January 22, 2026 Millburn Township Charter Study Commission Meeting Minutes 1 Minutes of the meeting of the Charter Study Commission of the Township of Millburn, in the County of Essex, New Jersey, held in the Bauer Center starting at 8:00 PM on the above date. Mr. Drucker welcomed those present and read the following notice: In accordance with Section 5 of the Open Public Meetings Act, Chapter 231, Public Laws, 1975, be advised that notice of this meeting was made by posting on the Bulletin Board in Town Hall, and forwarding to the officially designated newspapers, that this meeting would take place at the Bauer Center at 8:00 PM on Thursday, January 22, 2026. All those in attendance joined in the Pledge of Allegiance. Upon call of the roll, the following Charter Study Commission members were recorded present: Corey Biller, Jerry Kung, Joanna Parker-Lentz, Shaunak Tanna, Christopher Drucker. Also present: Suzanne Cevasco, Esq. from King, Moench & Collins LLP. Mr. Biller made a motion to approve the agenda, seconded by Mr. Tanna. All voted in favor. Ms. Parker-Lentz made a motion to approve the January 15, 2026 meeting minutes, seconded by Dr. Kung. All voted in favor. Reports Dr. Kung reported that he attended a Township Committee (TC) meeting and used the public comment period to inform the TC about the Charter Study Commission's upcoming meeting. Mr. Drucker reported that interviews are still being conducted with municipal employees and former TC members. Public Comment Mr. Drucker opened the first public comment period. No members of the public spoke during the first public comment period. Mr. Drucker closed the first public comment period. Old Business Preliminary Interview Findings Presentation: Dr. Kung, Mr. Drucker, and Ms. Parker-Lentz presented preliminary findings from interviews with municipal employees. The presentation was organized into three parts: Part 1 - Historical Context (Dr. Kung): Dr. Kung provided an overview of Millburn's current form of government and its evolution. Millburn has operated under the Township Committee form of government since its incorporation in 1857. The current structure with a strong Business Administrator dates to the early 1980s. Prior to that, Millburn operated under the traditional Township Committee model where each Committee member was assigned to oversee specific departments. Dr. Kung noted that this structural weakness was identified by Millburn's 1972 Charter Study Commission, which found a "major deficiency" in the lack of a professional administrator with full authority over all departments. In the early 1980s, Millburn addressed this by centralizing administrative authority under a professional Business Administrator with full supervisory powers over all departments. Since that transition, Millburn has had remarkable stability with only two Business Administrators in approximately 40 years.� January 22, 2026 Millburn Township Charter Study Commission Meeting Minutes 2 Dr. Kung described the current structure: five members elected at-large in partisan elections serving staggered three-year terms, with elections occurring every year. The mayor is selected annually by Committee members themselves and serves as "first among equals" rather than as a separate executive. The Business Administrator is appointed by the Committee to handle day-to-day operations and now has full authority over all departments. Part 2 - Preamble (Mr. Drucker): Mr. Drucker emphasized that Millburn Township benefits from an exceptionally dedicated and professional municipal workforce. Throughout the interviews, employees across all departments demonstrated deep commitment to public service, take genuine pride in their work, and routinely exceed expectations in serving residents. Multiple interviewees spoke of the township's strong reputation statewide for operational excellence. Department heads described a collaborative environment where interdepartmental coordination functions smoothly. The Business Administrator's leadership was repeatedly praised for providing clear direction while empowering departments to operate with appropriate autonomy. Mr. Drucker stated that the structural questions examined by the Commission focus on whether the governmental framework maximally supports these talented professionals, and any observations are offered not as criticism of current performance, but as considerations for how the township's form of government can best position dedicated employees to continue their exemplary service to residents. Part 3 - Preliminary Findings (Dr. Kung and Ms. Parker-Lentz): Dr. Kung explained that commissioners conducted structured interviews in pairs with municipal employees across multiple departments, including the Business Administrator, Municipal Clerk, Assistant Business Administrator, Police Chief and staff, Fire Chief and staff, DPW Superintendent and staff, and Recreation Director. Interview questions were organized into six topic areas: Authority, Autonomy & Professional Management; Governing Body & Political Interaction; Planning, Coordination & Long-term Vision; Budgeting & Financial Management; Public Engagement & Accountability; and Comparative Assessment & Recommendations. Dr. Kung reported that the 1972 finding about the lack of a strong administrator is important context, because the interviews confirmed that the BA reform was absolutely critical. Multiple respondents emphasized the critical importance of maintaining a strong BA structure: "as long as the BA is in charge in the form of government, then all will be good. If no strong BA, then it would be the wild west." However, Dr. Kung noted a concerning pattern emerged. Current TC functioning was described positively, with "open discussions" and members "seeking consensus during public meetings." However, multiple respondents emphasized this "depends on who's on the TC" and "has not always been true during recent memory," noting dysfunction on TCs prior to the current one. The consistent theme across interviews was that Millburn's current form of government works well when it works, but its effectiveness depends heavily on the particular individuals serving on the Township Committee at any given time. Multiple respondents questioned whether a governmental structure should rely so heavily on the personalities in office rather than providing more built-in stability and continuity. Ms. Parker-Lentz reported on TC member preparedness. Strong consensus emerged that TC members face a significant learning curve. It "takes about 3 years for TC members to completely understand how the job works," covering the full cycle of issues including bond ordinances, budget cycles, and various operational matters. One noted "there is no training; they have no idea" when they start.� January 22, 2026 Millburn Township Charter Study Commission Meeting Minutes 3 The 3-year term was characterized as "too short" because "the 1st year they are learning, 2nd year they start to understand, and 3rd year they are either running for re-election or a lame duck." When multiple TC seats are in flux—potentially four over the course of two years— "there isn't carry over and projects aren't seen through to completion." Ms. Parker-Lentz stated that election frequency generated the most consistent and emphatic responses across all interviews. Annual elections were described as causing "quite a bit of overhead" with constant TC turnover requiring ongoing onboarding assistance. It was pointed out that in the last 10 years, only two TC members have served more than one term, with a third recently re-elected. Multiple respondents described it feeling like "it's always election season, with either a general or primary election occurring every 6 months," and that "having elections every year causes reluctance to make big changes." Several respondents supported the idea of longer terms and more time between elections: "Longer TC terms—4 years rather than 3 years—and more time between elections—more than 1 year versus every year—would be better." When asked what single change could be made to improve the township's governmental structure, the answer was: "Election frequency." Ms. Parker-Lentz reported on partisan considerations. Department heads universally stated that partisanship does not affect day-to-day operations—departments were characterized as "non-political," with multiple respondents emphasizing their neutrality as public servants. "There isn't really a partisan element to filling potholes or garbage collection." However, partisan considerations were identified as significantly affecting governance. "Items get delayed around election time" and partisan considerations "cause unnecessary divisions: instead of having a united front on the TC, the meetings get used to score political points rather than focus on what's best for the community." "TC meetings become more contentious around election time, due to partisan nature of elections," and "the partisanship, particularly around election time, often leads to a 'show' which can get in the way of what's best for the town." Multiple respondents felt party labels "shift the focus away from local issues" and noted that "since most township matters are non-partisan in nature, it's not clear that having a partisan election with party labels is helpful as a signal for how someone might vote once they are on the committee." Ms. Parker-Lentz reported on the impact on long-term planning. Multiple respondents noted significant challenges with continuity during transition periods on the TC. A specific structural problem was identified: "This time of year—December through January—it slows down and it becomes tough to get things on the TC agenda. From election time in November until the end of January when new people are sworn in and a mayor is chosen, we can't do much. Sometimes it is tough to wait through the transition period." One respondent stated bluntly that long-term planning is "not well-supported" because of "lack of continuity due to frequency of elections," specifically citing the Town Hall renovation that "had been under discussion 25+ years ago" but stalled because "elections happen so frequently, no one wants to take risks and often projects can get stopped due to political expediency." Ms. Parker-Lentz reported on mayoral selection. The mayoral selection process has recently become quite contentious, with one respondent noting that the process "creates adversaries where there is no need for it." Several interviewees noted that there is a lot of "hurt feelings, lost trust" and that it is "not a great way to start off each