May 8, 2005
BY CAROL FLETCHER
Staff Writer
RINGWOOD - A small group of residents are testing the waters for interest in changing the local government.
But others see it as a ploy to regain lost political power.
Petitioners have been gathering signatures to put a question on the November ballot for a change in government. To do that they need a quarter of the borough's registered voters, according to state law.
The borough has operated under the Faulkner Act's Council-Manager government since 1980, when residents voted to change the traditional Borough form of government.
The change shifted power for running the town from a resident-elected mayor and spread it out amongst seven resident-elected council members.
Those council members then elect a council member to act as mayor for a year's term.
In addition, council members serve for a year longer and the mayor's administrative and supervisory duties are now performed by an appointed borough manager. The council now rules by majority, voting on borough policies, resolutions and ordinances. They also appoint key positions, such as borough attorney, and others such as planning board members and department heads.
The recent petition calls for returning that power to a resident-elected mayor but through a newer and slightly different form of government.
Ringwood and Pequannock Township are similar in not having a directly elected mayor, but most of the nearby municipalities do. Wanaque and Kinnelon, for instance, follow the older, Borough form of government.
Republican Borough Councilman William Marsala, who is running for re-election in November, supports the petition and has been collecting signatures.
When the council majority shifted from Republican to Democrat in 2004, the first time in over 30 years, Marsala was one of three council members who became the minority.
."I think our form of government is outdated" said Marsala.
Most towns in New Jersey have either the borough's previous form of government, established in the 1890s, or the Township form.
Democrats however, say calling for a change in government and the governing body is politically motivated.
"This is nothing more than a power grab by desperate people who can't accept having lost control over the council," said Rich Falco, president of the local Democratic Club, in the club's written statement.
Democratic Mayor Wenke Taule also questions the timing, and motivation, behind the petition.
"Being on the council for two and a half years, I've never heard any feedback that our constituents were ever unhappy," she said. But if residents want a change in government, she said she is open to the idea if it is handled correctly.
"I think we need to look at it in an orderly, educative and bipartisan fashion;' said Taule, such as through a charter study.
The borough went through a charter study to look at the different options before changing governments back in 1980. But it took two years to do.
Democrats and others also question the politics of those who filed the petition.
One of the individuals reportedly responsible for the petition did not return phone calls for confirmation.
Independent Councilman Ted Taukus, who is also up for re-election this year but has not yet declared if he is seeking it, disagrees with the petition idea. He said his handful of registered Independent supporters are not involved.
"I think it's a waste of time and effort" he said, "and is a desperate attempt on the part of the Republicans ' to regain power."
But Marsala said that is not his reason for supporting its goals.
Residents who have seen the petition say it calls for the borough to switch its government to another Faulkner Act form called Mayor-Council-Administrator.
The new form was created in 1981, but only West Milford and North Brunswick have adopted it since then.
It is similar to the resident-elected mayor concept of the borough's former government but gives slightly more power to the mayor, said Bob Casey, executive director of the New Jersey Municipal Managers Association, whose members include both managers and administrators.
"The mayor is the chief executive officer, with authority to veto ordinances" said Casey.
Acting independently, the mayor appoints all the main positions for the borough with approval from the council, such as the administrator, department heads and employees.
The mayor is elected for a four-year term, and presides over council meetings but doesn't have to attend them, said Casey. He only votes in a tie between council members.
Council members can override a mayor's veto with two-thirds of the votes. The mayor is also in charge of enforcing all the borough's laws, while the appointed administrator supervises the departments.
Under this government, council terms would be reduced to staggered, three-year terms and two members would be up for re-election every year.
To Marsala, one less year in office means more accountability, but to Taule, that means more money spent on elections and more political signs fighting for attention.
Residents should also be aware that changing governments is costly, she said, if two special elections are needed. Borough Clerk Kelley Rohde said one costs between $12,000 and $18,000.
Marsala also supports the move for a change because he questions the town's current borough manager who isn't a resident.
"For the first time we have someone in Ringwood who controls the purse strings and that doesn't five in Ringwood," he said.
While having a government with a powerful mayor can be a very functional form of government, Casey pointed out that infighting is the disadvantage.
"If you have different parties, or fighting within the party, you can have competing centers of powers" said Casey. But when majority rules, like under Ringwood's current form, decisions will ultimately be reached.
If residents just wanted to elect their mayor, Ringwood's government form allows for that option, said Casey. Usually though, there is more behind a move to change governments. “This is a way to overturn the current (council) membership," said Casey.