Galloway Township Temporarily Retains Arch Liston as Acting Township Manager

Arch Liston, Credit: Press of AC

Galloway Township Council unanimously voted to retain current Township Manager Arch Liston as now their Acting Township Manager.  

Liston stated to Council that his resignation as Township Manager was effective as of January 28, 2014. As of January 20, 2014, Liston has been working for the City of Atlantic City as their City Administrator. 

Liston will now serve as Acting Township Manager in Galloway for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days. Mayor Don Purdy stated that Liston will also serve as the "Appropriate Authority" and will be paid $150.00 per week as compensation.

Galloway Township Now Seeks Resumes for the Township Manager Position

On January 9, 2014, Galloway Township advertised for a new Township Manager on the New Jersey League of Municipalities website. 

Township Manager Arch Liston joined Galloway in February 2012 after former manager Stephen Bonanni retired. Liston now heads to Atlantic City as their City Administrator. Liston's departure leaves Galloway Township to search for their fourth Manager since 2010. 

Galloway Officials confirmed in December 2013 that they were shocked to learn of Liston's decision to leave Galloway Township. Officials learned through the Media of Liston's nomination by Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian to become City Administrator for Atlantic City. 

Galloway Officials Shocked to Learn Through Media They May Lose Their Township Manager

Arch Liston, Credit: Press of AC

Galloway Township Council may have to search for a new Township Manager if Arch Liston is confirmed by Atlantic City Council to be the next City Administrator for the City of Atlantic City. A nomination that took several Galloway Township Officials by surprise. Galloway Township has had four (4) Township Managers in the past three (3) years. 

Liston replaced former Township Manager Stephen Bonanni who currently has a lawsuit pending in Federal Court against Galloway Township and Mayor Don Purdy. 

Galloway Township Officials have confirmed that they were not aware of Township Manager Arch Liston's decision to leave Galloway Township. Township Manager Arch Liston has been nominated by Atlantic City Mayor-elect Don Guardian to be the next City Administrator for the City of Atlantic City, according to the Press of Atlantic City.  

City of Absecon Appoints Former Galloway Manager as City Administrator; Shared Service Agreement Terminated

Arch Liston, Credit: AC Press

The City of Absecon has decided not to renew an Inter-local Shared Service Agreement with the Township of Galloway and in turn appointed former Galloway Manager Thomas L. Henshaw as their new City Administrator. 

The agreement due to expire on December 31, 2013 was to share the service of Galloways' Township Manager Arch Liston.  Liston was serving as Acting Administrator in Absecon with this agreement since June 2013. 

With the expiration of the agreement nearing, the City of Absecon notified Galloway Mayor Don Purdy on December 3, 2013 that the City would not be renewing the shared service agreement with Galloway. 

Galloway Township, Absecon moving to share services of Administrator Arch Liston; Press of Atlantic City.

Arch Liston - Courtesy of NJ.com

Galloway Township Manager Arch Liston expected to serve as Acting Administrator in Absecon as part of a Shared Services Agreement with Galloway Township. 

Via Press of Atlantic City

UPDATED: Investigation by GallowayTwpNews.com Forces Township to Admit the Secret Hiring of a Private Investigator

• Is the Press Release issued by the Township the real reason the Private Investigator (PI) was hired? 
• Were "certain" council members not privy to the hiring of the PI and did one Member of Council try to stop the investigation prior to it occurring? 
• Did GallowayTwpNews.com expose a secret hiring?
• Why did Township Manager Arch Liston not tell Council at a Public Meeting he already hired a Special Assistant?

GallowayTwpNews.com was the first media entity to discover and report the Township's hiring of a Private Investigator. Prior to that report, we released personnel actions forms of numerous employees the Township gave promotions to as well as hired. 

Of those employees hired was a former Galloway Township Police Officer who now has a business as a Private Detective called Investech.  James Brennenstuhl who is the principal of his company, was hired by Township Manager Arch Liston on February 19, 2013. Brennenstuhl was hired to be the Special Assistant to the Township Manager.

One of the things that did not make sense in this hiring, was GallowayTwpNews.com previously reported on March 11, 2013, that the Township advertised in the NJ League of Municipalities the same day an opening for a Management Assistant. Brennensthul was not only already employed by Galloway, but was already serving in that capacity as of February 23, 2013 according to his time sheets. We requested through an Open Public Records Request the Job Description for Brennenstuhl. Township Clerk TC Kay released the March advertisement as the Job Description. The inconsistencies in the Township's timeline of events caused us to investigate further as to why Galloway Township hired a PI. 

After GallowayTwpNews.com published our story indicating Brennenstuhl's hiring, we received several inquiries as to Brennenstuhl's past with the Township. Brennenstuhl is a former police officer for Galloway Township. It is alleged, Brennenstuhl retired after he was injured in a local bar fight while on duty for the Township. We requested Brennenstuhl's resignation letter, however because of the retention period, the documents were destroyed by the Township. 

