In a unanimous vote Monday afternoon, City Council approved the hiring of Jim Mallon as Ocean City’s new business administrator.
Mayor Jay Gillian had made the recommendation to council last week after announcing the retirement of Mike Dattilo from the position.
Dattilo, 54, will continue to work for the city as an aide to the mayor during a transition period for part of 2015.
Gillian re-emphasized his plan to allow Mallon some time to assume responsibility for day-to-day operations of the city while Dattilo focuses on completing some pending projects and objectives.
Council approved the appointment of Mallon in a 7-0 vote with no discussion.
The approved resolution waives the residency requirement for the position. Mallon, 46, lives in Gloucester County with his wife and four sons.
He has a bachelor’s degree from Glassboro State College and a master’s in public administration from Rutgers University.
He was first hired by Ocean City in 1994 in the Recreation Department. He stayed for eight years before moving on to public and private sector jobs in Pennsylvania. He returned to Ocean City to work as Community Services director from 2010 to 2013.
After a short stint as municipal administrator in Pine Hill, Mallon returned this spring to Ocean City as an aide to Gillian, earning an annual salary of $105,000.
Mallon said Monday that the city has not yet set his new salary, though he said he’s been warned by Gillian that it will be well under the cap set by ordinance ($149,000). Dattilo earned a base salary of $130,000.
