Township May Hire Search Firm to Replace Administrator

By Patch Editor Jessica Mazzola

Township officials say they will take a coordinated approach to replacing Mahwah’s Business Administrator, who announced this month he will be leaving his job after 12 years in the position.

Township Council President Harry Williams and Mayor Bill Laforet announced at a council meeting last week that the township’s administration and council will work together to find a replacement. And, at Williams’ suggestion, Laforet said the township may hire a consulting firm to conduct a search to find a replacement.

“We have posted the [job] on the League of Municipalities [website], and we are already getting a lot of resumes in,” Laforet said. “Let’s see what this first wave of resumes brings before we determine our next step.”

If the next step is hiring a search firm, Laforet said the cost will be around $11,500.

Many members of the township’s municipal government expressed their feelings that Campion will not be easy to replace.

Councilman Roy Larson called Campion a, “hard act to follow,” and called the business administrator the, “key employee in the town.”

Campion’s last day will be September 30. A permanent or interim replacement needs to be appointed by the mayor and approved by the council before then.

“The spirit of this is not for the mayor to [make a decision alone],” Laforet told the council Thursday. “The process is best served if we do this together.”

Despite probing by several council members, Campion declined to elaborate more on why he is leaving his job.

“It’s time to move on,” he reiterated Thursday night. “That is my statement.”

The following job listing is posted on the League of Municipalities website:

TOWNSHIP ADMINISTRATOR - MAHWAH TOWNSHIP, Bergen County (Faulkner) Qualification: Applicants must possess strong interpersonal, organizational and supervisory skills along with excellent oral and written communication skills.  Applicants must have knowledge and experience with grants management, labor relations, contract negotiations, risk management, financial management, capital planning, collective bargaining, purchasing and human resources.  Knowledge and experience with Edmunds Financial system and have a BA. Administrator must have experience/knowledge in all financial operations of municipal government including, but not limited to, budgeting, payroll, and pension. Computer proficiency required, QPA preferred.  Salary commensurate with experience.  Send resume, cover letter, salary history and salary requirement no later than July 30th, 2013 to Marianne Poland via email at mpoland@mahwahtwp.org. Ad Posted July 8, 2013, Ad Removed August 8, 2013.