Vernon Municipal Clerk Lauren Kirkman is seeking $350,000.00 in damages and alleging a hostile work environment caused heath problems for her. Sparta Attorney George Daggett filed a tort claim notice on Kirkman's behalf earlier this month. Three Vernon Officials are named in the claim: Mayor Harry Shortway, Business Administrator Charles Voelker and Chief Financial Officer Donelle DeCuoto. Kirkman claims the hostile work environment came about because of politics. Her last day as municipal clerk will be December 6th. In a conversation with the New Jersey Herald Shortway denied the allegations but could not discuss them any further for legal reasons. A tort claim notice is not itself a lawsuit. However, it is the first step in the process of filing a lawsuit against a municipality.
Source: New Jersey Herald