MORRISTOWN -- Town business administrator Eric Maurer would be fired and replaced if either Democrat Donald Cresitello or Republican Tim Schmitt is elected mayor.
At an editorial board meeting hosted by the Daily Record on Monday, Cresitello and Schmitt said that a new administrator was needed to work on the budget. Cresitello said he would seek someone "more in line with my philosophy of fiscal conservatism."
The comments came months after the council wrestled with the 2005 town budget, originally proposed with an 8.9 percent tax increase.
After numerous meetings, the increase was cut to 3.7 percent.
"I simply want a new direction for the budget process," Cresitello said.
Cresitello also made mention of a lawsuit against Maurer and Mayor John "Jay" DeLaney Jr., in which Ann Marie Spagnola, a former administrative assistant for the town, alleged that Maurer exposed her to pornographic materials on his office computer. Spagnola claimed that DeLaney defended Maurer.
In a previous interview, Cresitello voiced his displeasure with the suit as another reason he would choose to replace Maurer.
Independent mayoral candidate Scott Whitenack said he would hold a 90-day review period for town employees.
Cresitello said he had not started the search for a new administrator "because I don't have an ego."
Maurer, in a phone interview after the meeting, said that he would be disappointed if he was replaced, but said the choice would be the prerogative of the new mayor.
"I think Donald has made it clear that it's the mayor's job to pick his management team," Maurer said.
Maurer would not comment on the assertions made by Cresitello regarding the lawsuit or budget.
Maurer, who has held the position for 11 years, was first appointed by former mayor Norman Bloch. He has been re-appointed twice by the current mayor, John "Jay" DeLaney.
Maurer said that he took the position at a time when the town had a flat amount of ratables and the town budget was supported by many one-time revenues.
Since then, he said, he has achieved success in union contract negotiations, with the town seldom going into arbitration, and department heads have held the line on expenses.
"I think I've done some very good things for the town," Maurer said.
The business administrator's position is appointed for the term of the mayor. The business administrator is responsible for all other town departments, as well as making purchases for the town and hiring and firing employees.
Maurer said that he makes about $112,000 in the position. He also earns $3,500 as executive director of the Morristown Redevelopment Agency, a position separate from the town administrator's.
DeLaney said that when he first became mayor, he viewed town employees on merits, including Maurer, who, he said, did not disappoint him.
"He was honest, ethical, hardworking," DeLaney said. "If I told him to do something he would do it. He would work nights and weekends."
DeLaney disagreed with Cresitello's assertion that Maurer was not fiscally conservative enough. The mayor held up Maurer's work to eliminate town positions at the town sewer plant and fire department, bring the town into the Morris County Joint Insurance Fund to save money, his monitoring of insurance costs, and his work to clarify the budget for taxpayers.
But DeLaney acknowledged that the choice would be the next mayor's to make.
"Every mayor has to decide what is best in his view for the town and that includes having a team that that mayor is comfortable with," DeLaney said.
"Many previous mayors, such as Don Cresitello, have said they have disagreed with my discretionary decisions, however they have been respectful of the need for the mayor to be comfortable on certain personnel decisions," DeLaney said.
Cresitello said he would also replace town attorney Peter J. Wolfson. In an earlier interview, Cresitello said he plans to appoint a law firm that has connections to state government.
"You need to have a firm and a mayor who have access to Trenton," Cresitello said.
Cresitello said he has not yet chosen a new law firm, but assured that it would not include any law firm that has made a "substantial contribution to my campaign."
Cresitello also assured that he would not hire the law firm of Weiner and Lesniak. The law firm, led by state Sen. Ray Lesniak, and his partner, Paul Weiner, worked as town attorney under Cresitello when he formerly held mayoral office. Weiner and Lesniak, who have ties to former Gov. James McGreevey, contributed this year to Cresitello's primary campaign.
"I think Peter's a fine attorney, but I think after eight years it's time to find an attorney who will respond in the way this administration wants to move," Cresitello said.
Wolfson could not be reached for comment Monday night. He earns $150 per hour working for the town, Maurer said.
"Pete's a good town attorney," Maurer said. "He's given good legal advice to the town."
Cresitello, at the Daily Record meeting, alleged that Whitenack intends to hire DeLaney, an attorney in Summit, to replace Wolfson, an assertion Whitenack denied.
"I don't know if he would even be interested in the position, and I don't know if I would offer it to him," Whitenack said.
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