Editing Barnegat Light, New Jersey (section)

===Local government===
[[File:Barnegat Light, NJ borough hall, Dec. 2024.jpg|thumb|right|Barnegat Light Borough Hall]]
Barnegat Light is governed under the [[Borough (New Jersey)|borough]] form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.<ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/inventory_of_municipal_forms_of_government_in_new_jersey.pdf ''Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey''], [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected [[at-large]] on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.<ref name=DataBook>''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', [[Rutgers University]] [[Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy]], March 2013, p. 49.</ref> The borough form of government used by Barnegat Light is a "[[weak mayor]] / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can [[veto]] ordinances subject to an [[veto override|override]] by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.<ref>Cerra, Michael F. [http://www.njslom.org/magart0307_p14.html "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924045019/http://www.njslom.org/magart0307_p14.html |date=2014-09-24 }}, [[New Jersey State League of Municipalities]]. Accessed November 30, 2014.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=6 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 6. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref>

{{As of|2024}}, the mayor of Barnegat Light is [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] Kirk O. Larson Sr., whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Michael W. Spark (R, 2024), Mary Ellen Foley (R, 2026), James M. Gutowski (R, 2025), Frank F. Mikuletzky Jr. (R, 2022), Dorothy Reynolds (R, 2026) and Edwin Wellington Jr. (R, 2024).<ref name=MayorCouncil>[http://www.barnegatlight.org/mayor-council/ Mayor & Council], Borough of Barnegat Light. Accessed April 17, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://barnegatlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-Municipal-Budget.pdf#page=14 2023 Municipal Data Sheet], Borough of Barnegat Light. Accessed April 17, 2024.</ref><ref name=OceanProfile>[https://www.co.ocean.nj.us/frmGovDirPage.aspx?ID=207 Borough of Barnegat Light], [[Ocean County, New Jersey]]. Accessed April 17, 2024.</ref><ref name=OceanOfficials>[https://co.ocean.nj.us/WebContentFiles/70fc90f8-5e4e-4454-a3c1-8ca3d0911f87.pdf ''2024 Ocean County & Municipal Elected Officials''], [[Ocean County, New Jersey]] Clerk, updated April 2, 2024. Accessed April 17, 2024.</ref><ref name=Ocean2023>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Ocean/119025/web.317647/#/summary General Election Results November 7, 2023 Official Results], [[Ocean County, New Jersey]], updated November 22, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Ocean2022>[https://www.co.ocean.nj.us/WebContentFiles/9a46d949-75d5-448a-8190-dbcefcb2a739.pdf 2022 General Election Official Results November 8, 2022], [[Ocean County, New Jersey]] Clerk, updated November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Ocean2021>[https://www.co.ocean.nj.us/WebContentFiles/07aecb2a-f6ce-4ef4-a6c3-7b7546fc9e3f.pdf 2021 General Election Official Results], [[Ocean County, New Jersey]]. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref>

The borough council selected Edwin Wellington Jr. in October 2013 to fill the vacant seat of Dave Bossi expiring in 2015. Wellington served on an interim basis until the November 2014 general election, when voters choose him to serve the balance of the term through December 2015.<ref>Staff. [http://thesandpaper.villagesoup.com/p/1073026 "Ed Wellington Named to Vacant Council Seat in Barnegat Light"], The SandPaper.net, October 31, 2013. Accessed September 9, 2014. "The new Barnegat Light council member to temporarily fill the unexpired term of Dave Bossi is Ed Wellington Jr., a former borough planning board member who lives on West 12th Street."</ref>

====Emergency services====
Police protection in the borough is provided under contract by the [[Long Beach Township, New Jersey|Long Beach Township]] Police Department.<ref>[http://www.barnegatlight.org/departments/police-department/ Police Department], Borough of Barnegat Light. Accessed July 26, 2016.</ref>

Barnegat Light is served by both a volunteer fire department as well as a volunteer first aid squad. The Barnegat Light Volunteer Fire Company, established in 1937, covers Barnegat Light, High Bar Harbor, and parts of Loveladies.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120627231453/http://www.barnegatlightfire.org/history.htm History]}}, Barnegat Light Volunteer Fire Company. Accessed July 9, 2012.</ref> The Barnegat Light First Aid Squad covers all of the north end of Long Beach Island ending at the Surf City North Beach border.