Mayor of Englewood, New Jersey facts for kids
Englewood, New Jersey, became an official city on March 17, 1899. For many years, it used a "Mayor-Council" style of government. This means the mayor had a lot of power.
In 1980, Englewood changed its government system. It switched to a "Council-Manager" plan, but with some special rules. This change happened because the New Jersey Legislature gave Englewood a special permission called a "Special Charter."
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Understanding Englewood's Government
Englewood's government today is a mix of two styles. The mayor still has important jobs, like choosing some officials and saying "no" (vetoing) to certain decisions. The City Council is the main group that makes laws and policies for the city. They also help choose and approve some officials.
The City Council Members
The City Council has five members. Each member is elected for a three-year term. Four of these members are chosen from specific areas of the city called "wards." This means they represent the people living in their ward. The fifth member is elected by everyone in the city, not just one ward. This person is called an "at-large" member.
How City Elections Work
Englewood is divided into four wards, which are areas with about the same number of people. The city's leaders are elected in a three-year cycle during the November general election. This means not all positions are voted on every year. For example, wards two and four vote for their council members in one year. The next year, wards one and three vote. Then, in the third year, people vote for the at-large council member and the mayor. This way, each ward votes in two out of every three years. The new terms for elected officials start on January 1st after the November election.
The City Manager's Role
While the mayor and council make big decisions, the day-to-day running of the city is handled by the City Manager. This person is in charge of many administrative tasks.
Mayors of Englewood
Englewood has had many mayors since it became a city. These leaders help guide the city and make important choices for its residents. The table below lists the people who have served as mayor.
| Mayor | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel A. Currie (1842–1911) | 1896 | He was thought to be the first mayor, but earlier elections were later found to be invalid. |
| Elbert Adrain Brinckerhoff (1838–1913) | 1899 to May 1901 | He was the first official mayor of Englewood. He suggested increasing the police force and building a city hall. He resigned from his position. |
| J. C. Anderson | 1901 May to 1901 December | He served as acting mayor for a short time. |
| Daniel A. Currie (1842–1911) | 1902 to 1903 | |
| Dan Fellows Platt (1873–1937) | 1904 to 1905 | |
| Donald Mackay | 1906 to 1909 | |
| James A. C. Johnson (1867–1937) | 1910 to January 1911 | He resigned to join the New Jersey Senate. |
| Hezekiah Birtwhistle (?–1911) | January 1911 to October 1911 | He was acting mayor and passed away while in office. |
| William Conklin | October 1911 to December 1911 | He served as acting mayor. |
| Vernon Monroe | 1912 to 1915 | |
| Clinton Hamlin Blake, Jr. (1883–?) | 1915 to 1917 | |
| David J. McKenna | October 1918 to December 1921 | |
| Clarence Dillworth Kerr (?–1957) | 1922 to 1923 | |
| Colonel Harriot Van Devanter Moore (1879–1937) | 1924 to 1925 | |
| Douglas Gillespie Thomson, Sr. (1885–?) | 1926 to 1929 | He helped during the Lindbergh kidnapping case. |
| Cornelius Porter Kitchel (1875–1947) | 1930 to 1933 | |
| Irving S. Reeve | 1934 to 1935 | |
| Charles B. Hayward (1877–1937) | 1936 to October 1937 | He passed away while in office. |
| Robert Story Tipping (1887–?) | October 1937 to 1939 | |
| Clarence Ambrose Clough (1883–?) | 1940 to 1941 | |
| Charles William Floyd Coffin (1888–1968) | 1942 to 1945 | |
| Donald Aubrey Quarles (1894–1959) | 1946 to 1947 | |
| Melvin Leslie Denning (1895–1986) | 1948 to 1953 | He made the first long-distance phone call across the country using a new dialing system. |
| Watson Gerald Clark, Jr. | 1954 to 1955 | |
| Albert Moskin (1900–1994) | 1956 to 1959 | |
| Austin Volk (1918–2010) | 1960 to 1963 | |
| Francis J. Donovan (?–1965) | 1964 to April 1965 | He passed away while in office. |
| William J. Ticknor | April 1965 to 1966 | He served as acting mayor. |
| Austin Volk (1918–2010) | 1966 to 1967 | |
| Robert I. Miller (?–2009) | 1968 to 1969 | |
| Ned Feldman | 1970 to 1971 | |
| Walter Taylor | 1972 to 1975 | He was the first African-American mayor of Englewood. |
| Sondra J. Greenberg (1928–) | 1976 to 1982 | |
| Steven R. Rothman (1952–) | 1983 to 1988 | |
| Donald Aronson | 1989 to 1997 | |
| Paul T. Fader (1959–2017) | 1998 to 2003 | |
| Michael Wildes (1964–) | 2004 to 2010 | |
| Frank Huttle III | 2010 to 2018 | |
| Michael Wildes (1964–) | 2019–present |
