Council to Vote Tonight on Posing Election Date Change to Public

Manchester's will vote this evening on whether the public will decide when municipal elections will take place. 

After months of discussion, the council held a workshop and introduced an ordinance outlining the referendum question at its June 13 meeting.

Though some council members expressed concern with the idea of moving municipal elections from May to November, it appeared as though they would .

"We'll put it out to the people, and I think that's where it should be," said council president Craig Wallis during the June 13 meeting. "It should be up to the public to be able to say, 'this is what we want out of our government.'"

The change, which has been supported by a local Republican club, could save the township about $50,000 and increase participation in municipal votes, some argue. 

But others are concerned that holding a nonpartisan local election in November could nonetheless bring the reemergence of party politics, something Manchester residents voted to excise 20 years ago following the theft of millions of township dollars by Joe Portash and other administrators.

According to the meeting agenda, the question states:

This proposed ordinance would change the municipal elections, currently held the second Tuesday in May, to the General Election date, held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November; while retaining a nonpartisan form of government, meaning the candidates will not be an affiliate of any political party.

If passed, the question will be posed to voters during the next general election, to be held on Nov. 8, 2011.

Also on today's council agenda:

• The council will vote on a change to the salary range for sergeant's in the Manchester Police Department, lowering the base pay by nearly $22,000.
• by the council will be voted on.
• A change to the Maintenance of Undedicated Streets ordinance will be introduced. The update will include more recently constructed neighborhoods.
• The council will vote on whether to authorize the applications of two Ocean County Office of Senior Services grants which would bring in $135,000 to Manchester for senior programs.

The full agenda is available online. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the municipal complex on Colonial Drive.