Campaign Manager Sues Former Freeholder

An ex-Bergen County Freeholder and current Mahwah Councilman has been sued by his former campaign manager, who claims he didn’t pay her for managing his unsuccessful 2012 campaign, NorthJersey.com reported.

According to the report, former Bergen County Freeholder Rob Hermansen has been sued by Deirdre Woodbyrne, who claims that he owes her $10,000 for work she did during his failed reelection campaign in 2012.

Woodbyrne, who also managed Hermansen’s successful 2009 freeholder campaign, filed the suit in Bergen County Superior Court on March 4, the report said.

According to the report, Woodbyrne claims her company, Doleman Strategies of Ramsey, submitted a bill to Hermansen for services like "managing the defendant's campaign and media contacts, drafting literature, drafting media advertisements, running social media campaign, debate preparation, attendance at nine scheduled debates, senior citizen facility visits, attendance at 'town days,' coordination of two freeholder fundraisers, coordinate with other campaigns and/or other related services.”

Though Hermansen declined to comment to NorthJersey.com, he did deny the allegations in a response he filed on March 26.

Woodbyrne’s attorney says the case will likely be heard later this year, the report said.

Hermansen served as a freeholder for three years before losing his reelection bid in 2012. In 2013, he made a failed attempt at the Republican Party nomination for an assembly seat, and later in the year won a one-year unexpired term on the Mahwah township council.