SUSSEX COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE CENTER
Telephone:  (973) 579-0250

Just as any corporation must have someone who oversees the entire organization, so too must government.  In Sussex County the party responsible for this is the County Administrator.

The County is governed by State laws, as are all forms of local government in New Jersey, of which County government is a part.  Within the guidelines set forth by these laws, the Board of Chosen Freeholders establishes a set of rules under which the County government must operate.  The rules are known as the County of Sussex Administrative Code.  This Code was substantially updated in  2001.  The most recent revisions have clearly established the County Administrator as the chief executive officer of County government.

As the County’s chief executive, it is the County Administrator's responsibility to implement the policy directives set forth by the County’s governing body or board of directors, the Board of Chosen Freeholders.  As the County’s governing body, the Board of Chosen Freeholders sets policy and provides direction for program priorities and the allocation of resources.  It also sets the tone for the government’s organizational culture.  Within these parameters, the County Administrator directs, manages, and/or guides the County’s administrative departments, divisions, and agencies.  This is accomplished through a number of means.

Communicating the Freeholders’ vision to staff on a daily basis is the primary method of guiding the activities of County government. Additional methods include written communications, the negotiation of contracts, the administration of labor agreements, and individual and group meetings.  

The Operating Budget and the Capital Budget provide the annual allocation of funds, through both a prioritization process and a process of translating the County’s values into spending plans.

Other means include the monitoring of accomplishments by County staff, contractors, and agents.  Ongoing management of programs, employee performance appraisals, and measuring progress toward the accomplishment of County goals all contribute to this process.

Assuring compliance with various regulations is also a primary concern of this office.  County government is highly regulated, not only financially but also programmatically.  Various state and federal agencies oversee our operations and have rules and regulations that the County must follow.  In the end, the County Administrator must assure that these regulations are satisfied.