Jackson Council adopts $62.9 million budget after heated public hearing; one member abstains

Jackson Township Council voted on June 9 to adopt the 2026 municipal budget — $62.9 million as amended — after an extended public hearing in which residents and council members pressed for more transparency about the town’s finances.

The meeting began with multiple residents objecting to the budget process and content. Jim Selectia, a zoning board member who spoke during the hearing, argued the “user‑friendly” budget materials required by state guidance were not part of the introduced budget and urged the council to reintroduce the package so the public could review it. “The introduction was incomplete,” Selectia said during public comment, calling the omission a procedural defect and asking the council to “reintroduce the budget properly.”

Residents also questioned several line items, including a nearly $1 million set‑aside for legal judgments and a reported 49% year‑over‑year increase in certain administrative salary lines. Eleanor Hannah, a longtime resident, told the council she believed the budget’s claim of preserving 43.33 acres in 2025 was incorrect and urged greater detail on “other expenses,” which she called a source of opacity.

Town officials and finance staff answered questions during the hearing. Administrator Terrafano reminded the public that once administration submits a proposed budget, it is the council’s responsibility to finalize it. CFO Matt explained the cap‑bank ordinance the council also considered and said the ordinance affects appropriations ceiling rather than immediately raising taxes: “That ordinance is not actually raising any type of taxation or anything,” Matt said, adding that the cap relates to how much the municipality can appropriate within state limits.

On the council floor, members expressed shared concern about the town’s declining surplus and called for operational changes and a multi‑year plan to restore reserves. Councilman Belli said the municipality’s reserve is “vital” and urged hiring and spending controls in the coming year. Council Vice President Paul Mary and other members stressed the need to monitor discretionary expenditures and to pursue additional revenue from code enforcement and tax collections.

When the council voted to adopt the budget with the amendment, four members voted in favor and one — Councilman Pollock — announced he would abstain. Pollock said he was uncomfortable placing his name on the budget in its current form and cited unanswered concerns about hires and spending choices. Council President Bernstein and other members supported adoption to avoid a government shutdown and the financial disruption that could follow a failure to appropriate funds.

The council also authorized related amendments and directed administration and the finance team to pursue revenue recovery efforts, FEMA reimbursement for storm damage, and other steps to replenish the town’s fund balance. Officials estimated the budget uses about $9.4 million of fund balance in 2026 and said they will pursue measures to regenerate as much of that as possible in the coming year.

The council stated it would continue follow‑up briefings on budget details and pledged to provide additional documentation and answers to resident questions.

The budget vote followed extended public comment and professional responses; the council adopted resolution 177‑2026 to finalize the amended 2026 municipal budget.