By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
MANALAPAN – Republican Township Committeewoman Susan Cohen has taken the gavel and will serve as Manalapan’s mayor for 2017. Cohen was elected to the position by her fellow members of the governing body when officials held the 2017 reorganization meeting on Jan. 4.
Republican Committeeman Jack McNaboe was elected to serve as deputy mayor.
Cohen and McNaboe received unanimous support from their fellow Republicans Mary Ann Musich and Kevin Uniglicht, and from Democratic Committeeman David Kane.
Prior to the votes for mayor and deputy mayor, Musich and Uniglicht were sworn in to begin serving three-year terms on the committee. Musich, who served as mayor in 2016, was sworn in by Monmouth County Freeholder Serena DiMaso. Uniglicht was successful in his first bid for public office and was sworn in by Freeholder John Curley.
In remarks following her election as mayor, Cohen thanked her fellow committee members for their confidence in electing her as mayor. She has held the one-year position several times during her tenure on the governing body.
“Today is a day we open a new chapter,” she said. “We say goodbye to Committeeman Jordan Maskowitz and welcome Committeeman Kevin Uniglicht. We have a lot of work ahead of us. … We recognize we are the representatives of the people.”
Cohen reminded residents that employees in all of Manalapan’s departments are always available to help them and said residents “do not have to wait for a Township Committee meeting to get help.”
“The real heart of this community is our volunteers and the work they do. We are fortunate to have residents who are willing to give of their time,” she said.
Cohen concluded her remarks by saying, “It is my honor to serve as mayor. I will do so with integrity and I will work hard for you.”
Uniglicht, the committee’s newest member, said, “It is an honor and privilege to sit up here and represent Manalapan. I promise to work hard as a committee member. I am here to represent every resident in town.”
Uniglicht’s previous service to the community included serving as a member of the Planning Board.
Kane, who is beginning his second year on the governing body, said he is pleased with his assignments this year, which are the Environmental/Recycling/Green Team Committee, the Finance/Shared Services Committee, the Historical Committee and the Special Needs Committee.
Kane asked all Manalapan residents to respect one another in their online social media posts going forward and pledged that he would make that a priority for himself as a municipal representative.
Musich thanked residents for re-electing her to the committee on Nov. 8 and she thanked her colleagues and the municipal staff for supporting her as mayor during 2016.
“I look forward to a new year with new challenges,” she said.
McNaboe thanked Musich for doing “an excellent job” as mayor last year.
The annual reorganization meeting gives the members of the governing body a chance to appoint the professionals who will serve the township for the next year and to appoint residents to volunteer boards and commissions.
Officials reappointed Roger McLaughlin as township attorney, Greg Valesi as township engineer and Robert Oliwa as township auditor.
Other appointments included Jennifer Beahm as township planner, Susan Solda DeSimone as municipal prosecutor, John Kwasnik as municipal public defender, Shari Spero as arborist/certified tree expert, Andrew Bayer as special counsel for affordable housing, Municipal Court judges James Newman (morning session) and Nicole Sonnenblick (afternoon session) and Rick Hogan as municipal emergency management coordinator.
McNaboe, Uniglicht, Hogan, Susan Hergenrother, Daria D’Agostino and Todd Brown (alternate) were appointed to the Planning Board, and Larry Cooper and Stephen Leviton were reappointed to the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
