March 4, 2026 Millburn Township Charter Study Commission Meeting Minutes 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 Wednesday, March 4, 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, and Christopher Drucker. Also present: Suzanne Cevasco, Esq. and Michael L. Collins, Esq. from King, Moench & Collins LLP; and Mayor Christopher Tamburro of the Township of Verona, attending remotely via Zoom. Mr. Biller made a motion to approve the agenda. Seconded by Ms. Parker-Lentz. All voted in favor. Mr. Biller made a motion to approve the minutes of the February 25, 2026 meeting. Seconded by Ms. Parker-Lentz. All voted in favor. Reports Mr. Biller reported on Phase II comparative municipal research. He noted that the Commission has had discussions with Red Bank and with Madison. He described Madison as having conducted a charter study in the 1970s — similar in timing to Millburn’s prior study — and decided at that time not to make a change. He described the Commission’s conversation with Madison as productive, noting that the perspective of Madison’s mayor shifted during the course of the exchange. Mr. Biller noted that the Commission has reached out twice to Ridgewood and South Orange without receiving a response, and that a different approach will be tried. Mr. Drucker reported on a research visit he and Dr. Kung made to the Borough of Verona on Monday. They visited the Verona Public Library and the municipal clerk’s office in search of the 1986 Charter Study Commission report. The clerk’s office did not have a copy on file. The library did not have a standalone copy. The report was found to have been published in full in the local newspapers at the time, which the library holds in digital form. Mr. Drucker noted that he and Dr. Kung transcribed the full text from those clippings, and that the document will be posted to the Commission’s website shortly. They also located the original ballot question and election results. The charter change — moving Verona from the borough form of government to the council-manager form — was approved by voters in 1986 by a vote of approximately two-to-one. The first reorganization election under the new form drew eight candidates for five seats. Commissioner Parker-Lentz reported that she spoke with Tom Hildner of the Short Hills Association, who confirmed that the Commission may use the Short Hills Association’s interview with Marc Pfeiffer as a resource. She encouraged all commissioners to watch the interview. Commissioner Parker-Lentz further reported that she spoke with Alex McDonald, as did Dr. Kung earlier, regarding the question of governing body size. Mr. McDonald offered to � March 4, 2026 Millburn Township Charter Study Commission Meeting Minutes meet with commissioners alongside another business administrator who has worked with a seven-member governing body, in order to explore day-to-day operational questions. Mr. Drucker noted that Commissioners Parker-Lentz and Kung had spoken with Mr. McDonald on prior occasions, and that his continued willingness to assist is appreciated. Commissioner Kung reported that he is in the process of compiling an analysis of the number of candidates who have run in partisan versus nonpartisan municipal elections, looking at council and mayoral races across different municipalities. Public Comment Mr. Drucker opened the first public comment period. No one wished to be heard. Mr. Drucker closed the first public comment period. Interview with Verona Mayor Christopher Tamburro Mr. Drucker introduced Mayor Christopher Tamburro as the current mayor of Verona. Mayor Tamburro was first elected to the Verona Council in 2021, re-elected in 2025, and has served as mayor since 2023. He began his public service as a member of the local emergency medical service and deputy coordinator of the Township Office of Emergency Management. He is a teacher of political science, economics, and law at Verona High School and an adjunct professor in the doctorate of philosophy and education programs at Caldwell University, instructing classes on educational policy, legal issues, and contract negotiations. He serves as a consultant for labor unions, focusing on contract negotiations and enforcement, mediation, arbitration, public policy, budgeting, and fiduciary matters. Before questions began, Mayor Tamburro recommended that the Commission speak with former Verona Township Manager Joseph D’Arco, who served in various capacities in New Jersey municipal government for approximately 55 years. He described Mr. D’Arco as a significant resource on New Jersey municipal government operations. Mayor Tamburro described Verona as operating under the Faulkner Act council-manager form of government since a 1986 referendum. The Township Council is a purely legislative body and holds no executive authority. The Township Manager is both the chief executive officer and chief administrative officer of the municipality under the Faulkner Act. Elections are nonpartisan and held every two years on a staggered basis: in one two-year cycle, three council seats are up for election, and in the other, two seats are up. Council terms are four years. Mayor Tamburro noted that Verona previously held elections in May and moved them to November for the first time in 2025. He explained that the cost of a municipal election is borne by the municipality rather than the county, and that as other municipalities moved away from May elections, Verona’s costs increased; access to early voting was also limited under the May schedule. To accomplish the change, the council extended members’ terms by approximately six months by ordinance; a municipality may only make this change once every ten years. The November 2025 election saw significantly higher voter turnout than prior May elections.