Some of the additional questions that need to be answered are: Does he deserve the protection? Is the law protecting him? Let’s see the general info and thoughts.
The Case
Sickels and his wife, Donna, filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 7 in March. The home he and his wife own in the borough is scheduled for a sheriff's sale on Monday. They listed liabilities of $1.23 million and assets totaling $682,778, almost all of it mortgage and home equity loans.
“This is a personal matter that has nothing to do with my employment with the borough,” Sickels said for a local newspaper.
Can He Continue Be an Administrator of the Borough
Of course, his bankruptcy didn’t leave any room for sympathy. His bankruptcy prompted at least one Borough Council member to question whether Sickels should continue to serve as administrator (he held the place for 20 years).
“If you can't keep your household afloat, how can you run a town?" asked council President Cindy Burnham, an independent, who said she's previously advised Sickels to step down. "How can you make good financial decisions for the borough if you can't make good financial decisions at home?"
The administrator advises the Borough Council on financial decisions, oversees all government departments and carries out projects approved by the budget, according to Red Bank's municipal ordinance.
There were council members that supported him after his situation was researched
Not all council members shared Burnham's view that Sickels should go. When asked what impact the administrator's personal financial troubles might have on his job, Republican Councilwoman Linda Schwabenbauer said, "None whatsoever."
"Significant financial decisions are made by the council, not by the administrator," she said. "I don't think it impacts his job performance at all.
Mayor Pasquale Menna, a Democrat, said that as soon as the borough became aware of Sickels' financial problems, it held meetings with the town's auditor to ensure the administrator had not been involved in any improper activity. No such activity was found, the mayor said. "We found that there were no issues that have impacted his ability as borough administrator," Menna said.
Your Thoughts
Is he right to ask for bankruptcy protection? If yes, why? Additionally, with such a huge debt and financial problems, will he continue to be good serve to the borough? Should he be fired? Let us know in the comments bellow, maybe also with some similar past cases in other countries.
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