BACKGROUND:

Middletown's Township Committee consists of 5 members elected by the public. After elections each year the Township Committee decides amongst themselves which of the 5 of them will be Mayor and Deputy Mayor for the year beginning January 1. (In Middletown residents don't elect a specific individual to be Mayor.)

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The Township Committee oversees the salaried Township Administrator and all township departments and functions (public works, recreation, strategic planning, etc.) The Township Committee meets twice a month in meetings open to the public. Approximately $210 of every $1000 of your property tax dollars go to the Municipal Budget that is overseen and voted on by the Township Committee. The 2018 municipal budget for Middletown is $47 million. To see the town budget presentation, visit middletownnj.org/budget. (NOTE: the township collects all property taxes, including school, county, library, etc etc, and then distributes them out to the various parties. Follow the link to see the different places your tax money goes.)

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Being on the Township Committee is not a paying or a full-time job. Many Township Committee members have day jobs as well. There is a small stipend of about $4,000 each year paid to each committee-person, but it is largely a volunteer position. If an elected committee-person steps down outside of the election cycle timeline, the political party of the stepping-down candidate gets to nominate replacements. The remaining Township Committee members then select from those nominees to appoint a replacement committee-person. 

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From the Middletown NJ website:

"Township of Middletown operates under the Township Committee form of government. The 5 members are elected at-large to staggered 3-year terms. The Township Committee conducts a reorganization meeting annually in January. At this meeting the Township Committee elects one of the 5 members to serve as Mayor and 1 to serve as Deputy Mayor for a 1-year term. The Mayor chairs Township Committee meetings and performs other duties as the Township Committee and the state law prescribes.

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The Township Committee is the legislative and executive body of the township. The Township Committee has the responsibility for passing laws and setting policies that affect the Township. The Township Committee appoints the Township Administrator. He is responsible for carrying out the Committee’s decisions and overseeing day-to-day operations."

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