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Despite a community call of support for Director of Commerce Tom Gilmour, the Asbury Park City Council Wednesday night voted to move ahead with the elimination of his department.

The governing body has said the move to repeal the Department of Commerce is meant to streamline efficiencies within City Hall.

“One area of focus coming into office was open communication with all of Asbury Park as well as helping to spread the benefits of development to all of our residents,” Councilman Joe Woerner said. “In order to fulfill our promises, we review the current structure at City Hall and ask if there is a better way to align the structure with current needs.”

Gilmour, a 14-year employee, was informed via a termination letter dated September 24 that his job would end Friday.

“I’m just extremely disappointed the Council is moving ahead with eliminating my position,” Gilmour said Thursday morning. “It just doesn’t make any sense.”

Woerner said during Wednesday night’s meeting that the creation of a Communications Director position overlapped many of Gilmour’s current duties. Gilmour was encouraged to apply for the Communications Director position but said it meant a drastic cut in his salary.

“Ultimately, this is about re-focusing our communication, business and workforce development efforts to include the whole community which is much greater than restricting efforts on the business stakeholders exclusively,” Woerner said.

A standing room-only audience of members from the local business community packed City Council chambers. Close to 25 of them went to microphone during the public comment portion of the meeting to voice their support and ask the City Council to ‘put the brakes on.’

“…Most of the people here supported and still support the city council and we want to see you do well for the city and for the residents,” said Cookman Avenue resident Joe Grillo. “We feel that the way this came about, really came about without any explanation…

“I’ve never seen someone so dedicated to the city…,” Grillo said. “You can count countless businesses both new and old that he has a direct line to. If you look at it on paper you are saving money by possibly creating two positions…but the one thing that is not quantifiable are the 14 years of relationship that Tom as cultivated; not only with businesses, not only with residents, but also banks, financial entities, potential investors. You can’t quantify that. It’s going to be a big, big problem when you have two new people coming into town that will have to rebuild all those relationships that Tom had. That’s the main reason I feel that you should put the brakes on this.”

Sunset Avenue resident Brett Morgan [right] said Gilmour’s support of his entrepreneurial endeavors were invaluable.

“Tom has really been instrumental over the past couple years for our businesses,” Morgan said.

Morgan, who moved to Asbury Park in 2005, started Bands on Budget in 2008 and is the founder of CoWorks and Asbury Fresh. He was among those who asked the City Council to allow the newly appointed City Manager Michael Capabianco time to work with Gilmour.

“Just let him [Capabianco] get acclimated and then make a decision because right now [this] seems very rushed,” Morgan said.

Gilmour said at the end of the day his record speaks for itself.

“It was overwhelming quite frankly,” he said of the community support. “I’m amazed at all that’s been accomplished; quite frankly some of those things I’ve put on the back burner.”

Despite the community call of reversal, Acting City Manager Tony Nuccio said following the meeting that – at this point – Gilmour’s last day will be Friday.

“It is unfortunate that this is being portrayed by some that we are somehow focused on eliminating specific employees,” Woerner said. “It is obviously inappropriate to discuss individual personnel issues in this forum, but we want to reassure all concerned that we are making every effort to achieve our goals within the constraints of a limited budget.”

A hearing to allow the public to ask question and make comments before the final vote to repeal the Department of Commerce will be held Nov. 12 during the City Council’s Regular meeting.

A Special Executive meeting of the Mayor and Council will be held 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the City’s Manager’s Conference Room at 1 Munipal Plaza. Interviews for the Director of Communications position is the only item on the agenda.

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