WEST WILDWOOD – At their Oct. 1 meeting, West Wildwood Commissioners adopted an ordinance creating the borough administrator position.
The lack of such a position was one of the arguments presented by the borough when it appeared before the state’s Local Finance Board to gain approval of a judgment bond. The bond was intended to free the borough from the annual budget burden created by a $1.7 million judgment in a suit brought by Borough Police Chief Jacquelyn Ferentz.
With approval for the judgment bond in hand, the borough is proceeding with the creation of the administrator position.
Commissioner Joseph Segrest said the position will most likely begin as part-time. The administrator is seen as the person who coordinates the borough’s administrative affairs, which has a general budget of less than $3 million, along with a sewer utility budgeted at $680,000.
The new administrator would also coordinate procurement bidding, contract negotiations, the annual budget process, insurance programs and ordinance development. The position also serves as the liaison between the commissions and borough departments.
The ordinance did not specifythe position’s salary. A potential full-time salary ranges from $28,000 to $85,000 in the borough’s salary ordinance.
