Editing Manchester Township, New Jersey (section)

===Local government===
Manchester Township is governed within the [[Faulkner Act]], formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the [[Faulkner Act (mayor–council)|Mayor-Council]] (Plan 6) system of municipal government, as enacted by direct petition as of July 1, 1990.<ref>[http://www.dudley-2010.com/Faulkner%20Act%2046pages.pdf "The Faulkner Act: New Jersey's Optional Municipal Charter Law"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012040522/http://www.dudley-2010.com/Faulkner%20Act%2046pages.pdf |date=October 12, 2013 }}, [[New Jersey State League of Municipalities]], July 2007. Accessed October 21, 2013.</ref> The township is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government.<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 Township's governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the five-member Township Council. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term. Councilmembers are elected [[at-large]] on a [[non-partisan democracy|non-partisan]] basis to serve four-year staggered terms with either two or three council seats up for election in even-numbered years, with the mayoral seat up for vote at the same time that two council seats are up for vote.<ref name=DataBook>''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', [[Rutgers University]], April 2006, p. 49.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=10 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 10. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The township's municipal elections were shifted from May to November, with estimates of savings of $50,000 each election cycle and greater voter participation cited as justifications.<ref>Kyriakakis, Gregory. [http://patch.com/new-jersey/manchester-nj/as-town-council-considers-election-date-change-local-b3b9240107 "As Town Council Considers Election Date Change, Local Club Will Petition For Move; The Manchester Town Council held a workshop to discuss moving municipal elections from May to November, while a local club leader said he will begin petitioning residents for the change"], Manchester Patch, November 27, 2011. Accessed January 24, 2015. "Though the Manchester Township Council is just beginning to publicly address whether municipal elections should move from May to November as a cost-saving measure, a local Republican club leader said that he is not willing to wait any longer."</ref><ref>[http://www.manchestertwp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/June-27-2011-Minutes.pdf Meeting Minutes June 27, 2011], Manchester Township. Accessed January 24, 2015. "#11-016 - An Ordinance Of The Township Of Manchester, County Of Ocean, State Of New Jersey, Authorizing A Referendum On The Question To Amend The Municipal Charter To Move The Township's Municipal Election To The November General Election Date Pursuant To N.J.S.A. 40:69A-25.1 Et Seq And N.J.S.A. 40:69A-192 While Retaining Such Election As Non-Partisan Pursuant To The Provisions of N.J.S.A. 40:45-7.1... The above ordinance was offered upon a motion by Mr. Vanderziel seconded by Mr. Reiter and adopted by the following roll call vote: Councilmen Trutkoff, Weiner, Reiter, Vanderziel and Wallis; yea."</ref> A referendum on the ballot in November 2011 to shift the election date passed by a margin of 5,875 to 3,429.<ref>Staff. [http://archive.app.com/article/20111108/NJNEWS11/311080071/2011-Ocean-County-election-results "2011 Ocean County election results"], ''[[Asbury Park Press]]'', November 8, 2011. Accessed January 24, 2015. "Manchester: Local Question -'Shall the municipal, nonpartisan elections be held in November instead of May?' Yes 5,875, No 3,429."</ref>

{{As of|2024}}, the Mayor of Manchester Township is Robert Arace, who was elected in the run-off election of December 13, 2022.<ref name=Mayor>[https://manchestertwp.com/mayor/ Mayor], Manchester Township. Accessed July 8, 2024.</ref> Members of the Township Council are Council President Roxy Conniff (2027), Council Vice President James A. Vaccaro Sr. (2024), Joseph Hankins (2026), Craig A. Wallis (2024; elected to serve an unexpired term) and Michele Zolezi (2026).<ref>[https://manchestertwp.com/town-council/ Town Council], Manchester Township. Accessed July 8, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://manchestertwp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/CY-2024-Adopted-Budget.pdf 2024 Municipal Data Sheet], Manchester Township. Accessed July 8, 2024.</ref><ref name=OceanProfile>[https://www.co.ocean.nj.us/frmGovDirPage.aspx?ID=223 Township of Manchester], [[Ocean County, New Jersey]]. Accessed July 8, 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><ref name=Ocean2020>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Ocean/106715/web.264614/#/summary 2020 General Election November 3, 2020 Official results], [[Ocean County, New Jersey]], updated December 2, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref>

