JACKSON, NJ – Last month, the Jackson Township Council was hit hard by the loss of one of their own, Councilman Scott Sargent, who passed away on May 23rd.
State law does not allow the township council much time to mourn. Under state law, the council has only 30 days to replace the former councilmember.
“If the incumbent whose office has become vacant was not elected to office as the nominee of a political party, the governing body may, within 30 days of the occurrence of the vacancy, appoint a successor to fill the vacancy without regard to party,” according to the law.
“This is not ideal,” said Council President Jennifer Kuhn. “We are given such a small window and have to make this appointment before the final meeting in June, so our only legal option, without having to schedule a special meeting or moving meeting dates is to make the appointment on Thursday.”
Kuhn said she and other council members have been working hard, interviewing 25 candidates who applied for the position. She said the council is doing their due dillegence and want to meet one-on-one with each candidate through a series of phone call and in-person interviews.
“We’re seeing a lot of passion out there,” Kuhn said. “So many residents want to serve our community, but one thing we’re finding out in this process is that many of the candidates do not fully understand the limits and responsibilities of the council, so it’s also an educational process for applicants.”
Councilman Giuseppe Palmeri said during his interviews, he’s also finding out that many residents believe the township council wields authority and power within the township government.
“It doesn’t. We are a legislative body, not an executive branch of government,” Councilman Palmeri said. “The council’s role is legislative. We pass ordinances, approve bills, and set zoning laws. Enforcement is strictly the responsibility of the mayor’s office and executive branch.”
Guiseppe provided prosepective candidates and residents with a township organizational chart that outlines the responsibilities of each branch of local government.
“A lot of people believe they join the township council and wield power to enforce the laws, that’s not our role under this form of government, and we have no authority,” said Council Vice President Mordechai Burnstein. “Code enforcement, public works, building department, recreation, they all report and answer to the business administrator, and they report to the mayor, not us. A lot of the complaints we’re seeing being directed at the council are issues beyond our control. We can only enact ordinances, but if the administration is not enforcing those ordinances, we’re handcuffed.”
“With that said, we are learning that Jackson residents are passionate about the issues that affect our entire town and we welcome them to get more familiar with how our local government works,” Burnstein said. “Passion is a great start, but it’s just as important if you want to serve on council to understand the law and the limitations placed upon us. Together we can all achieve the end result we’re all looking for. A good quality of life, public safety, safe roads, and common sense ordinances, but we can’t get there when our laws aren’t being enforced.”
Palmeri invited residents to attend township council meetings to get the truth about what’s going on in town and to ask questions.
“You might not always like the answers you get at township meetings, because our role is clearly defined. If you’re upset about nuisance property or lack of enforcement in our town, come out and let us know, we can follow up and bring the matter to the mayor’s attention and try to put pressure on the administration to resolve these issues, but at the end of the day, that’s all we can do,” he added. “To truly fix some of these problems, we need to get residents also to help us put pressure on the administration to fix these problems too. We will always tell you the truth at the meetings. Sometimes people don’t like or don’t understand the truth, but we’re not going to give anyone lip service.”
Burnstein said he has met with several good candidates and will be scheduling second interviews with multiple people, saying at least four candidates stood out to him.
The township council will vote on the appointment to replace Councilman Sargent on Thursday at Town Hall. The meeting starts at 6:30 pm.
“People are concerned that we’re acting too fast. We agree, 30 days is not really enough time, but state law dictates the process, not the municipality,” Council President Kuhn said. “It’s hard for us to move so quickly. Scott was more than a councilman to us, he was also a close friend and trusted advisor to all of us. We would want nothing more than to have some additional time, but we just don’t have that choice.”
