Editing Berlin, New Jersey (section)

===Local government===
Berlin is governed under the [[Borough (New Jersey)|borough]] form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 (of the 565) municipalities 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 a mayor and a borough council, with all positions elected [[at-large]] on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A 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. 33.</ref> The borough form of government used by Berlin 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 Berlin Borough is [[Independent politician|Independent]] Rick Miller, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Jacob "Jake" Miller ([[New Jersey Republican Party|R]], 2024), Leonard Badolato (I, 2026), Patricia Cummings (R, 2024), Keith Hohing (R, 2026), Carlos Mascarenhas (I, 2025) And Millard V. Wilkinson (I, 2025).<ref name=MayorCouncil>[https://www.berlinnj.org/biographies/ Mayor & Council], Borough of Berlin. Accessed June 7, 2023.</ref><ref>[https://berlinnj.org/berlinnj/Document_Center/Financial%20Reports/2023%20Budget%20-%20Document%20in%20PDF.pdf 2023 Municipal Data Sheet], Borough of Berlin. Accessed April 20, 2024.</ref><ref name=Camden2023>[https://www.camdencounty.com/wp-content/elections/general2023/2023_General_Election_Canvasser.pdf Official Election Results 2023 General Election November 7, 2023], [[Camden County, New Jersey]], updated November 22, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Camden2022>[https://www.camdencounty.com/wp-content/elections/general2022/2022-General-Election-Canvasser.pdf Official Election Results 2022 General Election November 8, 2022], Camden County, New Jersey, as of November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Camden2021>[https://www.camdencounty.com/wp-content/elections/general2021/2021-General-Election-Canvasser.pdf 2021 General Election November 2, 2021 Official Election Results], [[Camden County, New Jersey]], update November 15, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref>

In January 2020, the borough council appointed Patricia Cummings to fill the seat expiring in December 2021 that had been held by Ron Rocco until he resigned from office and also appointed Jake Miller to fill the seat expiring in December 2020 that had been held by Rick Miller until he stepped down to take office as a mayor.<ref>Shinkle, Matthew. [https://thesunpapers.com/2020/01/10/berlin-council-hosts-reorganization-meeting/ "Berlin Council hosts reorganization meeting Council swears in new Mayor, four councilpersons"], ''The Berlin Sun'', January 10, 2020. Accessed March 19, 2020. "Berlin Borough Council hosted its reorganization meeting Jan. 3 at borough hall, swearing in a new mayor as a change in leadership commences within the borough. Four council members were sworn in after the mayor, with two of them having won last November’s election and two being appointed by council.... After swearing in election winners, council appointed two additional residents to council. Two seats were left open for council to fill within 30 days of being vacated. One was left open after Miller was sworn in as mayor and another after the resignation of former Councilman Ron Rocco.... At the reorganization meeting, Jacob Miller was appointed to Rick Miller’s former seat, which is set to expire at the end of this year.... Meanwhile, council also appointed Patricia Cummings for the seat left open after Rocco’s resignation."</ref>

In September 2019, Keith Hohing was appointed to serve the term expiring in December 2021 that had been held by Mike Buchanan until he resigned after purchasing a home outside of Berlin Borough.<ref>[https://www.berlinnj.org/Council%20Meeting%20Minutes%209-12-19.docx Council Meeting Minutes for September 12, 2019], Berlin Borough. Accessed March 19, 2020. "Councilman Buchanan read his letter of resignation. He explained that he and his family had purchased a new home, which unfortunately did not fall within the boundaries of the Borough.... A motion was made to appoint Keith Hohing to the vacant council seat... New Councilman Appointed - Replacing Councilman Buchanan’s seat will be Berlin Borough business owner & resident Keith Hohing. Mr. Long swore in Mr. Hohing into office."</ref>

In May 2019, the borough council selected Andy Simone to fill the seat expiring in December 2019 that had been vacated by Daniel MacDonell until he resigned from office the previous month.<ref>Shinkle, Matthew. [https://thesunpapers.com/2019/05/09/new-councilman-appointed-after-resignation/ "New councilman appointed after resignation After the resignation of Councilman Dan MacDonnell, Andy Simone was sworn in at a Berlin Council workshop meeting"], ''The Berlin Sun'', May 9, 2019. Accessed September 13, 2019. "According to a letter sent to Mayor Jim Bilella and council President Jim Pearce on Tuesday, April 30, now-former Councilman Dan MacDonnell notified council he was resigning from borough council 'effective immediately.'... At the workshop meeting, Andrew Simone was unanimously approved by council and sworn in by solicitor John Moustakas."</ref>