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Borough Hall

How Haddonfield's Government Works: Three Commissioners, Three Departments and No Mayor's Veto

Who runs what at Borough Hall, how the mayor gets picked, and when you can speak up before a vote.

By Live Haddonfield ยท

Haddonfield is run by three elected commissioners who work out of Borough Hall, 242 Kings Highway East. Together they pass the laws. Separately, each one runs a department. It's called the commission form of government, set up under New Jersey's Walsh Act, and it explains a lot about who to call when something in town goes sideways.

Where it comes from

Gov. Woodrow Wilson signed the Walsh Act in 1911 (N.J.S.A. 40:70-1 et seq.), the borough explains on its commissioners page. The idea was to take party politics out of local government. It caught on fast in the 1910s and 1920s, then faded. The same page says that as of July 1, 2011, only 30 New Jersey municipalities used it.

The basics, per that page:

  • Voters elect a three-member commission in smaller towns and five in larger ones.
  • Elections are at large and nonpartisan. No party labels on the ballot.
  • Elections are in May unless the governing body moves them to November by ordinance, and that change has to stay for at least 10 years.
  • Commissioners serve four-year terms, all at the same time.

Who runs what right now

Each commissioner directs one department. After the May 13, 2025, election, the board reorganized on May 27, 2025, South Jersey Media reported:

  • Mayor Dave Siedell: Revenue and Finance
  • Deputy Mayor Frank Troy: Public Affairs and Public Safety
  • Commissioner Itir Cole: Public Works, Parks and Public Property

That 2025 race was tight. Cole took the third seat over William C. Shanahan, 2,058 to 2,009, per Patch.

Day to day, the borough's directory lists Sharon McCullough as administrator and Vanessa Fritz as acting borough clerk. The main number is 856-429-4700.

The mayor's job is smaller than you'd think

The board picks one commissioner as mayor for four years. The mayor runs the meetings and is told by law to "supervise" all departments. But there's no veto. The borough's page notes that courts have tended to treat each commissioner as "supreme" in their own department.

So how was Siedell picked? Administrator McCullough said in 2025 that the borough has "typically" tapped the top vote-getter, "but it's not set in stone," The Retrospect reported. Siedell finished first.

Two kinds of meetings

Work sessions are where ideas get talked through. They run about once a month, usually on a Monday evening. The next one is Monday, Nov. 9, at 6:30 p.m. at Borough Hall, with Zoom. As of Sunday evening, Nov. 8, its agenda wasn't on the work session page. The July 13 work session, for example, is where commissioners talked through ADU and duplex ideas.

Regular meetings are where votes happen. Agendas and minutes post on the meetings page. The next is Monday, Nov. 23, at 7:30 p.m.

How a local law gets passed

An ordinance is introduced on first reading at one meeting. It comes back at a later meeting for a public hearing and a final vote. That hearing is your moment to speak.

Example: the new multiway stop signs and the used ladder truck passed first reading Oct. 26. Both get a hearing and a final vote Nov. 23. Here's what's in them.

Sources

Borough Hall moves at its own pace. The Friday newsletter tracks what's on the agenda before it's decided. Subscribe here.

FAQ

Does Haddonfield elect its mayor directly?
No. Voters elect three commissioners, and the commissioners choose one of themselves as mayor.
Can the mayor veto a decision?
No. Under the commission form, the mayor presides and is directed to supervise all departments, but has no veto.
When can residents comment on an ordinance?
At the public hearing before the final vote, which comes at a later meeting than the first reading.