year." One respondent stated, "most people in town don't understand that they don't select the mayor directly" and suggested "having a directly elected mayor would allow for more stability rather than continuously changing who is indirectly selected to serve as mayor," though � January 22, 2026 Millburn Township Charter Study Commission Meeting Minutes 4 cautioned that a "strong mayor is probably not the right choice for our town." Repeatedly, staff emphasized that having mayors serve longer terms—rather than one-year rotations— would provide more continuity and stability for the public. Ms. Parker-Lentz emphasized at the conclusion of the presentation: "These are preliminary findings from a portion of our interviews. We are reporting what municipal employees told us—not making any recommendations or drawing any conclusions. We have many more interviews to conduct and much more analysis ahead of us." Public Comment Mr. Drucker opened the second public comment period. Mr. Jeffrey Feld suggested reaching out to the Millburn-Short Hills Dispatch. He recommended that the Commission review administrative code provisions from other municipalities regarding mandatory training for elected officials. He thanked the Commission for their service and time commitment. Mr. Jamie Serruto, Township Committee member, noted significant confusion in the community about the mayor's role and selection process. He emphasized the exhaustion of having elections every year and reiterated the point about the learning curve for TC members and understanding various committees. He emphasized the need for competence and intelligence among TC members given the complexity of township matters. Discussion ensued about the challenges of recruiting people to serve and requiring training. Mr. Ben Stoller, Township Committee member, asked whether the Commission had interviewed business leaders. Ms. Parker-Lentz explained the Commission is following guidance from a Rutgers document on the charter study. She noted that a public survey will be distributed to gather broader input from all residents and business owners. Mr. Feld suggested the Commission examine stipends paid to local officials in comparable municipalities. Discussion followed about the balance between appropriate compensation and avoiding making positions career-oriented. Ms. Bebe Shear, a township resident, asked whether findings could be presented in a more statistical and empirical manner, with specific questions shown and responses quantified by group (municipal employees vs. TC members). Mr. Biller responded that this type of study does not necessarily lend itself to purely empirical data, as the thoughtfulness and context behind responses matters more than simple yes/no counts. Ms. Parker-Lentz explained that the Rutgers guidance document cautions against weighing one person's opinion too heavily, particularly from those who haven't served as elected officials. She noted that when data from former TC member interviews is compiled, it will include more quantifiable information on specific questions about term lengths and committee size. She emphasized the importance of allowing interviewees to speak freely to obtain valuable information. Dr. Kung added that for municipal employees there is a wide range of responsibilities and tenure, making empirical weighting difficult. He noted the questions will be published and that employees have all offered to answer follow-up questions.� January 22, 2026 Millburn Township Charter Study Commission Meeting Minutes 5 Mr. Drucker closed the second public comment period. Old Business Community outreach: Ms. Parker-Lentz reported on ongoing community outreach efforts through various listservs including Workmom and Newcomers, reaching approximately 2,500 people. She continues to add interested residents who ask questions or participate in focus groups to the distribution list. Discussion ensued about additional outreach methods, including: - Potenial announcements in Millburn Tap Into - Concerns about using Happy Millburn due to the presence of non-residents - Possibility of including meeing announcements in the weekly message - Uilizing neighborhood watch groups (the Police Department expressed concern about sejng a precedent for using those channels for non-safety announcements) - Sejng up informaional tables at the train staion with QR codes for the survey Mr. Drucker raised a question to counsel about how to consolidate report findings without a quorum. Ms. Cevasco explained that under OPMA, any meeting of more than two commissioners must be publicly noticed. She noted this differs from the Township Committee's ability to hold closed-door executive sessions, which are limited to specific matters such as attorney-client privilege. The Commission discussed the importance of having public discussions and allowing the public to see their deliberations. Dr. Kung clarified that the Commission will be publishing the interview questions on the website once the remaining municipal employee interviews are completed. Adjournment Mr. Tanna made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Mr. Biller. All voted in favor. The meeting was adjourned. ____________________________ Dr. Jerry Kung, Commissioner Charter Study Commission Secretary Approved: February 2, 2026