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===Local government=== Buena Borough 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 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. 8.</ref> The borough form of government used by Buena 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 Buena Borough is [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] Joseph Baruffi, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. Members of the Buena Borough Council are Council President Douglas Adams (R, 2025), Jorge A. Alvarez (R, 2026), Patricia A. Andaloro (R, 2024), Marina Barsuglia (R, 2025), Frank DeStefano (R, 2026) and Richard Giovinazzi (R, 2024; elected to serve an unexpired term).<ref name=Council>[http://www.buenaboro.org/council/ Borough Council], Borough of Buena. Accessed October 5, 2024.</ref><ref>[http://www.buenaboro.org/pdfs/Adopted%20-2024.pdf#page=11 2024 Municipal Data Sheet], Borough of Buena. Accessed October 5, 2024.</ref><ref name=Govt>[https://www.atlanticcountynj.gov/government/government-information/municipal-governments Municipal Governments], [[Atlantic County, New Jersey]]. Accessed October 5, 2024.</ref><ref name=Atlantic2023>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Atlantic/119051/web.317647/#/summary 2023 General Election November 7, 2023 Official Results], [[Atlantic County, New Jersey]], updated November 27, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Atlantic2022>[https://www.atlanticcountyclerk.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2022-General-Election-Results-Amended-v.1.pdf 2022 General Election Results - Amended], [[Atlantic County, New Jersey|Atlantic County]] Clerk, updated December 5, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Atlantic2021>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Atlantic/111509/web.278093/#/summary General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results], [[Atlantic County, New Jersey]], updated January 4, 2022. Accessed February 1, 2022.</ref> Gina Andaloro had switched parties from Democrat to Republican and in January 2023 resigned from her seat expiring in December 2024. The council appointed Republican Richard Giovinazzi to fill her seat, but the council undid the "inadvertent appointment" after realizing that the position should be filled from the same party that elected the individual who resigned.<ref>[[David Wildstein|Wildstein, David]]. [https://newjerseyglobe.com/local/buena-council-seat-still-empty-after-choice-to-fill-vacancy-declines-to-serve/ "Buena council seat still empty after choice to fill vacancy declines to serve"], ''New Jersey Globe'', February 28, 2023. "Gina Andaloro, who was elected as a Democrat in 2021 and switched parties last year, resigned on January 13. Two weeks later, the council appointed Republican Richard Giovinazzi to replace her, and he took office immediately. But Democrats objected, pointing to a statute that allows the party that won the seat in the last election the chance to fill a vacancy."</ref><ref>[http://www.buenaboro.org/pdfs/council/February%2013,%202023.pdf Regular Council Meeting Minutes for February 13, 2023], Borough of Buena. Accessed June 5, 2023. "WHEREAS, as the inadvertent appointment of Richard Giovinazzi was contrary to N.J.S.A. 40A:16-11, the seat left vacant by Gina Andaloro remains vacant from the date of her resignation. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Borough of Buena that Resolution 37-23 be and is hereby void ab initio to January 23, 2023"</ref> After the council refused to appoint any of the three Democrats nominated, the Democratic municipal committee in March 2023 named Ernest Merighi to fill the vacant seat.<ref>[http://www.buenaboro.org/pdfs/council/March%2013,%202023.pdf Regular Council Meeting Minutes for March 13, 2023], Borough of Buean. Accessed June 5, 2023."WHEREAS, the Borough Council finds that it is not willing to appoint one of the two remaining names, leaving such appointment to the democratic municipal committee. WHEREAS, the municipal committee of the democratic party has appointed Ernest Merighi as the successor to fill the vacancy."</ref> In May 2021, Republican Councilmember Aldo S. Palmieri submitted his resignation from his seat expiring in December 2023, but the council did not accept the resignation until January 2022 at which time it was accepted retroactive to May.