STONE HARBOR — Robert J. Smith, of Turnersville, has been appointed as the administrator for the Borough of Stone Harbor.
According to a release, Smith replaces, retiring Administrator Jill Gougher, who held the position since 2011.
Smith, a licensed attorney, and a former New Jersey State Assemblyman, joins Stone Harbor with eight years of executive-level experience in municipal government. He most recently held the position of chief administrative officer for Kearney, in Hudson County.
In this position he was responsible for managing a municipal service program for a town of 42,000 residents. Prior to that, he was the business administrator for the Township of Washington in Gloucester County, a municipality of 50,000.
His experience and success dealing with the intricate workings of municipal governments will be an asset to the borough.
Appointed by the mayor and borough council, the borough administrator serves as the principal administrative officer and implements council policies, provides organizational leadership for department heads and employees, while overseeing the day-to-day operations of borough services. The administrator also ensures the borough’s personnel policies are properly applied and executed, plans, organizes and manages the preparation and administration of the annual operating and capital improvement program and recommends operational and policy improvements.
