ASBURY PARK – This is a city in flux, and it isn’t just the demographics and economy that are changing – it’s the government.
A commission charged with examining Asbury Park's charter told the City Council they are going propose changes to the municipal government on Monday night.
“We are going to recommend a new form of government,” Pamela Lamberton, chair of the Charter Study Commission, said.
The Asbury Park Charter Study Commission began meeting December 2012 to review the city’s charter.
“We haven’t decided on a form yet,” Lamberton said. “We hope to accomplish that this Monday night.”
A commission charged with examining Asbury Park's charter told the City Council they are going propose changes to the municipal government on Monday night.
“We are going to recommend a new form of government,” Pamela Lamberton, chair of the Charter Study Commission, said.
The Asbury Park Charter Study Commission began meeting December 2012 to review the city’s charter.
“We haven’t decided on a form yet,” Lamberton said. “We hope to accomplish that this Monday night.”
Currently, the city is governed under the Municipal Mayor form of government – a five-member City Council is elected concurrently every four years and Council Members select a mayor among themselves.
The Council then hires a City Manager to manage the day-to-day operations of Asbury Park – this is also known as a council/manager form of government because it separates those holding political office from administering city departments.
Potentially, the city could change to a mayor/council form of government, where a mayor acts as the chief executive and administrator of a municipality. Asbury Park could also decide to stagger its City Council elections and allow them to be partisan, or divide the city into wards – currently all Council Members serve at-large.
The commission may also decide to move municipal elections to November – currently, Asbury Park elects its Council in May, which means the City has to deal with expensive municipal elections, a June primary and November general election in the same year.
The commission’s next meeting is 7 p.m. Monday, June 10, at the West Side Community Center, 115 Dewitt Avenue.
The Council then hires a City Manager to manage the day-to-day operations of Asbury Park – this is also known as a council/manager form of government because it separates those holding political office from administering city departments.
Potentially, the city could change to a mayor/council form of government, where a mayor acts as the chief executive and administrator of a municipality. Asbury Park could also decide to stagger its City Council elections and allow them to be partisan, or divide the city into wards – currently all Council Members serve at-large.
The commission may also decide to move municipal elections to November – currently, Asbury Park elects its Council in May, which means the City has to deal with expensive municipal elections, a June primary and November general election in the same year.
The commission’s next meeting is 7 p.m. Monday, June 10, at the West Side Community Center, 115 Dewitt Avenue.
RSS Feed