Red Bank’s council has scheduled a special meeting for Friday to vote on a contract for a new borough manager.
Chief Darren McConnell at National Night Out in August. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
The council is slated to meet at 2 p.m. to vote on an employment contract for the unidentified hiree, who would be the most powerful individual in town government, with broad oversight of municipal hall.
Interim borough administrator and police Chief Darren McConnell declined to identify the job candidate or comment, and referred questions to Mayor Billy Portman.
Portman also declined comment, telling redbankgreen, “We need a few more days.”
McConnell has run borough hall on an “interim” basis sice since the May, 2021, resignation of Ziad Shehady. The title of administrator was changed to borough manager in July, with the start of a new “council-manager” form of government approved in a voter referendum last November.
McConnell has been paid a $7,500-per-month stipend on top of his police salary since stepping into the interim role, which would end upon the hiring of a replacement.
McConnell would continue as police chief, a post he announced in June that he planned to retire from by July 31. But his retirement has been held up by a pending complaint filed with the New Jersey Attorney General by the local Police Benevolent Association union alleging nepotism and ethics violations.
On Monday, McConnell told redbankgreen he has yet to hear from the NJAG about the matter. Until the complaint is resolved, he cannot retire and collect his state pension, he has previously said.
Meantime, the council has selected Captain Mike Frazee to succeed McConnell as chief of the 39-officer police department.
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