On the heels of a tough budget season that saw accusations fly against both him and other township staff, Township Business Administrator Chris Marion has resigned, effective Tuesday June 23.
But Marion, who has accepted the township manager position in Scotch Plains, maintains that the move is simply to further his career.
“I’ve always taken positions that interested me and in communities that I felt comfortable in,” says Marion. “I wanted to make sure that we finished the things here in West Windsor at least from my end.”
Marion said that Scotch Plains’ form of government is one that falls in line with his career goal to work in the council-manager form of government, in which the five-member council includes the mayor. Technically, Marion will be serving as the chief executive officer of the township. “If you’re in the field, there is a difference,” says Marion. “This is a good career move for me, and a right time to do it.”
Still, the tension has loomed over the last few months during the budget process, especially in the weeks before the mayoral election.
Throughout the budget discussions, Morgan has taken issue with the township’s AAA bond rating, which he claims has ended up costing the township more money than it saves. Morgan has been adamantly proposing to reduce the township’s surplus by $2.45 million, which he claims will lower the tax rate in this year’s budget by 4 cents.
A week before the election, Morgan had filed a request with the Mercer County Prosecutor and the state Attorney General’s office for an investigation of both Marion and Chief Financial Officer Joanne Louth. Morgan found issue with the analysis by Marion and Louth of his proposal to reduce the tax rate by 12.1 percent, which he alleges was biased in that it was prepared for political purposes. He also alleged that the document attempted to defeat the political arguments he has made in his campaign. Following the election, Morgan said he was committed to pursuing the matter.
When asked if this factored into his decision to resign, Marion said that “the last few months have definitely been difficult, but this is a positive career move. It wasn’t a determining factor in my choice.”
He added: “While I definitely say it was difficult, I spoke to Charlie, and he was very cordial and very supportive. Hopefully, some of these other things can work themselves out over time.”
Morgan, however, said that losing Marion was a “big deal” and that the petition he filed had nothing to do with Marion, or any township staff members, but rather Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh and Councilwoman Linda Geevers, who he alleges directed Marion and Louth to do the analysis. “Chris Marion got put in the middle,” he said. “How do you tell your boss no? The staff in town hall are in a very, very awkward position. It’s not about them.”
In addition, Morgan said: “I’ve worked with several administrators. Nobody is better at it. Nobody comes to the table with more diplomacy more energy and more intellectual skills than Chris. It’s a profound loss.”
Geevers, however, said “I’m sure all these types of serious allegations that are made somehow factors into the overall decision.”
“It’s unfortunate because West Windsor’s reputation gets damaged by these false allegations by Mr. Morgan,” she added. “Then it becomes more difficult to recruit high-quality candidates because of the negative political environment that has been created by Mr. Morgan.”
When Marion was hired in 2004, he brought stability to a position that had previously seen four administrators in six years.
In 1999, long-time Administrator Robert Bruschi left to take the administrator’s job in Princeton Borough after years of dealing with the political pressures brought by West Windsor’s change of form of government in the early 1990s.
Bruschi was succeeded by Richard Van Noy, who retired after less than a year on the job, amidst rumors that he didn’t get along with then-mayor Carole Carson. The remaining year of Van Noy’s terms was filled by Police Chief Frank Cox, who acted as an interim and ran both departments. Cox retired several months after ending his tenure as interim administrator.
Cox was replaced by Barbara Evans, long-time township clerk, after Hsueh was elected mayor in 2001. During her tenure as administrator, Evans was often at odds with council and also had difficulties with members of the staff. She decided to retire less than halfway through her term.
Since his hiring, Marion has been credited with helping to improve communications between council and administration.
“Thank you for bringing Chris Marion to us,” Morgan told the mayor seven months after Marion’s hiring at the annual reorganization meeting. “I have noticed since his arrival the collegial style and focus on details that Chris has brought.” Morgan’s comments were echoed by other council members.
Marion’s resignation leaves big shoes to fill. Hsueh says the township will definitely have an interim business administrator as it looks to recruit a permanent one. “Based on past experience and also when Chris is not around, usually Bob Hary is second in command, I definitely will have him as interim business administrator,” Hsueh said.
Hary is the director of the Health and Human Services Department who handles administrative issues during council meetings when Marion is absent. Hsueh says he will be talking to council members and key township department managers for input to start the recruiting process as soon as possible. “I think it’s very important to keep that stability and continuity here,” Hsueh said.
Of Marion, Hsueh said: “We had an outstanding working relationship in the past five years, and I’ll definitely miss him. I understand what he has to do professionally. I also understand he has been somewhat frustrated in the past few months, and I respect his decision.”
Marion said the he was most proud of improving the budget process, putting together a six-year capital project plan, addressing a number of personnel issues, and working with the employees and department heads during his tenure. “You have mixed feelings when you leave, and I’m sad because I made great friends and colleagues, and we really worked on some great projects,” he said.
He said he would assist in the transition process. “When I came here, the mayor told me it’s not necessarily how you go someplace new, but how you leave a place. I’m taking that philosophy now to where I’m going,” Marion said. “West Windsor was a very important part of my career.”
Geevers praised Marion. “Chris was instrumental in implementing the six-year capital improvement plan, promoting more efficient business practices, and working towards long-term financial planning,” Geevers said. “This all contributed towards stabilizing our financial system. The township is in good financial state due to his hard work.”
