John Bennett Takes Oceanport Job
photo credit: Rhoda Chodosh
Monmouth County Republican Chairman was appointed Acting Administrator of the Borough of Oceanport last week, replacing Phil Huhn, a former Neptune Township administrator, who had been holding the post since June when Kimberly Jungfer resigned as Borough Administrator and Clerk to take the same job in neighboring Little Silver.
Mayor Michael J. Mahon confirmed Bennett’s temporary appointment and declined to comment further.
Bennett, who also serves as the borough’s attorney, said he was in conversations with the governing body to become a full time employee as a attorney and administrator in January.
“It would be a win-win for everybody,” Bennett said, noting that the borough would save money in legal fees if he held both posts. He said he is not seeking pension credits or health benefits in the proposed position.
In addition to Oceanport, Bennett is the Borough Attorney in Colts Neck, Farmingdale, Keansburg, and Little Silver. He is the Municipal Prosecutor in Colts Neck and Board of Education Attorney in Keansburg.
Until recently Bennett was the Managing Partner of Dilworth-Paxon’s, Red Bank office. His daughter, Meghan Bennett Clark has taken over management of the office and some of her father’s responsibilities in Little Silver. If the full time job in Oceanport works out for him, Bennett said he would withdraw from his partnership with Dilworth-Paxson, but remain Of Counsel to the firm. Bennett said he anticipates giving up the Colts Neck prosecutor post, as Court is in session during the day. He hopes to retain his part-time evening jobs.
Bennett said he would seek a second term as Monmouth GOP Chairman. “I really think you need to serve two terms (four years) to effect change. I enjoyed this campaign immensely, working with great candidates.”
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, is it a conflict to be the borough atty and prosecutor in the same town?
or board of ed atty and borough atty of same town?
Any town smart enough to hire John Bennett benefits from his experience and connections.
Yet I don’t see the wisdom of being both the administrator and lawyer for the same town.
While I am sure there are routine matters, bids and contracts where an outside attorney is not required resulting in savings. There will also be matters which can be resolved without much red tape and legal wrangling (due to John’s experience).
Yet even John can not be at the water main break on 7 Bridges Road and in a Freehold courtroom at the same time.
There is a remarkable number of events and situations that require an Administrator to be on the scene and in the office, or at special meetings with council people, volunteers and the residents.
I think Administrator to a town is pretty much a full-time-24-hours-a-day-job. For the most part, outside duties and jobs will disrupt the first priority, efficiently serving the residents.
This is least partly due to the part-time elected officials who have their own careers and duties. The Administrator is the center of the wheel.
Maybe the answer is to have a legal eagle on call and require no significant outside jobs.
[…] Monmouth County Republican Chairman John O. Bennett said that a State Supreme Court Opinion written in 2000 by Justice Daniel J. O’Hern that states that the positions of Borough Attorney and Borough Administrator may not be held by the same person does not apply to his job in Oceanport. […]