In 2011, Brennenstuhl received a contract with the Township and approved by Council to perform "background investigations" for New Hires in the Police Department. We submitted an Open Public Records Request for a complete Vendor History on Brennenstuhl to include payments made to him, including the company Investech. According to Township Clerk TC Kay, no records existed for our request.

It was alleged through a source that Brennenstuhl was also hired to conduct Internal Affair Investigations for the Police Department. Chief of Police Patrick Moran confirmed, "Mr. Brennenstuhl has offered those services (internal affairs) to our department; however, we have not used him for any investigations, nor do we have any immediate need to use him."

Prior to Moran's statement, he contacted the Publisher of GallowayTwpNews.com on May 31, 2013 at 3:45pm in reference to a message we left with Township Manager Arch Liston. Moran indicated he was calling us since Liston was out of town and was in a bad area for cell phone service. However Liston still was able to make contact with Moran to let him know we called, through the bad cell service. Of course this is also after we published a statement indicating we would expose the content of our story and investigation unless the Township objected to same. 

In our conversation with Moran, he indicated he would try to contact Liston, via text. We further agreed to cooperate with the Township in not releasing our story until after Liston returned to work on Wednesday, June 5, 2013. On Saturday, June 1, 2013 at 11:20pm, we received a text message from Moran stating, "FYI, I made contact with the Manager and he knows to contact you when he gets back. Thank you for your consideration."

GallowayTwpNews.com did not want to obstruct or hinder an investigation being conducted, therefore we offered mutual consideration. 

Liston never made contact as we requested, however, our "consideration" was rewarded when Liston issued a Press Release to all media outlets including GallowayTwpNews.com. The Press Release was to confirm the Township hired a Private Investigator as originally exposed by this Publisher. 

We visited Liston in his Township Office almost immediately after he released the Press Release. Liston, who could not look at this Publisher in the eye, refused to answer any questions unless they were reduced to writing, as stated in front of multiple Township employees, including Township Clerk TC Kay. 

According to Liston in the Press Release, "the Township Manager was advised by members of the fire companies that reporting may have been done differently and inconsistently by each company." That reporting according to Liston, created "statistical anomalies" to appear between each company. Liston states, "$130,000 is spent annually on the program." The program is funded by the taxpayers. 

Liston stated, "The Township Manager in lieu of hiring an auditing firm at over $100 an hour, brought in a former police officer, James Bruennenstuhl who is familiar with the community and the fire companies, to assist in the review at $25 an hour, with a maximum expense of $1,000." Liston further stated, "This was submitted and approved by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs."

We submitted an extensive list of extremely valid follow-up questions to Liston regarding his press release as he requested. Liston has not returned any of our request for comment. Of the questions we submitted to Liston was, "If the statistical anomalies are money allocation of which you stated the Township spends over $130,000 on, wouldn't the investigation be better suited by a licensed accountant instead of a Private Detective/Investigator which according to his resume, does not have accounting experience."

The Township appoints each year a Municipal Auditor. We questioned Liston if the statistical anomalies were discovered through the audit process. Liston did not reply.

It has been alleged by several firefighters we spoke with on the grounds of anonymity, that the statical anomalies in their opinion are consist with Liston's first part of the press release indicating "points for service." However, the points of service as alleged by these firefighters are not the duration of the years of service, it is the points or attendance granted per "service call."

Another question we submitted to Liston was, "Is it true, that these statistical anomalies are more so an internal investigation into the conduct of individual(s) within the fire companies logging points for service on calls of which they never attended? If so, is there a targeted fire company located in Galloway Township? It appears Mr. Brennenstuhl is conducting surveillance, is that accurate?" Liston did not return our request for comment. We also requested comment from Township Fire Chief Tim McKenna, our request was also not returned.

According to payroll records released by the Township which in our opinion, thwarted their attempt to remain confidential in the investigation, Brennenstuhl submitted two pages from his company called "Investech" showing "Statement of Account" that the Township labeled as his time sheets. Those time sheets clearly indicate the Township as a "Client" and "Investigate" all over them as his service.  In essence in our opinion, at this point there was no way to hide an investigation was occurring. 

The time sheets also calculate mileage Brennenstuhl was traveling giving the appearance some sort of surveillance is being conducted. Our assumption is based on Brennenstuhl being hired as an "employee" and not contracted by the Township as an Investigator as they did in 2011.

GallowayTwpNews.com spoke with members of council of which requested anonymity indicating the "Township Legal Counsel requested they (council) not comment to GallowayTwpNews.com Publisher." We questioned why the Township is restricting speech of Council members and one council member stated, "because of who the publisher is." We have provided same to our own legal counsel as to the Township's prejudice to this news organization. 

