Committee Sets Municipal Hiring Freeze

Concerns over the continuing economic recession and the amount of state aid available to the town have prompted Cranford officials to adopt a hiring freeze, leaving five municipal positions unfilled and starting talks about curbing department budgets.

"Because we have no way of knowing what our state aid would be we're proceeding with a pessimistic way of thinking," said Mayor Mark Smith.

The township committee implemented the hiring freeze at Monday's workshop meeting.

Municipal departments will now have to function without two police officers, a communication officer, a department of public works employee, and an engineering staffer, according to the township administrator.

New employee hires will now have to be OKed by the township administrator before moving on to a final approval by the township committee, said Smith.

If the town administrator does not feel the position needs to be filled, a department head can appeal to their commissioner liaison.

Certain statutory positions would be exempt from the hiring freeze.

Finance Commissioner Mark P. Dugan and Deputy Mayor Martha Garcia shared Smith's concerns regarding the town's budget, specifically in regards to the amount of state aid Cranford will receive.

Garcia said she thought the appeals process was fair.

Commissioner of Public Affairs Daniel Aschenbach raised concerns about the hiring freeze. He felt public safety positions should be excluded from the new policy.

The township committee considered layoffs in the police, fire and public works departments last summer. While no employees were ousted, those departments saw zero salary increases, insurance co-pay changes, and additional budget cuts in June 2009, according to media reports.

The new hiring freeze may signal the start of additional budget-curbing measures the town will need to consider this year. It will prompt more discussion and analysis of the staffing needs of various township departments, Smith said.