Community Corner
Codey's Return Meeting: 'It's Great to Be Back' [VIDEO]
"Now is the time to put things behind us and move forward as a community," recently reinstated Borough Administrator Ray Codey said.
In his first Borough Council meeting since being cut by the governing body in an unexpected and controversial 4-2 vote last month and then reinstated after an outcry by residents, Madison Borough Administrator Ray Codey said it's time for Madison to move forward as a community and that the town's future is bright if it works together.
At the start of the meeting, Codey thanked Madison for bringing him back. He also thanked Assistant Borough Administrator Jim Burnet, who , for his leadership in the more than three weeks Codey was in employment limbo.
"It's great to be back. It's even greater to be a Madisonian," Codey said during Monday's meeting, held at . "Now is the time to put things behind us and move forward as a community, and I belive that working together our future is bright.
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"Responsible leadership and engaged citizenry can do wonderful things together and the last couple of meetings have proven that exact point."
After thanking Burnet, Codey said the assistant borough administrator is "a perfect example of what makes Madison special: someone who cares deeply about this community and is committed to always doing the right thing no matter what the personal consequences."
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Codey said he is honored to work with him.
The council at a special budget meeting Wednesday night. He .
Borough Council President Jeannie Tsukamoto, who had , said Wednesday she expected management actions involving personnel or contracts would be coming in the near future to obtain savings comparable to those that were projected to be realized from cutting Codey. Additional information about the possible management actions weren't given during Monday's meeting.
Madison's budget was unanimously introduced without any significant changes from the previous meeting. The $100,000 to reinstate Codey was made up by refining insurance and pension figures to save about $50,000, and reducing the amount of surplus to be restored by about $50,000.
The move to reinstate Codey followed an outcry from residents over his dismissal.
So many people attended the March 12 Borough Council meeting to discuss the council's decision to remove Codey the meeting was moved to the across the street. More than a dozen residents, including and , protested Codey's dismissal at that meeting, while no one spoke in favor of the change.
"I may have been born in Orange, N.J., but I plan on finishing my life here on Earth as a proud Madisonian, and thank you for bringing me back," Codey said.
Officials and attendees applauded his remarks. Mayor Bob Conley said Codey and Burnet define what it is to be true gentlemen and they could write a book on how to handle difficult situations.
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