Holmdel Charter Study Commission Questioned By Resident

HOLMDEL, NJ — At the Holmdel Township Committee meeting on Tuesday night, Mayor Buontempo answered questions about the newly formed Holmdel Charter Study Commission.

The commission, which was approved by voters last year, was tasked with studying the current form of government and deciding whether to propose changes, recommendations, or possibly a new form of government in the township.

The group now has only a few more months to finish its work and make a recommendation.

Read more: Holmdel's Government Will Be Examined Starting This Week

A resident spoke out at the March 22 meeting, expressing their dissatisfaction with the commission's performance thus far. “There is an incredible amount of political baggage tied to this Charter Study and clearly they are putting all of their agendas first,” he said.

The resident went on to ask why residents of Holmdel had not been kept in the loop as something as significant as changing the local government structure was taking place.“We have received no correspondence from you Mayor,” he said.

“I did not create the process, I'm following it,” Buontempo said in response.

Holmdel Township's form of government currently consists of five committee members who serve three-year terms on a staggered basis. Every year in January, the committee elects the mayor for the following year.

Residents raised a major concern to the committee about voters' inability to directly elect the mayor.

Buontempo explained that the Legislature's process for changing that structure is the formation of a Charter Study Commission.

“I don't know what their recommendation is going to be when they're finished sometime later this year but if it is for a directly elected mayor, I'm going to support it, if it is not for a directly elected mayor I'm not going to support it,” Buontempo said.

Watch the full committee meeting here: