Hanover Township     Committee (left to right):

Committeeman -
  Robert Brueno, Jr.
Committeeman -
  Kenneth C. Schleifer
Mayor -
  Ronald F. Francioli
Committeeman -
  George F. Coppola
Deputy Mayor -
  John L. Ferramosca

The Township of Hanover has a Township Committee form of government consisting of five members as follows:

CHAIRMAN/MAYOR/DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION, PERSONNEL AND VIOLATIONS BUREAU/MUNICIPAL COURT AND LIAISON TO THE BOARD OF HEALTH AND EX-OFFICIO MEMBER TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Ronald F. Francioli

VICE CHAIR/DEPUTY MAYOR, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND ZONING, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, MEMBER OF EDAC AND LIAISON TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, THE SUSTAINABLE ENERGY GREEN TEAM AND LIAISON TO THE HANOVER SEWERAGE AUTHORITY AND WATER AUTHORITY

John L. Ferramosca

DIRECTOR OF THE PUBLIC WORKS, BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS AND PARK MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT, BUILDING DEPARTMENT, FINANCE DEPARTMENT, BID COMMITTEE MEMBER AND LIAISON TO THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMITTEE, GARDEN CLUB AND WHIPPANONG LIBRARY  AND THE TOWNSHIP’S REPRESENTATIVE ON THE MORRIS COUNTY AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Kenneth C. Schleifer

LIAISON TO PUBLIC SAFETY WHICH INCLUDES THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BOARDS OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS, FIRST AID SQUAD AND OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, LIAISON TO THE LANDMARK COMMISSION, LOCAL AND REGIONAL BOARDS OF EDUCATION, THE TOWNSHIP’S SENIOR CITIZEN’S CLUB AND VETERAN’S ALLIANCE

George F. Coppola

DIRECTOR OF RECREATION AND PARK ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT AND LIAISON TO THE OPEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND SUBSTANCE AWARENESS COUNCIL

Robert Brueno, Jr.

BID COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Ken Schleifer,
Joe Giorgio,
Gerry Maceira,
Dave Leo,
Brian Foran,
Cathy Iacouzzi,
Kelli Schanz
or Other Designees

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It is helpful for all residents of our community to have a basic knowledge and understanding of how your local government operates, and the duties and responsibilities of your elected officials. In this respect, the following is a summary of the duties and functions of the Township Committee, and the services provided by the various departments in delivering services to the community.

The Township of Hanover is organized as a Township form of municipal government as set forth under N.J.S.A. 40A:63-1 et seq. The elected officers of every Township are the members of the Township Committee, the governing body of the municipality. The Township has a five member Township Committee whose terms of office begin on January 1st following the preceding general election. Each member holds office for a term of three years. Since the Township is not divided into wards, the five members of the governing body serve at large, and represent all of the people of the Township and not any one particular section or area.

On January 1st of every year, or during the first seven days of January, State law requires that the Township Committee convene a reorganization meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to reorganize the government whereby the governing body makes appointments of individuals to various boards, commissions and committees for the purpose of conducting the business of the Township. Other business matters also take place at this annual meeting.

It is during the traditional January 1st Reorganization Meeting that the members of the governing body elect one of their number as Chairman of the Committee whose responsibility it is to preside at all meetings of the Township Committee and who shall be known as the Mayor of the Township. However, as an equal member of the Township Committee, the Mayor has no additional authority by virtue of his/her designation as Mayor, except as may be provided by State law.

With the advice and consent of the Township Committee, it is customary for the Mayor to assign governing body members to head Township departments, and serve as liaison to the various boards, commissions and committees. These assignments are made at the January 1st Reorganization Meeting. A listing of the Township Committee assignments is listed below. While a member of the governing body may be appointed to serve as a department head, such as the Director of the Department of Administration, it is the full Township Committee that ultimately bears responsibility for the operations of all departments.

In serving as liaisons to Township boards and commissions, members of the governing body attend meetings of the Environmental and Landmark Commissions, Board of Recreation Commissioners, Board of Health, Hanover Sewerage Authority, Cultural Arts Committee, the Open Space Advisory Committee, the Garden Club and Whippanong Library (which is funded by the Township but a private non-profit organization). In accordance with the Municipal Land Use Law, the Mayor serves as a Class I member to the Planning Board, and the Township Committee member serving as Director of Planning also serves as a Class III Planning Board member.

As the policy making board, the Township Committee's responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the adoption of ordinances (i.e., Township laws), approval of resolutions, preparation of the calendar year operating budget, management of finances, establishing the municipal tax rate, appointing such officers as may be necessary to perform those duties required by law and ordinances, and to execute and perform all the executive responsibilities of the municipality not placed, by general law or statute in the Office of the Mayor.

The Township Committee meets twice monthly on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month. The governing body meets in legal and conference work sessions at 7:30 p.m. in Conference Room "A" at the Municipal Building. When legal and personnel issues are discussed, portions of the legal work session may be closed to the public in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act. A more formal public session is held at 8:30 p.m. in the Main Meeting Room, at which time ordinances and resolutions are voted upon, and members of the public are given an opportunity to voice their comments. Members of the public may also address the governing body at a designated time during the conference work sessions.

Typically, only one Township Committee meeting is held during the month of August. And, prior to the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, the Township Committee meets on the Monday evening immediately preceding Thanksgiving and Christmas.

You are cordially invited to attend the Township Committee meetings to ask questions or make statements.

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