CLARIFICATION: This story should’ve noted that Jessica Bishop serves as chief financial officer (CFO), administrator and purchasing agent for Dennis Township. Her total salary was $99,116.92 for 2021. The breakdown of her salary in 2021, as provided by Mayor Zeth Matalucci, was as follows: CFO – $80,582.92; administrator – $15,606; purchasing agent – $2,928.
Additionally, George Savastano is compensated $194,641 by Ocean City and Sea Isle City. While he serves as administrator in both municipalities, he also works as the municipal engineer in both. He is compensated for both roles.
COURT HOUSE – The job of administrator varies across the county’s 16 municipalities. Two county towns, West Cape May and Woodbine, get along without the position. For many of the other municipalities, the position is essential both in terms of its scope of responsibilities and as a liaison among the governing body members who must observe rules on how and where they can meet to discuss municipal business.
The different forms of government across county towns influence how the administrator’s job is defined. The term administrator will be used throughout this story, but the title varies in several locations.
In Cape May, for example, the position of city manager is spelled out in the Faulkner Act’s Council-Manager form of government. The city manager exercises all executive power in the municipality. Department heads report to the city manager and not to the elected governing body.
In other towns, the administrator is more circumscribed with a limited number of direct reports, making the administrator the chief coordinator of municipal actions rather than the individual with executive authority over all departments.
The task of the administrator is especially important the smaller the number of elected officials on the governing body. The Open Public Meetings Act and other state statutes prohibit a majority of the governing body members to meet and discuss business outside of a public meeting that has had proper public notice.
In Middle Township, with a three-person governing body, that means no two members can engage in conversation on municipal business outside of public meetings. The administrator, in addition to any executive functions the individual must perform, becomes the go-between, the message carrier, or perhaps best described as the liaison among the three-member body, facilitating communications.
In many county towns, the job of administrator comes with add-on functions, creating hybrid positions. In Middle Township and West Wildwood, the administrator also serves as municipal clerk. In Avalon, the administrator carries the added function of public information officer.
The position can be and is shared among municipalities. Ocean City and Sea Isle City share the same administrator, a challenging task given the size and complexity of the two municipalities.
In some cases, the administrator is not even an employee of the town, but rather an individual on contract for the position. That is the case in Wildwood and Cape May Point. In both cases, individuals with significant experience fill the role for the municipality while maintaining independent consulting opportunities.
The appointment of an administrator can be cause for controversy, as was the case in Upper Township when a former Wildwood mayor was appointed, generating some public opposition.
In response to public interest, the Herald compiled the 2022 salaries for administrators in the 14 municipalities that have the position. The salaries vary in the same way that the scope of responsibilities vary for these almost two unique positions. The size of the towns, both in terms of population and budget, also influence the compensation of the position.
Multiple sources were necessary for a compilation of the salaries. Several came from the state pension system showing the base salary of the individual, as of March 2022. Others came from public minutes or resolutions at the time of appointment. Still others relied on the use of Open Public Records Act requests for contract salaries for non-employees.
The salaries range from $194,641 for George Savastano, who fills the role of administrator in both Ocean City and Sea Isle, to a not-to-exceed contract ceiling of $45,000 for Edmund Grant, who fills the role in Cape May Point. The average salary across the 14 administrators is $105,000. The median salary is $117,000.
Salary is a frequent indicator of a position’s importance. That would not be the case here.
In many cases, a great deal of experience is brought to a position in terms of expertise and local knowledge that may not be reflected in the salary level.
Have any thoughts and/or information on this topic? Email vconti@cmcherald.com.
