Brick Council Approves Appointment of New Business Administrator

The Brick Township Council on Tuesday unanimously approved Mayor John Ducey’s appointee to take over the business administrator position from Scott Pezarras.

Under Ducey’s plan, Pezarras – who currently serves as both the business administrator and chief financial officer – will only serve as CFO. Joanne Bergin, who is currently employed as business administrator in Little Falls, Passaic County, will take over the job in Brick.

Bergin will be paid $140,000 plus benefits in her new position; Ducey did not reveal how much Pezarras would be paid as the CFO, saying only that it will be reduced from his current dual role.

“He’s going to be in charge of financial issues for our town,” said Ducey. “For policy issues, we’ve decided to bring somebody else in.”

Bergin, Ducey said, was chosen after about 10 people were interviewed after hearing about the job opening through word of mouth. The position was never publicly advertised.

Residents debated the financial implications of the move at the meeting before the council voted to approve the appointment.

“I’d like to know, as a taxpayer, how this affects us on a cost savings basis,” said resident George Scott. “You take another $27,000 [in benefits] on top of that $140,000 and that’s a considerable amount. The thing that helps me as a taxpayer is reducing my taxes by spending less money.”

“It’s not necessarily for cost savings,” said Ducey, explaining that splitting the CFO and business administrator role would allow for cost savings since the business administrator could work on grants and shared services agreements, areas in which Bergin specialized in Little Falls.

“It’s a wash,” said resident Nan Coll, of the move's financial impact. “She’ll be taking the salary of that person who was supposed to be the assistant to the business administrator. Mr. Pezarras was being overworked.”

Coll was referring to former Deputy Business Administrator Juan Bellu, who is now indefinitely suspended from his position in the township pending dismissal. Bellu was paid $149,000 per year.

Ducey said Bergin, who was appointed business administrator in Little Falls in 2012, will help township residents save on flood insurance rates since she is certified in establishing a FEMA Community Rating System flood mitigation program for Brick. Residents of municipalities that are CRS certified receive a discount on flood insurance policies.

Bergin will start in Brick on March 17. Her last day of work in Little Falls, according to an article in the Passaic Valley Today newspaper, is March 14.