Verona manager plans to step down next month, replacement search in infancy

Verona officials are seeking another borough manager.

Jerry Kenna announced his resignation as top administrator earlier this month.

It is effective Jan. 30, or possibly later, depending on how his replacement search goes.

“I think it was time,” Kenna said Monday about stepping down. “Council’s been getting a lot of pressure from the public to bring in a full-time manager. I don’t intent on abandoning the borough. I’ll be on as long as it takes to find a replacement.”

Kenna took over as manager for Mark Stanton, Verona’s current code enforcement officer, in 2016.

He serves the borough part-time and operates a finance business in Oakmont called Landmark Business Solutions. Kenna launched the company in 2007.

Council vice president Nancy Carpenter is one of the members in favor of a full-time manager.

“What we’re looking to have is someone whose focus is on Verona 100% of the working day,” Carpenter said. “The community has been requesting a full-time manager for years.

“There’s a lot to be done that involves things that Jerry simply does not have the time for like grant writing, developing a comprehensive plan and revising the zoning ordinance. Jerry did put a lot of time and effort into the community. He did work very hard for us.”

Councilman Dave Matlin said he was surprised by Kenna’s resignation.

“I appreciate what Jerry’s done in getting the finances in order,” Matlin said. “I was surprised at the last meeting when he announced his resignation. I did not know about it before hand.”

Matlin also supports having a full-time manager, but thinks it is going to take more than a few weeks to find a permanent replacement. He said a job description is in its draft stage.

“I think it’s going to take a lot longer than a month,” Matlin said. “I think we need to be patient and do it the right way, and maybe even look at getting an interim manager for a few months … We’re going to need some kind of coverage beyond January.”

Kenna, 36, of Oakmont collects a borough salary of $48,000 including $12,000 as treasurer/accountant.

Verona’s 2021 budget has $70,000 allocated for a manager and $24,000 for accounting services.

Kenna said the borough has the money for the positions because it has been fiscally frugal, and a lot of its major projects have been grant funded.

“We’ve been conservative in our spending for the last several years and have been able to put ourselves in a position where we can absorb these costs,” Kenna said. He plans to give council a proposal as to why he should be retained for the accounting job.

Carpenter said she is in favor of having an accountant even with a new full-time manager.

“I do think that it’s a good idea to have separate people overseeing the finances so that there are checks and balances,” Carpenter said.

It is unclear when a new manager may be hired. The position has not been posted on the borough’s website.