Politics & Government

Fanwood Officials Convene for Start of New Year

The borough leaders met on Jan. 1 for the annual reorganization meeting.

Fanwood wasted no time getting to work in the New Year, as borough officials and community leaders gathered in borough hall on Jan. 1 for the annual reorganization meeting.

To a standing room only crowd, Mayor Colleen Mahr and the council welcomed new members, approved the borough’s board and committee members for 2010 and offered their remarks on their jobs in the year ahead.

 “There’s much to smile about, there’s much to be proud about, but of course the challenges remain,” Mahr said reflecting on the borough’s accomplishments last year and what they have to look forward to in 2010.

During her speech, Mahr acknowledged Fanwood’s responsibility to continue to try and keep taxes as low as possible, but was firm in her beliefs that the decisions made at the state level also have to improve.

“Our pension costs for 2010 will be $542,955, an increase of over $280,000,” Mahr said. “So to strike home my point and deep frustrations, if the pension obligations weren’t on our back, the 2010 municipal tax rate would remain flat, meaning there would be no new taxes that would have to be raised to support our operations. The cost of providing local government here is efficient, and I really challenge anybody to find luxury or pork. Yet I empathize because I hear firsthand from all of you how tax weary you are. … I am proud of the hard work we’ve done when it comes to economic development. I’ve done the best I can to try and increase our tax ratable base at a time when other municipalities are actually seeing their tax base shrink.”

Other council members also offered their comments on the state of the borough, including newly-elected members Robert Manduca and Mike Szuch.

Congressman Leonard Lance swore in the two Republicans at the start of the meeting.

“Redevelopment definitely is a key issue,” Szuch said. “We’ve got to keep Fanwood growing and changing in the direction we want it to go with the development happening here, and see if we cant make this place the greatest little town it could be.”

Current councilman Russell Huegel also received a new title: council president. Huegel follows Donna Dolce, who served in the position during her term.

The 2010 members of Fanwood’s rescue and fire departments were also recognized.

In a release, newly-elected Rescue Squad President Tom Kranz noted that one of the major challenges for 2010 will be paying for ongoing training and recertification of EMTs due to the elimination last year of the EMT Training Fund by the Corzine administration.

“We are waiting to see what, if anything, Governor-elect Christie has in mind for replacing the EMT Training Fund,” Kranz said. “Unfortunately, faced with a massive deficit, Mr. Christie has already telegraphed that budget cuts of 25 percent or more may be necessary to keep the state from going bankrupt. While it's good to think positively, it's also prudent to prepare for the worst, which means volunteer squads across New Jersey coming up with new formulas to pay for training. It could be left to each individual EMT to pay for his/her training, their squad, their local government, their local corporate sponsors or some combination of all four.”

BOROUGH OFFICIALS FOR 2010

Mayor and Council Appointments

Administrator – Eleanor McGovern
Deputy Purchasing Clerk- Rayna Harris
Purchasing Agent – Pat Hoynes
Borough Attorney – Dennis Estis
Borough Prosecutor – Daniel Antonelli
Public Defender – Michelle Jaker
Court Administrator – Joy Veeck
Deputy Court Administrator – Donna Zucker
Noise Control Officer – Tanya Moon
Public Agent – Eleanor McGovern
Official Assessment Searcher – Eleanor McGovern
Official Tax Searcher – Collen Huehn
Senior Citizens Coordinator – Paulette Drogan
Director Public Works – Clinton Dicksen
Public Officer – Clinton Dicksen
Personnel Director – Eleanor McGovern
Municipal Alliance Representatives – Katherine Mitchell
Municipal Housing Liaison and RCA Administrator – Eleanor McGovern
Zoning Officer – David Blechinger

Environmental Commission (3 Year Term)
Sandra Redder 12/31/2012
April Lee 12/31/2012
Rabbi Joel Abraham (Alternate No. 1) 12/31/2011

Planning Board (4 Year Term)
John Celardo – 12/31/2013
Kevin Boris – 12/31/2013
Maghsoud Dariani (Alternate No. 2) 12/31/2011
Laura DeGennaro (Alternate No. 4) 12/31/2011
William Lee (Mayor’s Designee) 12/31/2010

Mayor’s Appointments of Members of Committees – 2010

Shared Services Coordinating Council
Colleen Mahr, Mayor 12/31/2010
Donna Dolce, 12/31/2010
David Valian, 12/31/2010
Eleanor McGovern, Borough Administrator, 12/31/2010

Union County Community Development Revenue Sharing Committee (1 Year Term)

Mayor’s Representative, Colleen Mahr 12/31/2010
Mayor’s Alternate Representative, Eleanor McGovern, 12/31/2010
Council’s Representative, Katherine Mitchell 12/31/2010

Union County Transportation Advisory Committee (1 Year Term)
Mayor’s Representative – Jack Molenaar, 12/31/2010

Raritan Valley Rail Coalition (1 Year Term)
Jack Molenaar 12/31/2010

Union County Air Traffic and Noise Advisory Board
Lynn Brown 12/31/2010

Union County Cultural and Heritage Programs Advisory Board (1 Year Term)
Adele Kenny 12/31/2010
Tom Plante, Alternate, 12/31/2010

Solid Waste Advisory Council (1 Year Term)
Clinton Dicksen, Representative 12/31/2010
Donna Dolce, Alternate Representative 12/31/2010

Cultural Arts Council
Councilwoman Katherine Mitchell, council liaison
Adele Kenny, Director
Tom Plante, Assistant Director
Alex Chango
Alex Pinto
Carol Oakes
George Weiss
David Blechinger
Linda Radice
Gary Szelc

Communications/Fanwoodian/TV 35/Website Committee
Councilman Mike Szuch, Council Liaison
TV 35 Committee: George Weiss, Jim Grover, Jean Hilton
Communications Committee: Joan Feller, Sherman Feller, Pat Hoynes, Rosemarie McCallion, John Mooney, Michael Prasada?, Robert Sommerich

Standing Committees for the Year 2010

Administration and Finance Committee
Anthony Parenti, Chair
Russell Huegel
Joan Wheeler

Public Safety Committee
Katherine Mitchell, Chair
Russell Huegel
Joan Wheeler

Public Works Committee
Russell Huegel, Chair
Robert Manduca
Anthony Parenti

Land Use and Historic Preservation
Joan Wheeler, Chair
Robert Manduca
Mike Szuch

Recreation and Community Services
Mike Szuch, Chair
Katherine Mitchell
Anthony Parenti

Health and Senior Services
Robert Manduca, Chair
Katherine, Mitchell
Mike Szuch

Mayor’s Projects
-    Capital Projects
-    Economic Development
-    Shared Services

Mayor’s Appointments of Members of Boards and Commissions with Council Consent

Board of Health – Regina Brown, 12/31/2013

Historic Preservation Commission (4 Year Term)
John Celardo 12/31/2010
Adam Kois, 12/31/2013
Margaret McIntyre 12/31/2013

Library Board (5 Year Term)
Ann Minski 12/31/2014
Sheldon Ros 12/31/2014

Recreation Commission (5 Year Term)
John Quinones 12/31/2014
David Valian 12/31/2014
Tracey Fletcher 12/31/2012

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