ENGLISHTOWN – Republicans Cecilia Robilotti and Eric Mann, the victors in the 2017 election, began serving new three-year terms on the Englishtown Borough Council when the governing body held its 2018 reorganization meeting on Jan. 2.
Joseph Youssouf, who has served as the borough attorney for many years, was sworn in for a new one-year term.
After all of council members were present on the dais, a motion was made for the position of 2018 council president and Mann and Robilotti were nominated.
Only Councilman Gregory Wojyn voted in favor of Mann for council president, whose nomination was voted on first. Robilotti, Mann, Councilwoman Maryanne Krawiec, Councilwoman Lori Cooke and Councilman Dan Marter voted no.
When the roll was called on Robilotti’s nomination, she was elected unanimously to serve as council president.
Mayor Thomas Reynolds made appointments to the Unified Planning/Zoning Board, appointing Robilotti, James Mastrokalos and himself to one-year terms, and Kathy Bien and Jerry Leonardis to three-year terms.
Through resolutions passed by the council, the following professionals were named to serve one-year terms:
- Thomas Herits as borough engineer, salary based on service per fee schedule and not to exceed $100,000;
- Joseph Youssouf as borough attorney, salary $130 per hour and not to exceed $75,000;
- Robert Allison of the firm Holman Frenia Allison, P.C., as borough auditor, salary varies based on service per fee schedule and not to exceed $43,000;
- Richard Kelly as municipal prosecutor, salary $350 per session and not to exceed $10,500;
- Christopher Koutsouris as municipal public defender, salary $250 per session and not to exceed $3,000;
- Timothy McNichols as co-municipal public defender, salary $350 per session and not to exceed $3,000.
A resolution passed by the council named Peter Gorbatuk as municipal clerk (tenured), official assessment search officer, Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator and registrar; Laurie Finger as chief financial officer (tenured) and deputy municipal clerk; Mark Fitzpatrick as tax assessor (tenured); Janice Garcia as tax collector (tenured).
Also, Edward Miller as code enforcement officer; John Marini as zoning officer, housing inspector and assistant code enforcement officer; Dan Megill as public works supervisor and clean communities representative; James Mastrokalos as water-sewer superintendent.
And, Lisa Langlois as municipal court administrator; James Newman as municipal magistrate; Deanna Owens as deputy court administrator; and Katelyn Kwiecinski, Piero Vescio and Todd Hardifer as Special Law Enforcement Officers, Class II.
For the position of police commissioner, which is held by a council member, Krawiec and Wojyn were nominated. Krawiec won the position in a 5-1 vote, with Mann voting no. Because Krawiec had already received a majority of the votes, a vote on Wojyn for the position was not held.
Wojyn and Marter were nominated for a vacant position on the police commission. The vote on Wojyn was held first and resulted in a 3-3 tie, with Wojyn, Cooke and Mann voting yes and Krawiec, Robilotti and Marter voting no. Reynolds, who can only vote to break ties, voted yes to appoint Wojyn to the police commission.
Finally, Krawiec made a motion to have the borough attorney draft a resolution giving consideration to the naming of a police chief. The motion was approved in a 4-1 vote with Wojyn, Krawiec, Mann and Marter voting yes and Robilotti voting no. Cooke abstained on the vote.
The Englishtown Police Department, which is comprised of 10 officers, has not had a police chief for a number of years. Lt. Peter Cooke, who is the husband of Councilwoman Cooke, serves as the officer in charge.
The resolution regarding a police chief is scheduled to appear before council members at their Jan. 24 meeting.