� March 4, 2026 Millburn Township Charter Study Commission Meeting Minutes On executive and legislative power: the council holds all legislative authority and the manager holds executive authority. Certain statutory appointment authorities are reserved to the mayor, including appointing members of the Environmental Commission (and designating its chair) and appointing alternates to the Zoning Board of Adjustment; the Township Manager appoints the Shade Tree Commission by ordinance. The full council appoints the Township Manager, the Township Attorney, and the Municipal Clerk (currently tenured). The mayor also signs official bonds, executes certain state documents, and performs ceremonial duties. The mayor is elected by and from the council members. On four-year council terms: Mayor Tamburro stated that four-year terms are appropriate. He noted that elections every other year allow the council to work together on goals without the disruption of an annual election cycle. He noted that in a partisan system with annual elections, “your time where you’re really able to govern without an election happening is from January to about March or April, because then you start to get into primary season and into the general election season.” In Verona’s nonpartisan structure there is no primary, so the election period is brief. He contrasted this with three-year terms, noting that school board seats in Verona have three-year terms, leading to candidate fatigue and uncontested races in some cycles. He cited the New Jersey Assembly (two-year terms) and Senate (four-year terms) as a relevant model. In response to a question about how voters learn about candidates without party labels, Mayor Tamburro described the philosophy in Verona as “no Republican or Democratic way to fix a pothole.” He described voter information sources: retail politics (door-to-door canvassing), which he described as an expectation rather than optional for candidates; candidate social media and websites; voter forums, including one hosted by the Junior Women’s Club; traditional mailers; and meet-and-greet events. He noted that word of mouth is significant in a smaller community. In response to a question about campaign costs and whether running without party financial support increases them, Mayor Tamburro stated that in his view, nonpartisan elections cost less overall because party money is not involved. He noted that in his most recent election he spent approximately $11,000 — including mailers and lawn signs — and was the highest vote￾getter, while the second-place finisher, Deputy Mayor Jack McAvoy, spent less than $6,500. He noted that in his first election as a challenger he spent approximately $13,000 in total, with several thousand dollars remaining in his campaign account, and that the New Jersey Education Association contributed since he is a member. In response to a question about whether a competitive campaign is achievable without party infrastructure, Mayor Tamburro said yes. He described building a volunteer base through his teaching career and prior civic involvement, and cited former Mayor Alex Roman as an example of a candidate who won three terms to the council by attending council meetings, speaking publicly on issues, and building a community coalition, without prior civic organization involvement. In response to a question about whether Verona’s nonpartisan structure has broadened who runs and who wins, Mayor Tamburro described Verona’s elections as candidate-centered. He noted that both the Democratic Party and Republican Party in Verona have bylaws prohibiting formal endorsements. He noted that he is the only non-Democrat on the council by voter registration. He described the dynamic as: the absence of formal endorsements does not eliminate informal support networks, but it removes the formal barrier of obtaining a party nomination, broadening ballot access for unaffiliated voters.� March 4, 2026 Millburn Township Charter Study Commission Meeting Minutes In response to a question about whether voters attempt to identify candidates by party affiliation despite the nonpartisan structure, Mayor Tamburro said yes, this occurs. He described his own experience as an example: having previously been a registered Republican while also working as a labor union consultant, he received scrutiny from voters on both sides of the political spectrum for opposite reasons. He observed that rather than allowing voters to rely on a party label, this required them to make the effort to learn about him directly — which he described as "a genuine advantage" of the nonpartisan system, one that "actually informs voters more because they have to go to the candidate and understand, in addition to the candidate going to them." In response to a question about whether special interests have filled a vacuum left by the absence of party structure, Mayor Tamburro said that corporate interests and PACs have not had influence in his experience. He described the interests that approach the council as issue￾based — such as residents seeking a particular facility or a department seeking a new building — rather than outside special interests. In response to a question about unofficial party support for candidates despite bylaws prohibiting formal endorsements, Mayor Tamburro said some informal activity does occur among politically engaged individuals, but described this as not having created an environment that excluded any