Town considers next move in search for administrator
BY KATHY BARATTA
Staff Writer

MANALAPAN — Tonight will be Mayor Drew Shapiro’s last meeting as a member of the Township Committee and he said he would love to see his term end with a smooth transition that includes the hiring of a new township administrator.

At the start of the week it was not clear if that hiring would be made tonight.

Shapiro’s term on the committee will end on Dec. 31. He is completing his sixth year of service on the governing body.

After almost two years in the position, Alayne M. Shepler resigned as administrator on Dec. 1. Shepler had been Manalapan’s administrator since Jan. 1, 2004.

The township has advertised the position, but the Dec. 4 legal notice published in the Asbury Park Press describing the duties and requirements of the job did not provide a deadline for resumes to be submitted, nor did it give any indication of when or how interviews with interested candidates would be conducted.

As of press time Monday, the township clerk’s office had received eight resumes from people expressing interest in the position. The clerk’s office is collecting the resumes that will be submitted to the governing body instead of the administrator’s office because assistant administrator Tara Lovrich, who has been serving as the acting administrator, has expressed an interest in the position.

The person hired for the administrator’s job will oversee the day-to-day operations of a community with 34,000 residents, 175 employees and a $28 million budget. The legal notice did not state what salary the successful candidate will be paid. It stated that the salary will be commensurate with experience.

Shapiro said no deadline was set for resumes to be submitted, but said he was expecting to start looking at the resumes already submitted to the township. He previously stated a high regard for Lovrich’s performance so far regarding her handling of the duties of administrator. Shepler was out of the office for about a month prior to her resignation and Lovrich filled in for her.

Shapiro said while the decision on a new administrator ultimately rests with the entire committee, he said that unless he sees a resume that exceeds Lovrich’s proven skills and education, he believes Lovrich is the person for the job. Lovrich holds a master’s degree in public administration.

When asked if a schedule of interviews for applicants would be established, Shapiro said the work history and level of professional degrees or certifications associated with the position indicated on an applicant’s resume would likely determine whether an interview would be scheduled for any applicant.