COMMISSIONERS-ELECT TO COUNTY:

NO NEW APPOINTMENTS, MAJOR POLICY DECISIONS DURING LAME DUCK

Point to Jail, County Administrator, CFO Position

As Key Examples

(VINELAND, NJ) – GOP commissioners-elect Joe Sileo and Tony Romero today issued a letter to Cumberland County administrator Kim Woods calling on the county to do away with the idea of rushing through lame duck appointments and major policy decisions as a means to bypass the incoming commissioners and the will of the voters.

“Lame duck efforts to close the county jail and push through last minute appointments do not represent the interests of Cumberland County,” said Commissioner-elect Joe Sileo. “The voters have spoken loud and clear, and, as a result, a new form of accountability in county government will take hold in 2022.”

“The fact that these conversations are even taking place is deeply disturbing,” said Commissioner-elect Tony Romero. ‘All of these larger decisions can wait until we are sworn in.”

On the appointments front, Sileo and Romero are specifically referring to the county administrator and chief financial officer position.

Sileo and Romero issued a 256-word letter today to Kim Woods addressing their concerns and calling for the county to demonstrate greater self-control and heed the message delivered by the voters in November.

In the letter they write:

“On November 2, 2021, the voters of Cumberland County sent a powerful message to county government by electing Joe Sileo and Tony Romero by a large margin and providing us with a mandate to affect wholesale policy and administrative change.  To this point, we are requesting that no appointments or major policy decisions be made prior to us taking office.”

“The transfer of inmates, closure of the jail or any other major policy decision affecting county government should not take place until we are sworn into office,” said Commissioner-elect Sileo.

“Government works best when it’s done in plain sight,” said Commissioner-elect Romero. “That’s what we’re asking for.”

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Attached is a copy of the full letter that was sent to Kim Woods.

Commissioners-elect Joe Sileo & Tony Romero

424 W. Landis Ave.

Vineland, NJ 08360

December 17, 2021

Kim Woods

County Administrator

164 W. Broad Street

Bridgeton, NJ 08302

Dear Administrator Woods:

It has come to our attention that the county administration has been considering several key policy decisions and appointments during the lame duck session and prior to us being sworn into office.

On November 2, 2021, the voters of Cumberland County sent a powerful message to county government by electing Joe Sileo and Tony Romero by a large margin and providing us with a mandate to affect wholesale policy and administrative change.  To this point, we are requesting that no appointments or major policy decisions be made prior to us taking office.

To be clear, we are specifically referring to policy decisions regarding the closure of the jail, early retirement packages for correctional police officers, and shared service agreements with other counties to export county inmates.

With respect to appointments, acquisitions and expenditures, we are referring to the recent public advertisement to fill the position of county administrator, which we understand is being vacated. Additionally, we’re requesting that no purchase of properties, appointments of professional service firms, members to public boards, and staff who are filling non-civil service positions. We do understand that all operating expenses still need to be exercised for normal everyday business.

Efforts to push through these types of policies and appointments represent the type of leadership and mindset that the voters loudly rebuked and voted out on November 2.

In advance, we thank you for your cooperation and look forward to working with you in the new year.

Sincerely,

Joe Sileo Tony Romero

Commissioner-elect Commissioner-elect