SEA BRIGHT — Borough officials will consider a part-time borough administrator, paid parking in municipal lots, and streamlining council responsibilities as they consider restructuring the municipal government’s organizational chart.
Dan Mason, of Cranford-based Jersey Professional Management, presented recommendations after a yearlong Management Study and Organizational Review of Sea Bright at a council workshop meeting on Nov. 12.
The review, which was estimated to cost $50,000, was funded through the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs for the purpose of providing recommendations for sustainability, future planning and best practices for the small shore town.
Mason said Sea Bright falls into an unusual situation with pre-superstorm Sandy, the immediate emergency period of Sandy, and post-Sandy.
“The period of getting through the emergency of Sandy is clearly over,” he said, adding the focus should now be on the future.
Mason said Sea Bright is like any small borough with a mayor and council, but unique and special in that it is a beach community. One of the recommendations is hiring a part-time borough administrator to be in charge of day-to-day operations for the borough.
“Is it ideal for a full-time borough administrator? Sure,” he said. “However, Sea Bright is a small municipality with few employees. Half the time the borough administrator deals with personnel issues so we are comfortable with the part-time administrator recommendation.”
Mason said the recommendations are dynamic, not absolute.
“When it is time to replace Joe [Verruni, acting business administrator], the council should have an open mind with the recruitment process,” he said.
One recommendation is having one councilperson as a liaison to a borough department rather than three council people on a subcommittee.
“It’s easy to lose purpose and structure,” said Mason, who is the former mayor of Cranford and business administrator of Highland Park. “With these recommendations we are not terminating any positions, we are changing duties, adding on duties, or sharing duties.”
The restructuring can be made at the reorganization meeting in January, he said.
Another recommendation is to implement paid parking at the municipal parking lot for revenue enhancement.
Mason said a municipality that adopted the recommendation for paid parking at 50 cents an hour subsequently raised the fee to $2 an hour.
“The income for that municipality virtually doubled,” he said, adding that the increase in parking fees was a non-issue.
Mason acknowledged there was discussion in the beginning.
“The decision is always reversible,” he said, adding that a sunset clause can be set for a year, two years or three years for borough officials to revisit the issue. “Our recommendation is to try it if it makes sense.”
Mayor Dina Long said borough officials would thoroughly discuss the recommendations and relay their decisions to Mason at a future meeting.