UPDATED: Council makes mayor’s job full-time

The Township Council approved a resolution appointing Mayor Michele Dale to serve full time, effective July 8, at its meeting Wednesday, June 12.

According to the resolution, she will be paid $130,000 a year, including the $16,000 that she has received as a part-time mayor.

The resolution says the township has been unable to find a suitable candidate for the deputy township administrator post or a chief financial officer. The current CFO has accepted a $25,000 cut in pay in exchange for reduced responsibilities.

In March, the council approved two ordinances to permit council members to determine if the mayor is full- or part-time each year and setting the salary for a full-time mayor. The second ordinance sets the salary range for a full-time mayor at $90,000 to $135,000 plus benefits and pension.

During public comments at the June 12 meeting, several residents urged the council to take action in an ordinance - which must be introduced at one meeting, then voted on at the next one - rather than a resolution.

Councilman Matthew Conlon defended making the mayor’s job full-time, saying Dale is “filling the role of 1 1/2 other high-level executive positions within this township and doing job responsibilities that are very similar to those for positions that we have tried and been unable to fill.”

”That is what the additional compensation is for. ... She’s filling financial leadership roles; she’s filling project management roles; she’s filling administrative functions.”

The salary for a deputy township administrator is capped at $145,000, he noted. “So if she resigned tomorrow and applied for that job, not only would she be the most qualified applicant but she would get paid more.”

Councilman Dave Marsden said Dale has been doing the job full time without extra compensation for about a year.

“I think Mayor Dale has done a great job of leading our community, and she should be thanked instead of vilified as she’s been by some of the people here tonight.”

’Give respect’

At one point, Councilman Michael Chazukow accused a resident of comparing the council to Adolf Hitler.

”Shut your mouth. You’re disrupting this meeting,” he shouted.

“I’m not accepting contempt from anyone in this room. If you want respect, you will give respect. And right now, you’re not giving respect.”

After that, several residents left the meeting, saying Chazukow was out of line.

”I’m through being threatened by the public, all right. We’re here because we’re public servants, not because we’re dictators and autocrats,” Chazukow said.

Later, he apologized for his outburst, saying, “I detest the mischaracterizations and misinformation that come in front of this body. ... I’m just at my capacity for name-calling at this point and disrupting the order of this meeting. ... But I’m not going to tolerate it anymore.”

Before the votes in March, several residents had expressed opposition to the proposed ordinances.

In addition to the sharp increase in the mayor’s salary, which would be far above the average income of township residents, opponents said West Milford does not need a full-time mayor in addition to a full-time township administrator.

Others said allowing the council to decide each year if the mayor’s position is full- or part-time would hurt the mayor’s independence.

Melissa Brown Blaeuer, who ran for mayor as a Democrat last year, presented a petition signed by nearly 950 residents opposing the two ordinances.

Dale was elected to a second term in November. The term is for four years.