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The city’s charter study commission — which has the power to place a referendum on the November ballot changing how Asbury Park organizes its government and municipal elections — plans to reopen two issues it had tentatively decided Monday night, according to commission chairperson Pam Lamberton [above].

The commission has until August 5 to issue its final report on what, if any, changes to the city’s form of government it submits to voters in November. If voters approve the changes, the recently-elected council’s four year terms would be cut short next year after new elections are held.

On Monday, the commission tentatively agreed to ask voters to adopt a “strong mayor” form of government, with the mayor directly elected by voters. The mayor also would serve as the chief executive of the city, with the council becoming the legislative branch. In addition, the commission tentatively agreed to stagger the terms of officeholders.

The commission also tentatively agreed to keep the municipal elections non-partisan and in May. It rejected run-off elections. In a typical run-off system, when no candidate receives over 50 percent of a vote in a multi-candidate field, the two top vote getters square off against each other in a run-off election shortly thereafter.

At its next meeting on Monday, the commission will reopen the issues of run-off elections and moving the non-partisan election to November, according to an email from Lamberton sent on Wednesday. Lamberton will move to reopen the issue of the election date and commissioner Michele McGuire will move to reopen the run-off issue.

Lamberton’s email stated:

Let this announcement serve as public notice that two items which were voted upon at the meeting of July 8, 2013 will be moved to rescind at the meeting of July 15, 2013.

Pam Lamberton will move to rescind the motion to hold municipal elections in May rather than November. Michele McGuire will move to rescind the motion not to recommend Run-off elections

If these motions pass it is then possible to open the topics for discussion and reconsideration.

The city currently has a council-manager form of government. The city manager is the chief executive officer of the government and runs day-to-day operations. The council serves a role similar to a board of directors setting policy with the chief executive answering to the governing body.

Currently, the mayor is selected from among the council members, with the main duties of the office to preside at council meetings. The mayor is a member of the council, with no other powers different from the other members. All five council members are elected together to four year terms in a May non-partisan election.

In a non-partisan election, all candidates run in one column without party affiliations. Asbury currently does not have run off elections, so the top five vote getters win.

For the Sun story on the charter study commission’s last meeting where it made tentative recommendations for changing the form of government, click here.

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