Gillian doubled spending by Hartzell; winning council trio spent $46,000 on their campaigns
OCEAN CITY — Jay Gillian raised $132,710 for his successful run for a fourth term as mayor, more than double of challenger Keith Hartzell, who raised $57,972. Gillian also spent twice as much as Hartzell during the campaign.
The three winning council members, who ran as a team, spent about $46,000, far in excess of their competitors.
Most of Gillian’s funds came from the candidate himself. According to a summary of the report filed May 31 with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission regarding the May 10 election, Gillian contributed $106,000 to his own campaign. His total expenditures in the report came in at $106,439.
Hartzell reported total expenditures on the May 31 report of $48,998.
Gillian received 2,348 votes (54 percent) to Hartzell’s 1,953 (45 percent), or about a 400-vote margin.
The job of mayor of Ocean City pays an annual salary of $20,600.
This year’s municipal budget came in at about $88 million.
Gillian donations and expenditures
Gillian received $7,210 in contributions of less than $300, which do not have to be listed by name. The two largest donations, of $5,000 each, came from IBEW Local 351 State PAC Fund and Daniel J. and Joan Hilferty of Ardmore, Pa. They are listed as retired. The IBEW is based in Folsom.
Anthony J. and Carol L. Frank of West 17th Street, Ocean City, contributed $2,000. They are also listed as retired.
Scott and Jane Halliday of 115 Anchor Road, Ocean City, contributed $2,000. Scott Halliday was Gillian’s campaign manager. His business is Halliday-Leonard General Contractors.
Also contributing $1,000 each were Matthew R. and Kim M. Davidson of Ocean View (retired); Marilyn G. Salmon of Bridgeton (no employer or status listed); Will and Janice Morey of Wildwood Crest, of Morey’s Piers and Water Parks; BAC Administrative District Council of New Jersey Political Action Committee of Bordentown; UA Local Union 322 Plumbers of Winslow; and the Revocable Trust of Mary Anne Kull of Pompano Beach, Fla. Holly and Michael Monihan of North Point Road, Ocean City, Monihan Realty, contributed $500.
The largest portion of Gillian’s spending went to political consulting services Jamestown Associates of Philadelphia — $36,720. Much of the rest of the spending went to a wide variety of media outlets including the Ocean City Sentinel ($8,839).
Hartzell donations and expenditures
Hartzell loaned his campaign $21,000, according to the report. He also received $17,400 in donations in amounts of $300 or less.
Donors to Hartzell’s campaign included Maria Chew (retired) of Wesley Road, Ocean City, $2,600; Paul Levchuk (retired) of Naples, Fla., $2,600; Lund’s Fisheries of Cape May, $2,600; Edward Vaughn (retired) of Bay Avenue, Ocean City, $2,000; Gregg Balin (retired) of Cape Coral, Fla., $1,000; Albert Kendro (retired) of Plaza Place, Ocean City, $1,000; Harry Hill of Landenberg, Pa., $1,000; Helena Hamilton of Asbury Avenue, Ocean City, Could Be Yours Consignment, $1,000; Suzanne Barr (retired) of Roosevelt Boulevard, $600; Brian Hartley of Westminster Lane, Ocean City, executive with Playland’s Castaway Cove, $500; Vince Innate of Northfield of Vincent Innate CPA, $500; Robert Marceluk (retired) of Plaza Place, Ocean City, $500; Padula Masonry Inc. of Simpson Avenue, Ocean City, $500.
The largest share of Hartzell’s spending, according to the reports, went to JASM Consulting of Ocean City, in payments totaling $31,011. The majority of the rest of the spending went to a wide variety of media outlets including the Ocean City Sentinel ($2,209).
City Council
The winning trio of candidates spent about $46,000 in the May 10 election.
Pete Madden, who was unanimously elected president of Ocean City Council during the reorganization meeting July 1, reported raising and spending $35,584, far above any other candidate in the race.
However, Madden ran on a joint ticket with fellow incumbent Karen Bergman and newcomer John “Tony P” Polcini. The three candidates received the most votes in the field of six candidates. Much of the advertising, including fliers and a billboard, supported all three candidates together.
Bergman was unanimously elected as vice president of council during the reorganization, succeeding Bobby Barr, who served for two one-year terms. He did not seek a third term.
Bergman reported receiving and spending a total of $10,705.
The only report filed with the commission for Polcini was on April 12, reporting receipts of $3,760.
Incumbent Second Ward Councilman Tom Rotondi, who was seeking one of the three at-large seats, reported April 11 having receipts of $5,860.
Former First Ward councilman Michael DeVlieger, who resigned his position in August due to a family crisis but was running for an at-large seat in May after it was resolved, was fifth in the voting. He filed a form April 21 that his expenditures would not exceed $5,800 for the election. He did not need to file a breakdown, according to his April 21 filing, unless he received a donation of more than $300 from one source or $1,900 in aggregate late in the election cycle.
Donna Moore, who was sixth in the council election, filed the same form as DeVlieger.
Council members receive a salary of $10,300. For council vice president it is $10,800 and for council president, $11,300.
In the council race, Bergman received 2,328 votes, Polcini 2,020, Madden 1,991, Rotondi 1,948, DeVlieger 1,760 and Moore 1,548.
By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