candidate from winning. In response to a question about whether partisan affiliation affects governance outcomes, including county responsiveness, Mayor Tamburro said he has not seen this at the county level. He noted that Essex County works collaboratively with municipalities regardless of party affiliation, and that in a council-manager form of government, the manager handles most county operational relationships on a day-to-day basis. He noted that at the state and federal level, the mayor’s title provides access that a staff member might not receive. In closing the partisanship discussion, Mr. Biller asked whether there were aspects not yet covered. Mayor Tamburro summarized that party affiliation itself matters less than organizational access — the ability to reach people through party-affiliated networks plays a role, but the affiliation itself has not created governance problems in his experience. Commissioner Tanna described the governing body size question, noting arguments for a larger body and for a smaller one. Mayor Tamburro stated that the first question to answer is what form of government will be adopted. In a council-manager form, the governing body is a legislative body and the manager must communicate with council members to build consensus; adding two members makes that 40% more difficult. He recommended keeping five members if the council-manager form is adopted. He noted that Verona’s township charter specifically forbids standing committees; the council has used special committees on specific outstanding issues, which he described as productive. In response to a question about subcommittee size, Mayor Tamburro said he had not seen both configurations in practice and declined to answer the comparison. He noted that subcommittees must consider what the full council will accept regardless, and that more subcommittees and more members places additional demands on administration. In response to a question about how the mayor selection process works in practice, Mayor Tamburro described his experience with both unanimous and divided votes. He noted that informal discussions among council members generally precede the public vote, and that consensus can be built around various roles and assignments within the governing structure. � March 4, 2026 Millburn Township Charter Study Commission Meeting Minutes He stated that the vote itself occurs publicly, and that it is preferable for pre-vote discussions to happen informally to avoid dividing a newly seated council. In response to a question about whether residents understand how the mayor is elected, Mayor Tamburro said some do and some do not, with newer residents less likely to know. He noted that contested mayor votes have attracted media coverage that helped explain the process to the public. He described his own practice of explaining his role consistently to residents, noting that the Township Manager is the chief executive and operational officer. He noted that the council routes all resident inquiries through a unified email contact form that goes simultaneously to the full council, the manager, and other staff, and that the manager responds to residents through that system. In response to a question about whether he would prefer a directly elected mayor or the current method of council selection, Mayor Tamburro stated that he would “strongly and vehemently” advise against a directly elected mayor in a council-manager form of government. He stated that it creates misunderstanding: residents expect the mayor to function as chief executive, but the manager holds that authority. He stated that a directly elected mayor without appointment authority, veto power, or executive authority is placed under significant public scrutiny without the power to deliver on what residents expect. In response to a follow-up question noting that residents already contact the mayor to get things done, Mayor Tamburro described the council’s practice of routing all inquiries through the shared email system, and noted that the mayor’s title provides certain practical advantages in dealing with outside organizations that the council can use strategically in coordination with the manager. In response to a question about the appointment process for boards and commissions, Mayor Tamburro described the process: interested parties submit an application and resume; when openings arise, all applicants are considered. Approximately 95% of appointments result in unanimous consent; abstentions occur occasionally; votes against are rare. Dr. Kung offered a follow-up on the directly elected mayor topic, observing that under a staggered election structure, a directly elected mayor might not represent the majority view of the council if the council majority changes during the mayor’s term. Mayor Tamburro confirmed this concern. He noted that in Verona the mayor is elected by the council and serves a two-year term, while council terms are four years. He agreed that the more precise framing is that a directly elected mayor may not “sufficiently represent the opinions of a majority of the council,” and that this can force either consensus-building or resentment. In response to a question about what it means in practice that the manager’s authority is established by statute rather than delegated by ordinance, Mayor Tamburro stated that the most important implication is that choosing the right township manager is the council’s most critical decision, and should ideally be unanimous. He described the practical effect: the manager runs day-to-day operations independently, while the council oversees rather than