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It didn’t take long for former Asbury Park City Manager John “Jack” Kelly to find a new job. On Tuesday, he started work as acting administrator of the City of Newark.

The appointment by Mayor Ras Baraka is subject to the approval of the city council. Until then, Kelly will serve in an acting capacity.

If approved, Kelly [above] would become the top-ranking employee in the government of the state’s most populous city. Kelly said the Newark city budget last year was approximately $800 million and there are about 3,200 employees on the payroll. That compares to Asbury Park’s budget of about $30 million and approximately 250 employees, he said.

“The city is poised for explosive growth,” said Kelly of Newark. “The mayor and city council are bright, energetic individuals who will keep Newark as the largest and greatest city of the state.”

Kelly’s salary will be set by ordinance of the city council. The last administrator earned $173,000, Kelly said.

Kelly was appointed city manager in Asbury Park in January of 2014. The new city council declined to reappoint him earlier this month on January 1. Anthony Nuccio currently serves as the interim city manager as the  council conducts a search for a permanent replacement.

In Asbury Park, the city manager is the chief executive officer of the government, answering to the city council, which serves a role similar to a board of directors of a corporation. The city manager is responsible for day-to-day operations.

Newark, however, has a strong mayor form of government. There the full-time mayor  is the chief executive officer of the government and ultimately responsible for day-to-day operations. He has the power to appoint an administrator with the advice and consent of the council to help him run operations. The council in Newark serves as the legislative body.

Kelly was formerly the administrator in Jersey City before he took the Asbury Park post. He has also served as chief financial officer in the City of Orange.

 

 

 

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