CLOSTER, N.J.—After serving as interim borough administrator for about four months and “making things happen” in Closter, former Englewood City Manager Ed Hynes was approved as Closter’s new Borough Administrator Oct. 7 by a 4-0 consent resolution vote.
Councilwoman Alissa Latner was absent. Following the consent resolution vote, no council or public comments addressed the new administrative hire.
Hynes’ hiring is effective Oct. 16, 2019, pending completion of a full criminal background check.
Hynes’ salary will be $120,000 yearly, plus benefits and four weeks’ paid vacation, according to the hiring resolution approved Oct. 7.
A public records request for Hynes’ employment contract was not returned by press time.
Hynes has been employed in Closter since June 12, following his termination by Englewood City Council in late May for unspecified reasons.
As Englewood city manager for nearly two years, Hynes was paid $193,000 yearly, with four weeks’ vacation and a $400 monthly car allowance.
Hynes named in lawsuit
According to people familiar with the matter, Hynes’ alleged involvement in hiring and then firing 15 would-be Englewood firefighters—part of an ongoing lawsuit against Englewood—was suspected to be a factor in his release though his tenure in Englewood was marked by council political battles over his hiring and some decisions he made were questioned by members who originally opposed his hiring.
Due to a letter he sent as city manager to 15 firefighters in early April terminating their employment—following a day of orientation, gear fittings and firehouse tours—Hynes’s role in hiring and firing the 15 firefighters plays a major part in a lawsuit filed against Englewood.
On May 21, Englewood’s City Council voted 4-0 to terminate its contract with Hynes, and also replaced Hynes with retired Tenafly Borough Administrator Jewel Thompson-Chin as interim city manager. Chin still serves in that role.
Hynes received a separation payout of $117,024.26 for severance, vacation leave, sick leave and terminal leave from Englewood. Following his mid-April suspension, Hynes was paid full salary, based on City Charter provisions.
‘Making things happen’
“Since he’s been here, he’s been making things happen and moving things right along,” said Councilwoman Victoria Amitai, who noted the borough has gone through a number of administrators.
Most recently, former Borough Administrator Arthur Dolson, also a former councilman, served approximately three years, she said.
Amitai said “we read the articles” about Hynes and the recent Englewood situation and although she initially said she “wasn’t sure” about his hiring, she said Mayor John Glidden vouched for Hynes’ integrity and work ethic.
She said Glidden and Hynes have known each other “for decades and [the mayor] knows Ed to be a good person who can get the job done.”
Dolson, who served as administrator from 2016 to 2019, and council terms in 1991-1993 and 2010-2015, said Hynes brings much public administration experience to Closter.
“Like myself, Ed brings a lot of government experience and has had various jobs and has been doing a good job here. He interacts well with the staff and of course, I wish him well,” said Dolson. “I’m always interested in helping him out if he needs my assistance in any way.”
During his last year as administrator, Dolson’s annual salary was about $87,000.
Dolson said he provided Hynes background information on ongoing projects to enable the new borough administrator to continue progress, such as the lighting at Ruckman Park Walking Park, and ongoing county grants.
Efforts to reach Glidden and Hynes for comment were not returned by press time.
