WEST MILFORD — Township officials are set to introduce an ordinance that will make the mayor a full-time, salaried position.

The draft ordinance that was planned for possible introduction on Wednesday would amend the town code to let the Township Council decide each January whether the mayor will be full- or part-time. The council is considering a salary range of $90,000 to $135,000, plus a benefits package, for the full-time position, records show.

Councilman Michael Chazukow said Tuesday that the draft ordinance represents a good option for a township with administrative needs and a slew of projects in the works, though he knows there is likely to be some resistance toward paying an elected official a full-time salary.

Michele Dale, the current mayor, is popular among the residents, has a wealth of knowledge about the town and may be a better fit than a new deputy administrator for helping the town progress, he said.

“How are you going to find someone who has been as dedicated to the town and as familiar with everything just out of the blue?” Chazukow asked.

Dale, whose term as West Milford mayor runs through 2027, said Tuesday that she had some knowledge of the draft ordinance but had not seen it. Dale said she had been asked by many of the members if she would be willing to work full-time for the township and is not sure whether she would.

Reelected in 2023, Dale has been mayor since November 2018, when she won a special election. Later that year, she was appointed as interim township administrator to allow former Township Administrator Antoinette Battaglia to return to municipal clerk duties.

A former Township Council president, Dale has continued her involvement in West Milford’s financial planning since becoming mayor. She also has decades of experience in the banking industry. She joined TD Bank in 2000 and most recently worked for the bank as a vice president and senior account manager.

According to the draft ordinance, the council would have to determine no later than the annual reorganization meeting in January whether the mayor would be appointed to a full-time role for that calendar year.

Without majority approval, the position would remain part-time, according to the draft ordinance. The ordinance nonetheless says the council recognizes the need for “the mayor to serve … beyond a part-time role,” town records show. Duties for the full-time post include managing grants, public relations and shared service agreements.

In early 2023, Wayne’s Township Council considered but ultimately canceled a similar plan to make its mayoral position full-time amid some public criticism. That ordinance would have guaranteed the Wayne mayor an annual salary of $140,000 and health care benefits. It also would have put the mayor among the elected officials with the highest publicly paid salaries in the state. Among them are Passaic Mayor Hector Lora and Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh. Both are paid six figures as full-time mayors.

More: See how New Jersey narrowly escaped being known as ‘the Egg State’

In a separate ordinance, the West Milford council is seeking to repeal the section of the town code permitting the appointment of a deputy township administrator. Given other staffing options, the council is considering the position unnecessary, town records show.

Chazukow said hiring a deputy township administrator nonetheless remains an option he wants to see discussed during Wednesday’s council meeting. Township officials have also discussed making its chief financial officer position a part-time role to limit any tax impact.

Staff Writer Philip DeVencentis contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: North Jersey town considers making mayor’s post a paid, full-time job