Commission begins interviews of local officials
By:John Patten
Mayor Anthony Ferrera and Township Committeeman Bob Wagner touted the committee’s working relationship during the Jan. 31 Charter Study Commission meeting.
Mayor Ferrera, Mr. Wagner and Township Administrator Kevin Davis were interviewed by the commission as it undertakes its study of the township committee and other forms of municipal government. The commission is studying the forms to try and determine whether or not Hillsborough should change its form of government.
The commission has until August to study the forms and to make a recommendation to either keep the current form or change to one of the forms authorized by state law. Any recommendation for change will be placed on November’s ballot for voter approval.
The at-times testy interviews launched the commission’s discussions of specific advantages or weaknesses of various types of governments. And while Mayor Ferrera and Mr. Wagner both said they had no experience with other types of governments, both also noted the direct communication the committee members enjoy.
In response to a question posed by commission Chairman Chris Jensen on how the mayor can get goals accomplished, Mayor Ferrera said the committee members must "buy into" the goals and plans.
"We discuss those goals and in working with Township Administrator Kevin Davis, we set timelines and carry through on day-to-day operations," Mayor Ferrera said.
The sitting committeemen stressed the importance of the people elected to the position in making sure the local government runs smoothly.
Much of the dialogue between the committee members and the commissioners focused on the amount of time it takes to be mayor in Hillsborough "It’s a huge amount of time and it’s a lot of work," Mr. Wagner noted and whether or not the township would be better served by full-time mayor or a mayor serving multiple years in office.
Mr. Wagner and Mayor Ferrera said they had concerns such a position could become too powerful, possibly even leading to increased chances for fraud, but also noted more people may be interested in such a position.
The committeemen also stressed the parliamentary nature of a township committee, with the members each having equal authority.
"I think this is democracy with a small ‘d’ for the residents," Mr. Davis said.
Both also commented on the public’s desire to directly elect the mayor, which Mayor Ferrera said was the impetus behind the committee’s ordinance to place a question on the ballot leading to the establishment of the Charter Study Commission.
Mayor Ferrera and Mr. Wagner said they thought residents would like to have a township committee form with a directly elected mayor, which is not allowed under the state Option Municipal Charter Law and would only be possible by obtaining special Legislative authorization.
The interviews became testy when Commissioner Glenn van Lier challenged Mayor Ferrera’s opening statement in which the mayor asked, "What is the great disruption that’s worth the change?"
Mr. van Lier said the commission is just beginning its study, "so talking about ‘drastic change’ none of this is where we are right now."
He then read from a publication on charter studies printed by the New Jersey League of Municipalities that "a number of people in municipal hall have an interest in maintaining the status quo."
Mr. Ferrera then retorted that he wasn’t worried about losing his "high paying job" with the township.
The commission will continue with interviews of former township committee members at its next meeting, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14.