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First Hispanic council member takes seat in North Brunswick

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NORTH BRUNSWICK – In an historic day, the first Hispanic member was sworn in to the North Brunswick Township Council.

With his family at his side, as well as Middlesex County Freeholder Director Ronald Rios – who was the first Hispanic councilman elected in Carteret – Dr. William Lopez was administered the oath of office during the council’s reorganization meeting on Jan. 1.

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“It’s a special day. We’re a diverse town. We’re in a diverse county that cares about diversity,” Mayor Francis “Mac” Womack said.

Lopez said that prior to the noon start of the meeting, he was at home cutting grapes for his 2-year-old. Not realizing the gravity of the day, he said she was only concerned about if there was going to be a party, and if there were going to be cake.

“In reality, what we all do up here is for our families and for the future of the town,” he said. “I am honored and humbled by the results of the election.”

Lopez filled the seat of Sylester “Sal” Palladino, who temporarily replaced Shanti Narra – the first South Asian to hold office in North Brunswick – who left in 2016 to take the seat of the first South Asian on the Freeholder board.

Palladino gave some farewell remarks during the Dec. 18 council meeting.

“I feel very sad and dejected at this point because I really enjoyed it,” the councilman and mayor from the 1970s and ’80s said about filling in for Narra during 2017. “There were two words that my parents taught me over the years, and [those words are] compassion and empathy. One of the most important things I found coming back here … was that this committee and this council and this mayor have that term called compassion which means they’re sorry for something but there’s another word which is very important and that is empathy and that is the term which means that if you have a problem you try to solve it and you also put your feet in the same foot, the same feet, as somebody who has that problem. If you continue that and if you continue doing this I think you will find that the government will serve its people, and I’m proud of this group.”

On Jan. 1, after being presented with a plaque by the council, Palladino, who served as principal of John Adams Elementary School for 15 years, said he was proud to be part of the community.

“He’s an all around good man, an all around good citizen and a true friend to the Township of North Brunswick, and someone I know we all appreciate,” Womack said.

Also during the reorganization, Democrat runningmates Robert Corbin and Robert Davis were sworn into their sixth terms.

“Although I wasn’t born and raised in North Brunswick I have been around for a long time and [have been] involved as best I could in the politics and watching the town grow,” Corbin said. “North Brunswick is growing, North Brunswick has grown and I hope it will continue to grow.”

He said the common theme is to do the best possible job for the residents of town.

“This is your town. This is your family,” he said. “This is my town and this is my family.”

Davis, who was sworn in and then selected to replace Councilman Carlo Socio as council president – Davis’s fourth time in 15 years – said he, too, will put the residents first and foremost.

“I can assure you that I will listen to the public no matter what their political affiliation and make sure that my decisions are predicated on the feedback we get from our residents, the facts pertaining to the particular subject and our wonderful team of professionals, and overall what is best for the majority of residents of our township,” he said. “We will not stand on past accomplishments but will always look to make North Brunswick the best township in the state.”

Contact Jennifer Amato at jamato@newspapermediagroup.com.

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