directs. He gave examples: he does not direct police staffing decisions, but he reviews the overtime budget; the manager makes hiring decisions, while the council provides feedback on how the municipality is functioning. He stated that council members should not maintain an office in the municipal building, as a daily physical presence creates confusion about the line between governance and administration. In response to a question about whether the majority-removal authority has created implicit pressure on the manager, Mayor Tamburro said he has not seen that dynamic in Verona. He � March 4, 2026 Millburn Township Charter Study Commission Meeting Minutes noted that managers work on multi-year contracts, and removing a manager before expiration would require paying out the remainder. He stated that if the council reaches the point of threatening removal, there is a larger underlying problem. He observed that the most successful arrangements involve a manager who can run the municipality and manage the needs and personalities of the council. In response to a question asking him to identify decisions made better or worse by Verona’s nonpartisan, council-manager structure, Mayor Tamburro described two examples. First, the water infrastructure decision: when New Jersey changed its PFAS requirements, the council￾manager structure allowed the manager to engage engineering and legal experts to provide objective analysis rather than relying on ideological positions. Second, changes to the community pool membership structure: the manager assembled appropriate administrative resources to answer technical questions, while council members served as representatives of public concerns. Mayor Tamburro also noted that the budget process presents challenges: the manager presents a budget having already made numerous cuts, and the council must ask further difficult questions about a document developed by the manager rather than built directly by the council. Dr. Kung asked whether there is a provision in Verona’s ordinance addressing what happens if the council cannot select a mayor after a certain number of ballots. Mayor Tamburro confirmed there is such a provision — after a specified number of ballots without a selection, the position goes to the highest vote-getter in the most recent election. The provision has never been used during his time on the council. He expressed concern about it: it limits mayoral eligibility to those who ran in the most recent election, which could exclude experienced council members who did not run in that cycle. Mr. Biller asked whether Verona’s resident population is particularly engaged. Mayor Tamburro said yes, probably above average. He described the school system as a major driver, noting that the Verona public schools’ mission statement describes them as “the center of an engaged community,” and that the habits of civic engagement formed through interaction with the schools carry over to municipal government. The township pool and recreation programs for adults and children also drive participation. The municipality has faced many significant issues simultaneously — PFAS requirements and water rates, affordable housing, a public safety complex, and pool and recreation facility upgrades — which have engaged different segments of the community. He noted that door-to-door canvassing has become an expectation (not optional) for candidates in Verona, expected to cover every street, and that many residents moving from larger cities find direct engagement with elected officials meaningful. Dr. Kung asked whether there was anything about Verona’s experience the Commission should consider that had not been covered. Mayor Tamburro offered two observations. First, he advised that a commission should focus on what form of government is best for the most people, rather than on how current or past individuals would fit into a future government, and that the commission should consider what norms future elected leaders would need to uphold. Second, he emphasized the importance of an education plan: how the Commission will communicate its findings to the public, and how future elected leaders will continue educating residents about a new form of government if a change is recommended. No members of the public or attendees on Zoom wished to ask Mayor Tamburro questions.� March 4, 2026 Millburn Township Charter Study Commission Meeting Minutes Mr. Drucker thanked Mayor Tamburro for his time. Mayor Tamburro indicated he looked forward to reading the Commission’s report and recommendations. Old Business Community Outreach Commissioner Parker-Lentz reported that the Google Form containing questions for public response is live on the Millburn Township website. She noted that she has distributed the link and will add the Pfeiffer interview link to her next weekly email. She noted that anyone who missed the February 25, 2026 session with Mr. Collins should watch it online. Discussion among commissioners addressed community engagement, with the observation that engagement is likely to increase once the Commission has a recommendation to present. Dr. Kung noted that the form would also be included in Millburn’s weekly community communications. Public Comment Mr. Drucker opened the second public comment period. No one wished to be heard. Mr. Drucker closed the second public comment period. Adjournment Mr. Biller made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Ms. Parker-Lentz. All voted in favor. The meeting was adjourned. ____________________________ Dr. Jerry Kung, Commissioner Charter Study Commission Secretary Approved: March 12, 2026