Township, Borough Recreation Departments Search for New Director in Anticipation of Merger

The township and borough recreation departments have formally agreed to combine their two recreation departments and will soon hire people to run the newly formed municipal organization.

The two departments will reorganize under the auspices of one department. Its director will report to both Township Administrator Thomas Ciccarone and Borough Administrator Robert Falzarano. The department will have offices in both Township and Borough Hall.

Borough Mayor Nelson Vaughan and Township Mayor Nicole Hagner both signed an interlocal agreement at the township's committee meeting Thursday that officially merged the two entities.

The municipalities are now seeking applicants for the recreation director position. Township Recreation Director Tom Denning, who had been in that position for 30 years, retired last year, and the move helped prompt the cojoining of the two departments.

A study completed in 2006 had recommended that the two deparments be reorganized.

"It just makes more sense to have one recreation director," Vaughan said.

Borough officials said the borough's current recreation director, Carol Nauta, will be welcome to apply for the job. No matter what happens during the selection process, she will remain on the recreation department staff. But the process will be an open one, Vaughan said, and no candidate will be favored over another.

Nauta could not be reached for comment.

Vaughan also said Long Hill Township Recreation Director Brian McNany, who has been acting as the township's recreation director, could also apply for the position.

The municipalities will, additionally, look to hire an assistant director, and may also look to hire a third person to do administrative work for the department, though the municipalities are unsure whether they will definitely hire such an administrative assistant.

Officials hope to hire a director by April.

The job openings will be posted by next week. Vaughan said a successful job applicant would be able to demonstrate that they can conduct the department's business in a professional manner, but would also need to be able to work well with parents whose children participate in the department's programs.

"You need somebody who can really run it with a firm hand," Vaughan said.

He also said the joint department would be a shining example of the two governments working together. But at Thursday's township committee meeting, committee members wondered aloud whether there were provisions in place for conflicts to be resolved should the borough and township not agree on a matter.

Township officials said there is language in the agreement that would allow an arbitrator to resolve such issues. But Ciccarone said he hoped things would never come to that.

"If we can't resolve issues between the two municipalities, that effectively kills the relationship anyway," he said.