Former rec dept. official rejoins administration
Chosen to fill vacant position as director of community development
BY JENNIFER AMATO
Staff Writer

Michael Hritz

NORTH BRUNSWICK - Former township employee Michael Hritz has been appointed as the new director of the Department of Community Development.

Hritz began working part time in North Brunswick as a high school and college student and then around 1990, after graduating from Rutgers University, he became a full-time assistant superintendent of recreation. He then became assistant director of the Department of Human Services and served as the acting director for a short period of time.

He transferred to Hopewell in 2000 to serve as the director of Parks and Recreation, responsible for creating the first recreation department in Hopewell Valley, which currently serves three communities through an interlocal agreement. As per the invitation of Mayor Francis "Mac" Womack, he will now succeed Thomas Vigna as the new director of community development. Hritz will be paid a salary of $90,000 for his work.

"I return with an intimate knowledge of the township and its operations," Hritz said. "North Brunswick will always be my hometown. I have maintained my ties and connections as well as an affinity for the community, although I've been gone for a long time."

Hritz said he brings a historical perspective to the position because he has continued to be engaged with the township despite his leave of absence, such as advising the Adult Drama Group. He will now focus on planning and land-use issues the town faces, such as the proposed transit village on Route 1 and improvements to Livingston Avenue and Jersey Avenue corridors. He will also oversee committees such as the Planning Board, the Zoning Board and the Affordable Housing Committee.

Hritz said he is looking forward to working with established staff members who were employed while he was in North Brunswick, as well as meeting new hires in the department. He also said he is a longtime friend and colleague of Vigna and has a good rapport with everyone involved.

Hritz was appointed as the director during Monday night's Township Council meeting, although he must first fulfill outstanding obligations with his current full-time employer. He is expected to come on board in North Brunswick no later than July 9, although throughout the next month he will be involved part time in his new position.

"I think my charge is to be an effective manager and coordinate all of the varying aspects of the department. Each of the department managers and officials will continue to lead their individual areas, and my job is to make all of the interactions go as seamlessly as possible," he said. "Initially, my goals are to listen and learn for some time and then do my best to support the operations and make them as effective as possible."

Womack commented, "I think Mr. Hritz's management style and long-term familiarity with North Brunswick and North Brunswick's government will make him a valuable asset. He will not only be able to increase productivity in the areas of community development and code enforcement, but I think just as in the past, as Mr. Vigna had divided his time as director of community development and his important duties as planner, Mr. Hritz will spend a good deal of his time working with Rob Lombard, the business administrator, and Justine Progebin, the assistant business administrator, to streamline overall administration in North Brunswick, and his ability to do that and work at that level is important to the community of North Brunswick."

Vigna stepped down as director on May 24 and will instead assume the position of full-time township planner. He had previously served as director for seven years as well as township planner and assistant business administrator in North Brunswick.