INSIDE THIS WEEK: Medford Council Creates Subcommitee to Review Sign Law - Pg. 2
PINE BARRENS TRIBUNE www.pinebarrenstribune.com
Vol. 2 – No. 25
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February 17, 2018 – February 23, 2018
New Town Manager Chosen for Evesham PHOTO SUBMITTED
Mike Barth assumes his new role as township manager of Evesham.
Council Selects 28-Year Employee and Former Police Chief to Lead Municipality’s Day-to-Day Operations By Jayne Cabrilla
For the Pine Barrens Tribune
EVESHAM—A new face has been chosen to lead Evesham Township’s day-to-day operations and policy implementation. Mayor Randy Brown of Evesham welcomed new Township Manager Michael Barth at a news conference on Feb. 7. Barth was selected just a day earlier by council to take over for out-going manager Thomas Czerniecki, who was thanked by Brown for his service to the municipality. Czerniecki served as Evesham’s town manager since 2014 and also held the role from 2007 to 2012. As reported last week in the Pine Barrens Tribune, Czerniecki accepted a position with Rowan College at Burlington County (RCBC) as senior vice president of the college’s Administration and Operations. “Evesham has had only three mayors in 40 years and three or four managers in that time period,” Brown said. “In 2007, we went through interviews (for manager) because Ed Sasdelli, the manager at the time, just didn’t want to go in the direction that we wanted to go. We had a different direction and that direction ended up being Tom Czerniecki.”
Brown said council’s vision in 2007, to make Evesham a community-friendly town, has played out due to Czerniecki and his staff. “In 2007, John McKenna, Chris Brown and I were sworn-in to take over the reins of Evesham Township after 16 years with Gus Tamburro,” Brown said. “Tom has taken the vision that council had and moved it forward; and we thank him for that. It is (also) because of our township employees, who make a difference every day. What they have delivered in constituent services and how they put community first, well, words can’t describe our appreciation.” Czerniecki thanked all township employees for allowing him to implement the policies that council wanted to follow. “I want to especially thank Deputy Manager Tom Shanahan, who was my right hand,” he said. “Mayor Brown asked me if I knew anyone outside (Evesham) for the job and I told him, ‘No, we have so many talented people here; keep it in-house.”’ Czerniecki, after thanking his staff, was upbeat as he helped introduced his successor, a 28-year Evesham Township employee.
Barth began his township career as a police officer, was promoted to deputy police chief, and finally as police chief from 2010 through his retirement in 2013. After his retirement as chief, Barth continued working with the police department in an administrative role. “In 2007, Mike Barth, the deputy police chief at the time, helped Evesham Police undertake the monumental task of achieving CALEA Accreditation,” Czerniecki said. “Mike was the quiet guy, behind the scenes, making it happen. CALEA is the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. He added that Barth went to the FBI Leadership Academy. “He knows how to run an organization, treat people with respect, define goals and prepare a budget,” Czerniecki said. “He (Barth) is the best decision they (council) could have made.” Barth said it was an honor and privilege to assume the position of town manager. “It’s a lot of responsibility and I recognize that,” he said. “Having said that, I think it is easier for me to come to this organization that I know so very well.”
Barth said everyone should feel at ease with him serving as the township’s chief executive and administrative official. “If we stick to what we have been doing and remember that the core mission here is public service, I don’t see any reason that the organization as a whole can’t continue to succeed,” he said. “So, rest easy. There is no big change coming.” Brown said stability that the township’s residents and employees have demanded from council “in election after election” is most important to the organization. “I don’t care if that organization is a township, county, state, or professional organization,” he said. “The reason I made my vote (for Barth) was I wanted to keep the stability.” Brown said there were “talented people,” who applied for the manager position, who were outsiders to the township. “Were there talented people on the outside?” he said. “Absolutely. Was I contacted by the state? Absolutely. Was I contacted by our party (Republican)? Absolutely. But, I have seen how
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