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The Asbury Park City Council approved a resolution to pay former Department of Commerce Director Tom Gilmour close to $20,000 for unused vacation and comp-time Wednesday.

Gilmour, a 14-year employee, was informed via a termination letter dated September 24 that his job would end October 30.

A standing room-only audience of local business owners packed City Council chambers on Oct. 28 to ask the governing body to put the brakes on terminating Gilmour’s department and his employment.

But the City Council voted to move forward, saying they were headed in a different direction. That direction includes the creation of a Director of Communications position.

“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,” Councilman Joe Woerner said during the Oct. 28 meeting.

The Director of Communications will be expected to write press releases, manage the city’s website and social media presence for an annual salary of up to $55,000.

City officials said Gilmour was encouraged to apply for that position. He was hired initially to manage the city’s Urban Enterprise Zone [UEZ] program, defunct since 2012.

The UEZ was an incentive program used to draw business development to blighted communities. Gilmour’s salary initially was funded through that program.

At the time of his termination, Gilmour said his annual salary was $91,350. He will receive $19,549.25 as part of his separation from employment for 49.5 unused  vacation days [$16,850.29] and for 55.5 compensatory hours [$2,698.96].

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