As budget is being prepared, Administration, Sandman prepare for her departure

May 14, 2018

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ellensandman — Business Administrator Ellen Sandman holding a budget from 2014

PARSIPPANY — As a candidate Michael Soriano promised change at town hall once elected.

Mayor Soriano kept that promise on January 1 replacing controversial former township attorney John Inglesino with James Lott.

While not an issue during the campaign, Mayor Soriano promised other sweeping changes, including selecting a new business administrator to replace Ellen Sandman, a holdover from the Barberio administration.

Soriano has stated publicly several times that a new business administrator would be selected once the 2018 budget was adopted, most likely sometime in June. It has been reported in other news outlets that Sandman is considering a second run for mayor of Denville or possibly a run for Assembly in the 25th district to replace longtime member Michael Patrick Carroll.

While the five member Parsippany Council is often times split, the Council appears unified in it’s displeasure that this years budget process is taking longer than prior years and that Sandman and Township CFO Ann Cucci have been slow in providing the Council with documents needed to evaluate the budget.

When Parsippany Focus questioned Sandman regarding the budget, she responded “Tomorrow we will be meeting with the Mayor and the Finance Committee and we will advise.” Parsippany Focus also asked “Can you tell me if there is a proposed tax increase this year, and how much, or will it be like last year a zero tax increase?” and Sandman did not respond.

An email request for comment from CFO Ann Cucci went unanswered.