Monday, August 1, 2005
By BARBARA WILLIAMS
STAFF WRITER
RINGWOOD - In response to a Republican-generated petition to change the form of municipal government, the Borough Council will hold a public hearing Tuesday on creating a commission to study the issue.
The Democratic-majority council will hold the special meeting at 8 p.m. in Borough Hall to create a five-member charter study commission. Voters will be asked to elect members of the group in the November election; if they do so, the commission would then study and recommend what it believes is the best form of government for the municipality.
Several months ago, Republicans started circulating a petition to change the form of government, from the current council-manager to a mayor-council-administrator. It is basically a recall effort, prompted by the Republicans' loss of control of the council after 30 years of domination. A new form of government requires each council member to run again.
The council currently has four Democrats, two Republicans and one independent member. Under the present form, the mayor's post is ceremonial, with the mayor chosen by the council from among its ranks. The manger performs the daily tasks of running the municipality and appointments are made by a council majority.
Under the proposed type of government, the mayor is elected by the people for four years, and holds a vast amount of power: appointing the municipal clerk, administrator, attorney, tax collector and assessor, treasurer, police chief, engineer and all department heads, as well as controlling the day-to-day operations of the borough. An election would be held every year for staggered council terms.
The petition would have needed 20 percent of Ringwood's 8,147 registered voters, or 1,630 names, to have the proposal put before the public. But because all four Democratic council members are expected Tuesday to adopt the ordinance placing the commission question on the ballot, voters will now likely face two questions in November - whether to create the commission and to choose five people to serve on it. Voters also may choose not to create the commission, leaving the status quo.
Ringwood changed its government in 1980 from a borough form, with an elected mayor, to the current type. The change was made after a charter study commission made the recommendation.
E-mail: williamsb@northjersey.com
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