Tempesta: Administrator's Departure Was Expected

West Caldwell Mayor Joseph Tempesta said Sunday the town's governing body had known for several months Administrator Andy Katz was looking for employment elsewhere.

As first reported by The Caldwells Patch on Saturday, Katz resigned last week to become Vernon's town manager.

According to Tempesta, a member of West Caldwell's governing body learned "two or three months ago" that Katz had been interviewing with other municipalities. When confronted, Katz "didn't deny it," the mayor said.

Katz, who has also been serving as West Caldwell's acting chief financial officer for nearly a year, has been the town's administrator since February of 2008. Katz, whose last day will be June 8, was hired at an annual salary of $135,000 and hasn't received a raise since, Tempesta said.

According to the New Jersey Herald, Katz will also earn a salary of $135,000 in his first year as Vernon's town manager with a 3 percent raise each of the next two years.

However, the manager's position will provide Katz more control and a role he's better accustomed to, Tempesta said.

"He had a different style and a different personality than his predecessor," the mayor said. "It's not surprising that he went back to that form of government. It's what he's most comfortable with."

Unlike in his position as West Caldwell's administrator where decisions are made through resolution by the governing body, Katz will have the autonomy to make more decisions on his own—including the hiring and terminating of personnel—under Vernon's council-manager form of government.

Katz will become the Sussex County town's fourth manager this year. 

After Melinda Carlton was fired in January, Robin Kline, Vernon's town clerk, became the interim manager for three months before Catherine Steinel was hired as the permanent manager, but quit less than two weeks after starting, according to the Herald.

Vernon's last longtime manager was Don Teolis, who held the position from 2001 to 2007 but was sentenced to five years in prison and released after nine months on a probationary program after pleading guilty to second-degree misconduct for stealing $14,000 from the municipality, according to nj.com

Tempesta said the governing body will discuss Katz's resignation at Tuesday night's council meeting and will begin a search for his replacement immediately.

"We're sad to see him leave and we didn't want him to go, but everyone is replaceable," Tempesta said. "We're going to find somebody who's a good fit. It may take a month. It may take longer. But we're going to embark on a search immediately."