Neary against making mayor's post full time
BY VINCENT TODARO
Staff Writer

Mayor William Neary

EAST BRUNSWICK - They shouldn't be in it for the money.

That's what Mayor William Neary had to say about people who run for mayor, and also why he's opposed any idea to make the mayor's job a full-time position in East Brunswick with a commensurate salary. Neary, a Democrat, spoke on the issue during the Aug. 28 Township Council, in response to earlier statements by Republican Councilwoman Christi Calvano that the township should consider bumping the position up from part time and eliminating a full-time mayor's assistant position.

Calvano had argued the township could save money by eliminating the assistant post currently held by Jacqueline Eaker, who earns a salary of about $80,000. Eaker's work could be made up by the secretary staff already employed in the Mayor's Office, as well as the mayor himself should he become full time, she said.

Neary, who used to own a Dairy Queen, last year began working full time as director of the New Brunswick-based nonprofit Keep Middlesex Moving at a salary of $78,000. He makes $20,000 a year as the part-time mayor.

He said he does not think financial considerations should play a role in someone deciding to seek the job of mayor.

At the meeting where Calvano floated the idea, Democratic Councilman David Stahl said he feared making the mayor's position full time would attract career politicians, as opposed to people who simply want to serve and improve their community.

Township Attorney Michael Baker said that typically it is only the larger cities that employ full-time mayors.

An example of such a town is Woodbridge, where the recently deceased mayor, Frank Pelzman, earned $75,000. The large but more suburban town of Brick, in Ocean County, uses a full-time mayor at a salary of $52,000.

Neary said the mayor's position in East Brunswick already involves full-time work, though it is considered a part-time job and pays a minimal salary, plus health benefits and a pension.

He said that with all the time he spends at public meetings, taking phone calls at all hours, speaking to people around town and attending numerous functions, it all adds up to full-time work.

"It takes 45 minutes to get a court of milk," he said.

He said he does not believe he, nor his mayoral predecessors, have done the job for the money.

"It's a special job that requires special attention," Neary said.

Calvano has also broached the idea during discussions on the municipal budget with the goal of saving money. She has said Neary and his secretarial staff would be able to handle the work.

But Neary said that if the mayor's position was made full time, it would likely attract different types of people, possibly those who are wealthier or who have a "different desire" for being mayor than he and his predecessors.

He said that someone doing the job for the money would detract from his ability to succeed as mayor.

"If I thought I had to do this to survive, it might change how I feel about being mayor," he said.