Welcome to the Borough of Ringwood! Ringwood is governed under the New Jersey Optional Municipal Charter Law (N.J.S.A. 40:69A-1 et seq., P.L. 1950, c.210) known as the Faulkner Act. The Faulkner Act has four optional plans: mayor-council, council-manager, small municipality and mayor-council-administrator. The Borough of Ringwood’s operates under the Council-Manager (Faulkner Plan E) form of government (N.J.S.A. 40:69A-81 – 98).

In the Council-Manager form there is only one directly elected power center – the Council. The Council are policymakers for the Borough. The Manager while chief executive and administrative officer of the municipality, is appointed by the Council and can be suspended and removed by the majority vote of the Council. The Manager’s function is to carry out the will of the Council.

The Council Members are elected in partisan election as part of the November election to serve four-year terms on a staggered basis. The election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor by the Council is conducted during the Reorganization Meeting held within the first seven days of January each year.

The duties of the Mayor in this form of government are to preside over the Council and voice and vote in its proceedings. The Mayor in this form of government has no executive powers; the Mayor is simply the primus inter pares – first among equals on the Council.

The Manager has the following functions: