JACKSON — Phil Del Turco has agreed to remain in the position of Jackson’s business administrator until a replacement has been selected and approved by Mayor Mike Reina and the Township Council.
Reina said Del Turco is working on a day-to-day basis and setting his own hours.
The mayor said the interview process for a new business administrator should be finished within a week. Reina said he would make the résumé of the individual he would like to appoint to the position available to the council members for their consideration.
“When I review it , the one that I think I’m going to go with, I’m going to put forth the résumé so they [the council members] know exactly who they are talking to,” said the mayor. “If anybody wants to meet with [the applicants], I have no problem with that.”
Reina said the process has been open for anyone to apply to work as Jackson’s business administrator, including Del Turco.
“It was an open invitation to anyone who wanted to apply,” the mayor said. “Everybody has the same consideration.”
The mayor said if he does not find a suitable candidate, the position will be advertised again.
Reina said Del Turco agreed to remain through a transition period and to assist the new business administrator when an individual is appointed to the position.
Del Turco was expected to leave his position as business administrator on Aug. 13.
The council had an appointment for a business administrator on the agenda for its Aug. 10 meeting, but an appointment was not made that night or since then.
Given that a new hire was not made, Del Turco agreed to stay on as Jackson’s business administrator. He is being paid on a per diem basis based on his previous annual salary of $137,000.
“The town is still in good hands between the department heads and myself,” Reina said. “There has been no lapse of anything going out or coming in. The township is operating at 100 percent, even on a four-day work week.”
Municipal offices remain closed on Fridays as township employees continue to take an unpaid furlough day each week.
Reina said about 50 applications for the position of business administrator have been received and are being reviewed. Interviews will be the next step in the process, according to the mayor.