Township Administrator Issue Still Unresolved

Acting Township Administrator Lilly Chin's contract is set to expire at the end of the month and Mayor Janet Sobkowicz is waiting until Feb. 28 to outline a plan for the council's approval.

During Monday night's council meeting, Sobkowicz said she is still interviewing candidates and is looking for a solution to the situation. Chin's contract has been extended several times over the past months, but council members have told the mayor they want someone with more professional experience in the position.

"I do have a proposal. I'm finishing it up next Saturday," Sobkowicz said. "I hope the council will accept." She did not elaborate on any details.

The mayor said she believes members of the council will not hire Chin permanently because they don't want her to get her way. She said in her view, the decision "doesn't have anything to do with her [Chin] per se. But I think has a lot to do with the mayor. That's how I feel about it," Sobkowicz said. "There's nothing wrong with the job Mrs. Chin is doing."

Members of the council have expressed concern over Chin's lack of professional experience and have said it's not a personal decision but is what they believe is best for the township.

Some residents spoke out in favor of hiring Chin permanently. Peter Mayer said, "It's time for you to approve this woman full time. She's doing a wonderful job."

Mayer has repeatedly supported Chin and Sobkowicz and spoken against members of the council. At Monday's meeting, he said the council isn't acting in the best interest of the people.

"If you do not appoint this woman [Chin] I believe you have a vendetta against the taxpayers," Mayer said. "And we've had enough."

Council members disagreed with that statement, saying they are trying to do what's best for the township and its people.

Dina Burke said she couldn't see "a logical reason" why the council wouldn't hire Chin permanently. She said the move would save money since Chin is paid less than what those seeking the position want.

Councilman Joseph D'Urso said he ran for council on a campaign of change with Sobkowicz and Council President Fred Goetz. "Now we're trying to do a little change and it seems like we're upsetting people," D'Urso said.

Council Vice President Steven Cascio asked Sobkowciz why she hadn't given all the resumes over to the council. Sobkowicz said she kept the resumes that were addressed solely to her and distributed the ones addressed to herself and the council. She said her reason was that D'Urso, who was council president at the time, told her to conduct this round of interviews on her own. She said she would distribute all resumes to the council Saturday.

The next scheduled council meeting is Feb. 28, the day Chin's contract expires. At that meeting, the council is expected to vote on what the mayor puts forth.

"We're anxiously awaiting the mayor's proposal," D'Urso said.