in February 2023, former councilmember Crag Wallis was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2024 that had been held by Samuel F. Fusaro until he resigned from office after moving out of the township.<ref>Vosseller, Bob. [https://www.jerseyshoreonline.com/manchester/former-manchester-councilman-sworn-in-again/ "Former Manchester Councilman Sworn In Again"], ''Jersey Shore Online'', March 3, 2023. Accessed July 8, 2024. "A familiar face returned to the dais during a recent Township Council meeting – Craig Wallis was sworn in by Mayor Robert Arace. Wallis, who chose not to run for reelection last fall, was chosen by the Council to fill the unexpired term of retiring Councilman Sam Fusaro. Fusaro resigned last month after having served on the governing body since 1990. He and his wife moved to Toms River."</ref> Wallis served on an interim basis until the November 2023 general election, when he was chosen to serve the balance of the ter.<ref name=Ocean2023/>

The Township Council appointed Robert Hudak in June 2021 to fill the seat as mayor expiring in December 2022 that became vacant after Kenneth Palmer stepped down to take a seat as a judge on the [[New Jersey Superior Court]].<ref>[https://manchestertwp.com/manchester-councilman-robert-hudak-appointed-mayor/ Manchester Councilman Robert Hudak Appointed Mayor], Manchester Township, June 2021. Accessed July 28, 2022. "Councilman Robert Hudak was appointed Manchester Township’s new mayor following the recent resignation of former Mayor Kenneth Palmer, who was appointed to a superior court judgeship."</ref> In turn, Michele Zolezi was appointed to fill the council seat expiring in December 2024 that was vacated by Robert Hudak.<ref>[https://manchestertwp.com/council-fills-vacant-seat-michele-zolezi-appointed/ Council Fills Vacant Seat: Michele Zolezi Appointed], Manchester Township. Accessed July 28, 2022. "Michele Zolezi was appointed and sworn in on July 26, 2021, to assume the Manchester Township Council vacancy created when Robert Hudak resigned his seat to accept his appointment as Mayor on June 28, 2021."</ref> In the November 2021 general election, Hudak was elected as mayor and Zolezi as councilmember to serve the remainder of the terms of office.<ref name=Ocean2021/>

In May 2019, the Township Council appointed Robert Hudak to fill the seat expiring in December 2020 that had been held by Charles Frattini Sr. until he resigned from office the previous month.<ref>Peacock, Jennifer. [https://www.jerseyshoreonline.com/manchester/council-welcomes-new-member/ "Council Welcomes New Member"], ''The Manchester Times'', June 7, 2019. Accessed April 14, 2020. "The Manchester Township Council appointed a replacement for Charles Frattini Sr., who resigned at the end of April. Robert Hudak, 42, a resident of Pine Lake Park and member of the township’s planning board, was sworn in May 28."</ref> In November 2019, Hudak was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Ocean2019>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Ocean/98863/web/#/summary 2019 General Election Official Results November 5, 2019], [[Ocean County, New Jersey]] Clerk, updated November 15, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.</ref>

In March 2017, Joan Brush was selected by the township council to fill the seat expiring in 2018 that had been held by Brendan Weiner, who was moving out of the township; Brush will serve on an interim basis until the November 2017 general election, when voters will select a candidate to serve the balance of the term.<ref>Peacock, Jennifer. [https://micromediapubs.com/manchester/new-councilwoman-appointed-manchester/ "New Councilwoman Appointed In Manchester"], ''The Manchester Times'', March 31, 2017. Accessed May 7, 2017. "With her husband, three of her four sons who still reside in town, and two grandchildren with her, Joan Brush was sworn in March 27 as councilwoman. She replaces Brendan Weiner, who resigned in February due to his family's relocation to Lacey."</ref>

In 2018, the township had an average property tax bill of $4,093, the lowest in the county, compared to an average bill of $6,313 in Ocean County and $8,767 statewide.<ref>[https://www.state.nj.us/dca/divisions/dlgs/resources/property_docs/18_data/18taxes.xls 2018 Property Tax Information], [[New Jersey Department of Community Affairs]], updated January 16, 2019. Accessed November 7, 2019.</ref><ref>Marcus, Samantha. [https://www.nj.com/politics/2019/04/these-are-the-towns-with-the-lowest-property-taxes-in-each-of-njs-21-counties.html "These are the towns with the lowest property taxes in each of N.J.’s 21 counties"], NJ Advance Media for [[NJ.com]], April 30, 2019. Accessed November 7, 2019. "New Jersey’s average property tax bill may have hit $8,767 last year — a new record — but taxpayers in some parts of the state pay just a fraction of that.... The average property tax bill in Manchester Township was $4,093 in 2018, the lowest in Ocean County."</ref>