BY MICHAEL OLOHAN
OF NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
ENGLEWOOD, N.J. —— An amended resolution that approved appointing Ed Hynes as Englewood City Manager at an annual salary of $193,000 was again approved 3-2 at the Dec. 19 City Council meeting, with an opposing councilman questioning the resolution’s language.
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Under questioning from a citizen, Council President Wayne Hamer said the amended resolution was necessary to make Hynes’ Nov. 27 hiring “consistent with the City Charter” that states a city manager must be hired for “an indefinite period” and not a defined period of time as stated in the first resolution.
The original resolution, passed Nov. 27 and approved 3-2, appointed Hynes “for a period not to exceed two years.”
The amended resolution’s language provided no information as to why it was necessary, said two citizens who questioned the resolution’s purpose.
At-Large Councilman Charles Cobb said he “questioned” the use of the words “superbly” and “novel financial strategies” in the resolution used to describe Hynes’ abilities.
“I have questions about how this resolution was written,” said Cobb. “It speaks to the integrity of the folks who play a role in this,” he said.
Voting against the amended resolution were Cobb and Hamer. Voting in favor were councilmen Michael Cohen, Eugene Skurnick and Marc Forman. Both councilmen Forman and Skurnick leave the council on Jan. 2.
The vote mirrored the Nov. 27 vote to hire Hynes at a special meeting held at Liberty School before a vocal crowd of residents who appeared to oppose the hiring.
Earlier, Hamer acknowledged that should the two new council members who begin terms Jan. 2 want to revisit the hiring, the decision could be reviewed.
Democrats Cheryl Rosenberg (Ward 1) and Katharine H. Glynn (Ward 3) were elected Nov. 7.
Resident Curtis Caviness suggested that in 2018 resolutions be accompanied by supporting documentation. He questioned the lack of information on the amended resolution hiring a city manager.
“What was wrong with the original resolution that it needed to be amended?” he asked.
“We’re paying people to put these resolutions together. We need to have the correct language so that people understand what is being done,” he said.
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