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The city’s Charter Study Commission has tentatively approved change-of-government recommendations to submit to Asbury voters on the November ballot.

The commission voted last night on the tentative recommendations which will be made into a formal report, according to commissioners Michelle Maguire, Rita Marano and Duanne Small. A final report must be approved by the commission, and changes can still be made in the document, the three said.

If voters approve the change of government recommendations favored by the commission last night, the changes will go into effect on July 1 of next year — cutting short the four year term of the new City Council sworn in last week. An election would be held in May to select representatives for the new government.

Asbury Park currently has a Council-Manager form of government. All five members of council are elected at once in a non-partisan May election. The mayor is a member of the council, appointed by a council majority. The mayor’s responsibility is to preside at meetings. The city manager is the chief executive officer running the day-to-day operations of the city government.

The Charter Study Commission tentatively recommended that voters directly elect the mayor, who will have the executive powers, according to Maguire, Marano. and Small. The council would be the legislative body. Terms of the elected officials will be staggered, they said.

All five members of the commission voted for the “strong mayor” provision, the three commissioners said.

The commission also voted to keep the muncipal elections non-partisan and in May. In a non-partisan election, all candidates on the ballot are in one column, without a political party affiliation.

The commission rejected splitting the city into wards each represented by a council member. Commissioner Duanne Small was the only vote for the ward system, with commission member Randy Thompson abstaining.

[Charter Study Commissioners pictured above, from left: Randy Thompson, Michelle Maguire, Duanne Small, Rita Marano and Pam Lamberton.]

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