Contact: Michael Angarone (609) 396-9685 / mangarone@optonline.net

GOP Mayoral Candidate Challenges Mayor to Improve Low Employee Morale among Municipal Workers

Today, Hamilton Republican mayoral candidate John Bencivengo challenged Mayor Glen Gilmore to improve the low employee morale among Hamilton"s municipal workers by removing partisan politics from the municipal building.

"Recently, I was made aware of several reports of threats, demeaning attitudes, and multiple union grievances stemming from the Gilmore administration"s intentional disregard to abide by labor contracts and the civil service laws," Bencivengo said.  "I have also been told that many township employees are also discouraged by the presence of favoritism by the administration in favor of those employees who also play a partisan political role in the administration.  Such favoritism and the politicization of the municipal workforce have led to the low morale that is now plaguing our municipal employees," he continued.

"What is most despicable about this situation is that despite the low morale among Hamilton"s workers, Mayor Gilmore continues to act in ways that will only decrease morale even further," Bencivengo stated.  "Just recently it was reported that Mayor Gilmore"s secretary would be taking over as Hamilton Democratic Chair.  This is yet another example of the Mayor"s arrogance and disrespect for Hamilton"s municipal workforce.  Once again Mayor Gilmore is doing as he pleases despite the appearance of political favoritism and the impact such an action has on the rest of Hamilton"s employees," he continued.

"With the seeming creation of the new position of "director of politics" there is an unwelcome specter of politics in the municipal building, and in particular the Mayor"s office," Bencivengo said.  "Never before this current administration had there been a political party chairperson working in the municipal building and I can assure you that there won"t be in a Bencivengo administration either," he added.