the Staff of The Ridgewood Blog
Ridgewood NJ, in response to a resident’s concern regarding the need for additional Village Council studies of Schedler property development plans, Councilwoman Siobhan Winograd just wrote this on Facebook: “ . . . we as a council of five cannot access our staff professionals independently.” Meaning, the Councilwoman is unhappy that she can’t question Village employees directly about Schedler. Our form of government doesn’t permit it. The Village Manager is the gatekeeper; it’s been that way for decades.
Perhaps this in part explains why Heather Mailander got the boot as Village Manager. Ms. Mailander is known to be a stickler for protocol. And as previously noted by our staff, a recent closed session agenda item was devoted to a discussion of the Faulkner Act, which lays out the State of NJ law regarding interactions between elected officials and municipal employees in the Village’s form of government (strong Manager – weak Council).
https://theridgewoodblog.net/is-the-normal-village-councils-honeymoon-over-already/
And as one of our readers suspected, someone in that meeting likely expressed his/her dissatisfaction with the way things currently are. Now we know who it was.
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A constant whiner. Put a sock in it bitch.
class act
Resorting to name calling loses the argument. The case can be stated forcefully (in fact, more forcefully) with facts and polite observations.
In my opinion, such comments should be blocked.
So in other words, the Village Manager runs the Deep State here in town?
And they run for election how often?
Funny that people are upset about losing the BOE budget vote (me included), but seemingly okay with a non-elected Village Manager calling the shots? Hmm…
She’s trying to be a grownup. Not working.
It’s not enough apparently for residents to run for council to pursue their personal agendas anymore. Now they’re trying to rewrite the laws to suit those agendas.
How long does she have to be in office before a recall petition can be circulated?
Winograd is Voigt 2.0
Vagianos is Aronsohn 2.0
A couple of rogue lawbreakers
We understand
She looks tired.
That’s just the way she looks. . .
She is a soccer Mom, who has absolutely no idea how local government works. We are in BIG trouble for the next couple years, And I’m not talking about the Big empty Garage. With That being Said, non of the Normal Council do!!
Glen Rock has MORE Soccer Moms
“Deep State” Are you one of those conspiracy nuts ? This form of government has worked for Ridgewood for many years but the 4 what to change it to a dictatorship.
You must be a very confused little puppy. The idea of an elected council is to prevent the dictatorship.
At least I get to vote for the Council. I don’t get a vote for the Village Manager.
Do you get to vote for the supervisor who tells the worker to fix a pothole. Do you get to vote for the head of the Water Dept. Let the residents vote for every decisions. The Village Council is a part time position . Or maybe your right let pay these political no nothing $200,000. each to run this town. No system is perfect. The Falkner Act was put in place by a vote of the residents to stop political corruption.
Here the key “Deep State” Get it
“It provides for an experienced professional to serve as the chief Executive”.
1. Elections can be partisan or nonpartisan. If elections are nonpartisan the municipality also has the option
of run off elections.
2. Elections can be at-large or by wards. If the municipality is divided into wards, the municipality has the
option over the number of wards.
3. The size of the council can be three, five or seven members.
4. Terms can be staggered or concurrent.
As of 2006, 67 municipalities operate under the OMCL Mayor Council Form.
Council-Manager Form
This form is very similar to the previously mentioned 1923 Municipal Manager Law. Like the 1923 law, this form, it
provides for an experienced professional to serve as the chief Executive.
The council is made up of five, seven or nine elected members. The council is the legislative body of the
municipality but also appoints the positions of Municipal Clerk, Tax Assessor and well as provides for
appointments of members of Boards, Commissions and Authorities. Perhaps most importantly, the council
appoints a qualified manager to serve as the chief executive.
The mayor can either be selected from the council or directly elected. Either way, the mayor serves as the
presiding member of the council. The Manager has the full administrative responsibility for the municipality,
including appointment of department heads as well as subordinates, preparation and presentation of the budget
and the negotiation of contracts.
A municipality under the Council-Manager form has the following options:
1. Partisan or nonpartisan elections. If the elections are nonpartisan, the municipality has the option of run-
off elections.
2. Staggered or concurrent terms.
3. The mayor can be voted directly by the people or selected from among the council. If elected by the
voters, the mayor serves a four-year term. If selected by the council, the mayor serves either a one, two
or four year term, depending on whether the council serves staggered or concurrent terms and local
ordinances.
4. Council members can be elected at-large or from wards. If the municipality operates under a ward-based
system, the number of wards is also an option.
5. The size of the council can be five, seven or nine members.
As of 2006, 42 municipalities operate under the OMCL Council Manager form.
Small Municipality Form (NJSA 40:69A-115)
This form is available only to municipalities under 12,000 in population, although a municipality that grows beyond
12,000 may retain the form. The Small Municipality is commonly thought of as a cross of the two most common
“traditional” forms: the township and borough. 6 It is also a strong mayor form in that the mayor exercises the
executive authority of the municipality. The mayor may in fact be a stronger position in this form than in the
Mayor-Council since he/she is not only the chief executive but also the presiding officer of the council. 7
The mayor in this form appoints an assessor, tax collector, treasurer, clerk and any officers provided for by local
ordinance. He or she also appoints all other officers and employees of the municipality, unless the Civil Service
provisions are in effect. The mayor has the dual role of chief executive and presiding officer of the council, and
votes with council but has no veto power. The council is the legislative authority of the municipality. Under this
form, the council passes ordinances and resolutions, passes the budget, consents to the appointments of the
mayor and has investigative powers but it possesses no administrative authority.
An interesting provision of the Small Municipality Form allows the municipality to select and match most other
Faulkner provisions. It is, however, the only Faulkner form that does not require the hiring of an administrator. As
of 2006, 18 municipalities operate under the OMCL Small Municipality form.
Arti
We do know that the mayor and council decide on the final rate pay of employees. Not the manager.
Yes, so!
I have always been tremendously relieved to know that political party affiliation was not related to council elections. It made voting independently much easier.
Yes ,so
? Ok so in the end they have the power.