Burnet Says Codey Better For Job

Madison Borough Council President Jeannie Tsukamoto said the news that Ray Codey was being fired as borough administrator for budget reasons was delivered in an emotionless way on the advice of the borough's attorney.

She said firing someone is always difficult, and in the public sector the law makes the process even more complicated.

"I have agonized over this more than anyone can imagine," she said during Monday's Borough Council meeting.

Borough attorney Joseph Mezzacca Jr. said Codey and assistant administrator Jim Burnet were notified their positions were at risk of being eliminated.

Prior to the public portion of the meeting, they learned the assistant borough administrator position was expected to be cut. Burnet figured he would be let go, but then learned just before the start of the meeting Codey was going to be dismissed instead, Burnet said.

During a presentation, Burnet and Codey were able to step outside, which is when Burnet told Codey the news before the 4-2 vote to have Codey removed was conducted, Burnet said.

Responding to a question from resident Larry Bruce during Monday's meeting about whether he knew what was going to happen, Burnet said he had "extremely conflicted feelings." He said he would follow the council's decisions.

But he also said Codey took him under his wing, he sees Codey as the better man for the job, and he had a hard time reconciling why the council fired Codey instead of him.

Burnet's remarks drew a standing ovation from attendees at the meeting, which was moved to the due to the size of the crowd. More than a dozen residents and current and former elected officials spoke in favor of Codey and denounced his firing. No one spoke in favor of the change. There was no sign of Codey at the meeting.

The Borough Council tabled votes on resolutions and ordinances related to the budget and finalizing Codey's removal, saying the budget and personnel decisions need further consideration. Councilman Don Links said during the meeting that his vote was not for political reasons, and anyone who knows him knows that.

He said in an interview he will consider additional information about the budget and, depending on what he hears, would consider changing his mind.