By Colleen Reynolds / Reporter

CARLSTADT (Nov. 9, 2009, 4:35 p.m.) — Performing a balancing act of responsibilities with an increasingly greater degree of difficulty, state Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-36) has decided to drop one of his many duties, citing time constraints and heavier demands in the state capital. Effective Dec. 31, Sarlo will no longer serve as the borough engineer of Carlstadt, an appointed position that he has held since January 1998.

“The reason I’m leaving at this point in time is my schedule’s crazy with increased responsibilities for leadership in Trenton,” the Democrat explained to The Leader in a recent phone interview.

In the state Senate, Sarlo is currently chair of the Judiciary Committee and vice chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, as well as a member of the Labor and Legislative Oversight committees.

“That, and my willingness to participate more in sports in Wood-Ridge,” Sarlo elaborated, noting that he would like to devote more time to his family, specifically coaching his two young sons, who play soccer, football and baseball in his home borough.

Sarlo’s term as borough engineer in Carlstadt would have expired at the end of this year, so his decision is one of not seeking reappointment. A professional engineer by occupation before entering politics, Sarlo, who used to work for a firm in Rutherford, told The Leader that he will continue to make his engineering expertise available to the governing body and borough administrator of Carlstadt, as needed. “Of course, free of charge,” he added.

In his official resignation letter, which Sarlo submitted to the mayor and council of Carlstadt in August and The Leader obtained through an Open Public Records Act request, he stated that he was stepping aside at an early date in order to allow the borough “ample time to conduct a search for my replacement and facilitate a seamless transition.”

Sarlo also cited a desire to complete his service through the remainder of the current fiscal year so that Carlstadt would not have to “increase its engineering budget this late in the year, which could trigger emergency appropriations,” he wrote. “As you know, my billable rate is only $90 per hour, which is far below the industry average. I would anticipate that the borough will have to significantly increase its engineering budget in fiscal year 2010.”

When asked how he manages his panoply of jobs, Sarlo responded, “Life is all about balancing. You have to balance between your work and time at home with family, and when you do legislative matters you have to balance between your different constituents, so on this particular issue it came down to a balancing act for me.”

Even after his resignation, the balance beam that Sarlo treads will remain a challenging one. The senator will continue to serve as the mayor of Wood-Ridge, in addition to his roles as chief executive officer and chief engineer of the building company, Joseph M. Sanzari, Inc.

The dual office holding ban signed by Gov. Jon S. Corzine in 2007 prohibits members of the state Legislature and elected county and municipal officials from simultaneously holding another elective or appointive county or municipal office, but Sarlo was grandfathered in, along with other dual office holders statewide, who held their dual positions prior to Feb. 1, 2008.

Democratic state Assemblyman Gary Schaer, who recently won re-election to the Legislature, is another local official who continues to legally hold dual office under the grandfather clause. Schaer also serves on the Passaic City Council.

Members of the Carlstadt Borough Council expressed appreciation of Sarlo’s engineering work.

Recently re-elected Councilman Robert Zimmermann shared, “Paul always did a good job. Even though we’re all Republicans and he’s a Democrat, he’s a good person.”

“We’re sorry to see him go,” offered Councilman Dennis Ritchie.

“I’m disappointed because I happen to like Paul,” Councilman Richard Bartlett said. “But I guess with his other commitments it’s gotten to be too much to fit into his schedule.”

Multiple efforts to contact Carlstadt Mayor William Roseman for comment went unreturned as of press time.