<ref>Doyle, Christopher. [https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/after-seven-months-buena-borough-council-accepts-councilmans-resignation/article_41a1b1f4-6f55-11ec-8eab-4b7f74d7e023.html "After seven months, Buena Borough Council accepts councilman's resignation"], ''[[The Press of Atlantic City]]'', January 7, 2022. Accessed April 18, 2022. "The Borough Council voted unanimously to accept the resignation of former Councilman Aldo Palmieri Thursday night at the 2022 borough reorganization meeting, which was held remotely via conference call. The resignation will be retroactive to May 10, 2021, when Palmieri first publicly announced his intention to leave office. The delay in accepting Palmieri’s resignation has fueled months of controversy in the borough, leading to prolonged disputes over when the former councilman resigned and how the borough ought to fill the vacancy."</ref><ref>[http://www.buenaboro.org/pdfs/council/Minutes%202022.pdf Reorganization Meeting Minutes for January 6, 2022], Borough of Buena. Accessed April 18, 2022. "Councilwoman Pat Andaloro made the motion to accept the resignation of Aldo Palmieri retroactive from the May 10, 2021 meeting."</ref> In November 222, Joseph Fabrizio was elected to serve the balance of the term.<ref name=Atlantic2022/> In July 2019, Joseph D'Alessandro was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2019 that had been held by Jeffrey Marolda until his resignation from office the precious month.<ref>[http://www.buenaboro.org/pdfs/council/July%208,%202019.docx Meeting Minutes for July 8, 2019], Borough of Buena. Accessed September 24, 2019. "Whereas, Councilman Jeffrey Marolda resigned his council seat effective June 24, 2019, and; Whereas, the term of Councilman Jeffrey Marolda expires on December 31, 2019... Now Therefore, Be It Resolved by the Mayor and Borough Council of the Borough of Buena, County of Atlantic, State of New Jersey that Joseph A. D’Alessandro, III is appointed to fill the unexpired Council term of Jeffrey Marolda."</ref> In October 2016, Jorge Alvarez become Buena's first Hispanic councilmember when he was chosen from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2017 that had been held by Robert L. James Jr. until his resignation.<ref>Smith, Joseph P. [http://www.thedailyjournal.com/story/news/2016/10/12/new-jersey-james-alvarez-appointed-vacant-buena-borough-council-oct-12/91974182/ "Alvarez appointed to vacant Buena Borough Council seat"], ''[[The Daily Journal (New Jersey)|The Daily Journal]]'', October 12, 2016. Accessed May 18, 2017. "The Borough Council has quickly filled a vacancy created with the recent unexpected resignation of Councilman Robert L. James. The council voted at its regular meeting on Tuesday night to accept the nomination of Jorge Alvarez to replace James. The Melini Avenue resident is the first Hispanic to join the all-Republican council."</ref> In February 2016, the borough council selected Matthew Walker Sr. from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2016 that had been held by Edward Cugini until his resignation; Walker became the first African-American to serve on the borough council.<ref>Smith, Joseph P. [http://www.thedailyjournal.com/story/news/2016/02/09/matthew-walker-sr-takes-seat-buena-council/80037194/ "Buena makes historic pick for council"], ''[[The Daily Journal (New Jersey)|The Daily Journal]]'', February 9, 2016. Accessed June 14, 2016. "The Borough Council chose school board member Matthew Walker Sr. on Monday night to join the six-seat governing body as a replacement for the recently retired Councilman Edward Cugini Sr."</ref> In 2018, the Buena Borough Police Department was disbanded. The borough entered into a shared service agreement with the [[Franklin Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey|Franklin Township]] Police Department, whose Chief of Police is Brian Zimmer. With the dissolution of Buena's police force, the borough's officers were being given an opportunity for consideration to be hired by Franklin Township.<ref>Smith, Joseph P. [https://www.thedailyjournal.com/story/news/2017/06/29/buena-picks-franklin-township-police-coverage/436652001/ "Buena picks Franklin Township for police coverage"], ''[[The Daily Journal (New Jersey)|The Daily Journal]]'', June 28, 2017. Accessed March 20, 2018. "The Borough Council voted 4-1 Wednesday afternoon to hire Franklin Township instead of the city of Vineland to assume responsibility for providing police services here.... The council decision means the end is in sight for the borough police force, which will be dissolved. Franklin will give borough officers hiring preference for current openings in its department but not a guarantee of employment."</ref>
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