Borough Employees Question Assistant Administrator Position

Two Madison Borough employees raised questions about the creation of a position Administrator Ray Codey and members of the Borough Council say will save money for years to come.

The position, the salary range of which was approved by a vote of 3-2 on Monday night, is for an assistant borough administrator.

Codey said the position would combine the duties of a number of current and former positions. The person hired as assistant borough administrator would take on the responsibilities of the Main Street Executive Director, recycling coordinator, and assistant business administrator. Codey said that prior to his arrival, there had been an assistant business administrator in the borough.

The person would also act as a liaison to businesses and a mentor to the new position of part-time recreation director, picking up some of those responsibilities when that employee is not in the office.

An added function of the position would be to actively seek out new, or expand upon existing, shared service opportunities with other municipalities and within the borough.

Finally, the person would also fill the need of a liaison to the county for the local welfare assistance program. That overall function had been transferred to the county, something that about half of the municipalities have done. However, residents who are applying for programs still go to the borough first, and this position would also take on the responsibility of beginning the process for Madison residents.

Codey said the savings of this position would be about $100,000 to the borough. Part of that savings comes from the elimination of the full-time recreation director/recycling coordinator position, which cost the borough a little over $91,000, plus benefits. The rec director position has been turned into a part-time position without benefits, with Zachary Ellis filling the position which pays $20 an hour, 20 hours a week.

Codey also said that even if the candidate hired was not internal, the position would not add an extra person's benefits, as the Main Street Executive Director position would be abolished. That position is currently held by Jim Burnet.

Codey said the position combines five jobs into one.

Two members of the community, both employees of the borough, questioned the position. One wondered if it was just going to be a promotion for someone at a time when borough departments are taking wage freezes and are not able to fill positions.

"I was told we weren't allowed to promote or have positions filled," said Vito Luppino, an employee in the sewer department. "We didn't take an increase because we were helping out the town, and no one else has taken an increase so far. If he (assistant borough administrator) is going to do all the work on the eight pages on there, and have to do that in absence of the administrator, it seems the person is in the same position."

Luppino also criticized a move the council made recently to give Codey five additional vacation days. Codey said he didn't need the days, and if it was something Luppino and his union had a major problem with, he would gladly give them up.

Councilwoman Astri Baillie defended Codey, saying the municipality has received a large amount of savings and has been very efficient since he began serving as administrator.

Luppino was joined by another employee asking about the assistant borough administrator position, Jim Finelli. However, Finelli's questions about the position, which were at the end of the meeting, seemed to be more about clarifying where the money was coming from for the position, and which positions were being consolidated.

The salary range for the position was set between a minimum of $95,000 and a maximum of $115,000.

The range to establish the position was approved by council, 3-2, with Coucilmen Sam Cerciello and Dr. Vincent Esposito voting no. Baillie abstained, saying she believed in the cost savings of the position but thought the timing may not be right.

Cerciello said he voted against it because of the state of affairs for other borough employees.

"My conscious cannot vote yes on this when the fire department, teachers, public works and other public employees can't get raises or promotions," Cerciello said.

Councilman Robert Conley said he felt the position served an important purpose, as it was the first time shared service seeking was part of an employee's job description.

"That is very important to where New Jersey needs to go," he said.

Councilman Don Links reiterated what Codey had said, pointing out how the consolidation of responsibilities would save money, and Council President Jeannie Tsukamoto said she believed the position would help with economic development, increasing rateables.

Codey said the position would be open for internal employees to apply until Aug. 19. If the pool of candidates is deemed unworthy of the position, the borough would then advertise for an outside candidate.