Pemberton residents call for Mayor Tompkins to resign during misconduct meeting

Pemberton residents call for the mayor to resign

Pemberton residents are calling for their mayor to resign following cancellation of the annual Water Festival and other allegations.

PEMBERTON, N.J. - Pemberton residents are calling for the Mayor to resign following the cancellation of the annual Water Festival and other allegations.

What we know:

The mayor released his announcement last week on canceling the Water Carnival. It was scheduled to take place this weekend. 

Participants say they were blind-sided. 

He has 18 months left in the office, and it is too late for a recall.

What they're saying:

"The water carnival is a tradition that goes back to 1943. People love this tradition. They love the lakes and you are telling them they cannot have it," said one woman. She spoke during a special township council meeting Monday night.

 Residents packed the meeting to speak against Mayor Jack Tompkins, who they want to step down.

"I'm asking you to resign. You do not belong here," said another woman.

The mayor responded, "that's not gonna happen".

"You don't have the level of competence or empathy to be a government official. You just do not have it sir," the woman responded as the crowd clapped.

People were blind-sided by the cancellation of the Water Carnival to be held on Mirror Lake.

"How can we ask people to invest their time, energy and money into building floats? How can we expect businesses to invest supplies and funds?" said a woman.

The mayor said in part in a letter posted on the township's website, "Several factors contributed to this decision, including lack of community participation and staffing shortages, particularly in our recreation department, which currently has only one employee."

That is not the only thing people are heated about. Vicky Adams addressed other alleged issues. She is a former township employee who says she quit last October.

"The yelling and putting fear in me," she said to the mayor, who abruptly left the meeting after the woman's comments turned personal and involved his family. 

The president of the council says there is a laundry list of issues, including eight lawsuits.

"Sexual harassment, creating a toxic work environment and it's all against women," said Matthew Bianchini, who says the mayor has 18 months left in office, which makes it too late for a recall.

"We got to change the form of government," said resident Joe Anderson on not being able to get rid of the mayor.

The council is asking the governor to remove him with cause.

"We're not taking this lightly. We are doing everything in our power to try and get him out of office," said Bianchini.

Meanwhile, one resident says it is time to move on in order to keep the township running.

"You all need to figure it out. It is not all the mayor's fault. You have a council here. All I know is I do not want my taxes to be used for lawsuits. I do not want to see the township stagnated," said Mary Presley.