HOLMDEL – During the seventh public meeting of the Holmdel Charter Commission, Mayor Gregory Buontempo painted the township’s current form of government in two conflicting color palettes.
While participating in a question-and-answer session moderated by charter commissioner Jerry Buffalino, Buontempo cited the transgressions of past governing bodies as the cause of “chaos and confusion” in the community, while praising the township committee’s present membership for its progress, efficiency and retention of a flat tax rate.
The juxtaposition of ideas prompted public comments questioning the timing of this examination of governance, including the introduction and hearing of an ordinance in the summer of 2021 regarding the development of a charter commission, and the placement of a public question on the November general election ballot, in which a simple majority vote approved the formation of the commission.
“The mayor said a lot of positive things about Holmdel, so I don’t see why, at this point, in a pandemic, why we are suggesting such drastic changes,” township resident Theano Kolivos said. “Some of us haven’t even gotten our heads around sending our kids to school without a mask on yet. I’m just concerned about the timing.”
Resident Eugenis Samardin seconded that thought. “The timing of all of this is just off,” he said, questioning the formation of the five-member commission, which is composed of Holmdel residents Janet Berk, Buffalino, commission chair Kin Gee, Zach Gillstein and William Kastning. The group ran unopposed for their seats after each collected the required 100 signatures to appear as candidates on an election ballot.
“This ordinance came about (during the height of the pandemic) when people were worried about staying alive, and keeping their family and relatives alive, not collecting signatures for a petition,” Samardin said. “I think more people would have stepped up for consideration if the timing was different.”
Buontempo, who has served on the Township Committee since 2011, and is serving his second mayoral term, was the seventh elected official with experience in the committee form of government to be publicly interviewed by the commission, and the sixth Republican.
The mayor said that over the course of the pandemic, Holmdel Township’s community messaging system, CodeRED, has nearly doubled from approximately 12,000 points of resident contact to nearly 23,000, indicating a level of engagement in government affairs that warrants increased public input.
“It’s 2022, and to me, it doesn’t make sense that residents can’t directly elect their mayor,” said Buontempo, referencing the mayoral selection process that is decided by the five sitting committee members instead of a public vote. “This is a closed process, often picked in a political caucus where a political party makes the decision. The people don’t see how it occurs, and they have no input to who is running their town.”
Buontempo added that the committee form, which was established when Holmdel was incorporated as a township in 1857, also yields a perpetual election cycle, with annual primary elections in June, in addition to the November general election.
“This creates delays in the committee taking actions when it’s right before the next election cycle comes up. Which means you only get things done during the periods when you’re actually not running, because you’re avoiding some issues that may be controversial. And that may not be the right thing for the township,” Buontempo said.
Following Buontempo’s interview, the commission introduced Edward Sasdelli of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, who discussed three possible alternatives to the committee-style of government, should the commission recommend a change by the end of its study.
Based on the township’s population of 16,662 residents, the Faulkner Act of 1950 limits the transition to a new form of government to one of three options. Since its adoption, 141 New Jersey municipalities have changed their form of government to one of the following:
• Mayor/Council (71 municipalities) – Features a mayor with “strong powers” and city council composed of five, seven or nine members. All members may be elected at large in a partisan or nonpartisan election. Some member may be elected by wards.
• Council/Manager (49 municipalities) – A council of five, seven or nine members elected to four-year terms in an at-large election or by wards has complete responsibility for municipal affairs. The council is chaired by a “weak mayor” with no appointment or veto powers. The council hires a manager who prepares the budget, appoints department heads and attends council meetings without a vote.
• Mayor/Council/Administrator (three municipalities) – Voters elect a mayor and six council members at large to staggered terms with partisan elections. A mayor with “strong powers” serves a four-year term. Council members serve three-year terms.
Holmdel resident John Giampolo urged the commission to consider any cost increases that would be associated with a change.
“I moved here from Hoboken to get away from expansive and costly forms of government. Have you estimated the tax increases?” Giampolo asked. “These appear to be more costly forms, used in communities like Vineland, Atlantic City, Ocean Township, that are much larger than Holmdel. Do we know what the costs and benefits of dividing the town into wards would be? Would that cause lower voter turnout and open us up to gerrymandering? What does a nonpartisan election look like?”
In regards to nonpartisan elections, in which candidates would be listed on the ballot with no indication of their political affiliation, Buontempo said, “Whatever this committee decides is the right way to go. I’m not changing my affiliation regardless.”
Both Gee and Berk reiterated to those in attendance that the commission only serves to study the effectiveness of the township’s current form of government and evaluate any potential alternatives. The commission is now transitioning to phase two of three in its process and, at the end of this initiative, may – or may not – recommend a new form of government to the township committee. If it does, a question will be placed on the ballot and Holmdel residents will have their say at the polls.
“I think we’re due for a change,” Buontempo said. “It makes me unhappy to see our community in the papers for all the wrong reasons; tax dollars being spent without approval. This is not working. We need to be better. Our town is engaged. Right now is the time. It’s never a bad thing to give more power to the people.”
The article originally appeared in the February 24 – March 2, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.
