Village admin is hired

South Orange’s next village administrator has a background in the public and private sectors as an attorney in two states, and as business administrator for three New Jersey towns.

Barry R. Lewis Jr., scheduled to start his new job Jan. 30, emerged from a field of more than 50 applicants interested in the job. Officials said they had several good candidates to choose from but, according to Trustee Michael Goldberg, Lewis stood “head and shoulders above everyone.”

Lewis, 50, thanked officials moments after trustees voted 6-0 Jan. 23 to authorize his appointment to the job, which pays a yearly salary of $147,500.

Lewis will lead a municipal workforce that has about 250 full-time, part-time and seasonal employees in a town that had a $33 million budget last year.

Village officials hired Lewis to replace longtime administrator John O. Gross, who left in September to become the chief financial officer and finance director of West Orange Township.

Gross is still the village’s part-time chief financial officer. Since his departure, Reagan Burkholder has been the village’s interim administrator.

— Philip Sean Curran

Editor's Note: Read the full story in this week's edition. Hits newsstands Thursday.