeeman Derel Stroud voted yes, Committeemen Keith Cafferty and Kevin McMillan voted no. Mayor Tassie York abstained. Township Attorney Gene Anthony said that the abstention counted in the affirmative, tipping the scales against Milmoe.
“The general Common Law rule in New Jersey has been for decades that as a general rule an abstention is counted as an affirmative vote,” Anthony said in an email. “There are exceptions where the vote is a negative vote but none of the exceptions apply in this case.”
Milmoe defended himself during the public comments regarding resolutions.
“Although I’ve never been disciplined or had my efforts scrutinized during these 20 years of employment and public work, I recognize that no one is perfect, and we all make mistakes,” he said.
Milmoe has been serving a 30-day suspension after posting a homophobic comment on his personal Facebook.
“Obviously, I have no ill will toward any of our residents or any community of people, including but not limited to the LGBTQ plus community,” he said. “Given that my family are members of that community, I work for acceptance for my family every day, and I fight so that they feel loved and accepted every day. The thought that I said or did something to give people the impression that I am anything other than fully embraced with the LGBTQ plus community is heartbreaking.”
The Committee approved John Fritz as a per diem Director of Public Works effective July 8.
