Mayor: New Hopatcong Administrator 'A Good Fit'

Hopatcong has a new administrator.

Bob Elia replaced former borough administrator Catherine Steinel on May 5, four days after Steinel's retirement.

Elia's contract, at two years and $120,000 per year with 2 percent annual raises based on performance reviews, is a bit smaller than Steinel's deal, which was at five years and the same base dollar amount, but with 3 percent annual raises.

Mayor Syliva Petillo said Elia was picked over a field of 15 candidates, of which less than half were interviews, because of his municipal government experience.

"There's no learning curve," she said. "He can come right in and pick up. He understands everything, he understands municipal law. He knows all the people in Trenton to contact."

Elia said he's spent 20 years in muncipal government, splitting his time between Paterson, Saddle Brook and Hawthorne. Elia is familiar with Highlands Council and the Council on Affordable Housing, "issues that we deal with every day," Petillo said.

"He was a good fit for our town," she said. "He just made a very easy transition for us."

Elia said he has a master's degree in business from Pace University and a bachelor's in management from Seton Hall University. He said he also is a

Elia said he's looking forward to working in Hopatcong.

"I think it's a very diverse community, very attractive, and it has very dedicated employees," said Elia, a Wayne resident.