In our conversations with those council members, two of them were not aware of the Township hiring a Private Investigator for any reason. A main concern presented was socializing this Private Investigator with other employees to conduct an investigation without the knowledge of those employees or the Township's Union Representatives. Some employees are also members of the Township Fire Department, including the Chief of the Township's Fire Department. 

Our last question to the Township Manager of which he did not respond was, "Are you aware of any involvement by a certain Member of Council to "sweep" under the rug per se, the results of your investigation as it pertains to "issues" that may have or be discovered by this investigation." We posed the question as one member of council we spoke with alleged involvement of another member of council that may have tried to stop the investigation prior to it occurring. 

Liston stated the report would be presented to Council and made Public. We urge the Township to fully state the reasoning of the investigation and why the Township has so many of their own statistical anomalies in the hiring of Brennenstuhl. 

We also urge the Township Manager to explain to Council why Brennenstuhl was truly hired. Liston was asked at a Council Meeting by a member of the public, also reported by Galloway Patch, why the Township was spending money on a Special Assistant to the Township Manager. Liston stated at a public meeting that his own salary would be reduced because the help of the assistant. Liston indicated he would be working 5 days a week instead of the 4 days he was originally hired. 

Liston listed the reason as "organizational structuring" and didn't specify which needs he was referring. Liston never told Council in Public at that meeting he already hired someone, giving the impression not only to council but also to the Public, he was seeking applicants. 

We request Township Manager Arch Liston to be forthcoming in this situation and not leave everyone in dark as to his true intentions on this hiring. 

Press Release LOSAP by GallowayTwpNews

LT Brennenstuhl by GallowayTwpNews

LT JB Res and Contract by GallowayTwpNews

UPDATED x3: Township Hires a NJ Licensed Private Detective as the Township Manager's Special Assistant; Conducting Investigations

FULL STORY RELEASED: Click HERE to Read

Pending requests for comments from Chief of Police Patrick Moran, Township Manager Arch Liston and Fire Chief Tim McKenna, this story will be released by tomorrow (Friday) morning. 

UPDATED x3 (June 5, 2013): Township Manager Arch Liston voluntarily issued a joint Press Release with Township Fire Chief Timothy McKenna at 2:30pm today. The Press Release confirms the exclusive investigative report issued by GallowayTwpNews.com that a Private Detective/Investigator was hired by the Township to conduct an investigation. Significant follow-up questions were presented to Liston in reference to this Press Release. A full release of the story and the release of the Press Release is pending based on the outcome of Liston's response to our inquiry. 

UPDATED x2 (May 31, 2013): GallowayTwpNews.com was contacted today by Chief of Police Patrick Moran. GallowayTwpNews.com Publisher has agreed to cooperate with the Township and not release this story or any additional information until this Publisher has further conversations with the Township and Township Manager Arch Liston on Wednesday, June 5, 2013. Moran stated he appreciated our cooperation. We will not be releasing any additional information in regards to our conversation with the Chief of Police. Check back for details as this story is developing as we feel it is appropriate to update the viewers due to high volume of traffic on this story. 

UPDATED (May 31, 2013): GallowayTwpNews.com was contacted yesterday by a Township Official inquiring as to the release of this story. That Official was also not aware of the hiring of a Licensed Private Detective (PI) as a Township Employee. This is the second Official to deny any knowledge of this hiring.

The Official was concerned as to the release of this story and any repercussions the release of this story may have on the integrity of the investigation being conducted by this PI. We have provided this official with additional information in reference to the investigation as it was provided to us. This Official requested we contact Township Manager Arch Liston, of which we did and our calls have not been returned. Until the Township of Galloway requests we not release this story, this story is anticipated to be released Sunday Night!

GallowayTwpNews.com was contacted by multiple individuals after we published a story on several Township Employees receiving Promotions and Raises.

Jim Brennenstuhl was hired by Township Manager Arch Liston and started his paid position as an "employee" on February 19, 2013 as Part-Time "Special Assistant" to the Township Manager.  One of the individuals who came forward under the grounds of anonymity, provided compelling information that we felt needed to be investigated. 

GallowayTwpNews.com filed several Open Public Records Request in attempt to confirm certain allegations brought forward by this individual. We were able to confirm a majority of the accusations and will be providing a full report on Brennenstuhl's employment with the Township of Galloway. 

Some employees and a council member claim they were not aware Brennenstuhl, who is a New Jersey Licensed Private Detective with his own local company was hired by the Township and conducting investigations from within as an employee.

A specific time line of events will also be released in support of this story. Check back for details as this story is developing.

Galloway Township Introduces $24 Million Budget; Galloway Patch

According to Galloway Patch, Galloway Township Manager Arch Liston introduced a proposed budget of just over $24 million Tuesday night, March 26 a decrease of nearly $1,800 from last year.

The $24,042,596.92 proposed budget is down from last year’s $25,839,541.54 budget.

Via Galloway Patch.com