Editing Sea Girt, New Jersey (section)

===Local government===
[[File:Sea Girt, NJ borough hall, Sept. 2024.jpg|thumb|right|Sea Girt Borough Hall and Police Department]]
Sea Girt 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. 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. 58.</ref> The borough form of government used by Sea Girt 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. [https://www.njlm.org/809/3982/Forms-of-Govt-Magazine-Article "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask"], [[New Jersey State League of Municipalities]], March 2007. Accessed January 1, 2025.</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|2025}}, the mayor of Sea Girt Borough is [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] Donald E. Fetzer, whose term of office ending December 31, 2027. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Diane R. Anthony (R, 2026), Hillary DiFeo (R, 2026), Tom Downey (R, 2025), Bryan Perry (R, 2025), Maria Richman (R, 2027) and Alan J. Zakin (R, 2027).<ref name=MayorCouncil>[https://www.seagirt-nj.gov/borough-council Borough Council], Borough of Sea Girt, New Jersey. Accessed February 5, 2025. "The Borough of Sea Girt is governed under the Borough form of government. The governing body consists of a Mayor and six council members who are elected at large. The Mayor is elected by the voters to a four year term and each Council member is elected to serve a three year term.""</ref><ref>[https://www.seagirt-nj.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif3791/f/uploads/1344_certifiedadoptbudget_2024_0.pdf#page=12 2024 Municipal Data Sheet], Borough of Sea Girt, New Jersey. Accessed February 5, 2025.</ref><ref name=Monmouth2024>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Monmouth/122857/web.345435/#/summary November 5, 2024 General Election Official Results], [[Monmouth County, New Jersey]], updated December 16, 2024. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref><ref name=Monmouth2023>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Monmouth/119047/web.317647/#/summary November 8, 2023 General Election Official Results], [[Monmouth County, New Jersey]], updated January 18, 2024. Accessed January 22, 2024.</ref><ref name=Monmouth2022>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Monmouth/116246/web.307039/#/summary General Election November 8, 2022 Official Results], [[Monmouth County, New Jersey]] Clerk, updated December 27, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref>

In August 2021, the borough council selected Donald E. Fetzer from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the mayoral term ending in December 2023 that had been held by Francis K. "Ken" Farrell until his resignation from office the previous month.<ref>Rossics, Anthony. [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/106781835/donald-fetzer-replaces-ken-farrell-as/ "Donald Fetzer becomes Sea Girt’s new mayor; Succeeds Ken Farrell, who retired in July"], ''The Coast Star'', August 19, 2021. Accessed August 1, 2022, via [[Newspapers.com]]. "Donald Fetzer has been named the new mayor of Sea Girt by the borough council at the Wednesday, Aug. 11, borough council meeting.... The opening was made when former Mayor Ken Farrell retired last month after serving 16 years as a councilman and mayor."</ref> Fetzer served on an interim basis until the November 2021 general election, when he was chosen to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Monmouth2021>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Monmouth/111499/web.278093/#/summary November 2, 2021 General Election Official Results], [[Monmouth County, New Jersey]], December 13, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref>

In June 2019, the borough council appointed Mark Clemmensen to fill the seat expiring in December 2020 that had been held by William Foley until he left office.<ref>[https://www.seagirt-nj.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif3791/f/agendas/agenda-6.26.19-revised-lpc.pdf Borough Council Meeting Minutes for June 26, 2019], Borough of Sea Girt. Accessed February 5, 2025. "Amend Resolution No. 96-2019 Appointing Mark Clemmensen to the Borough Council Seat Vacated by William Foley (appointment end date revised)"</ref> Matthew Begley was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2021 that had been held by Anne B. Morris.<ref>[httpshttps://www.seagirt-nj.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif3791/f/minutes/minutes-10.23.19.pdf Borough Council Meeting Minutes for October 23, 2019], Borough of Sea Girt. Accessed February 5, 2025. "Appointment of Candidate to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Anne B. Morris."</ref>

On April 5, 2006, the borough council retained a local government consulting firm to review the administrative operations of the borough and to make recommendations for restructuring and efficiency improvements. Among the recommendations accepted by the council was the decision to restructure the Municipal Clerk, Finance and Administration Departments and to create for the first time the office of Borough Administrator (who would serve as the municipality's Chief Administrative Officer).