JACKSON – Joseph Sullivan has been appointed as the second alternate member on the Jackson Zoning Board of Adjustment. The Township Council confirmed his appointment March 13.
Alternate members attend meetings and hear cases with regular members of the board. Alternate members may vote on an application if there are not enough regular members to decide a case.
Sullivan’s appointment capped a time of change for the zoning board. In August, Anthony Marano was appointed to the board. In September, Marano was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, possession of child pornography and distribution of child pornography. In October, council members voted unanimously to remove Marano from the zoning board.
Council members then appointed Scott Najarian as the first alternate, and Alexander Sauickie, who had been the second alternate, to replace Marano as a regular member. Larry Schuster was appointed as the second alternate, but he resigned one week after he was appointed, citing family obligations.
Following Schuster’s resignation, Councilman Barry Calogero said he sent council President Ken Bressi and Jackson’s municipal attorney several suggestions “to assist in the screening of future zoning board candidates.”
Calogero suggested residents seeking a municipal appointment undergo a background check, be asked if they have ever been convicted of a crime, if they have currently or previously filed for bankruptcy, if they have any municipal judgments pending and if they could fairly and impartially vote on an application that was presented before a board.
He said new citizen leadership forms have been approved and are being used as residents apply to serve the community. Calogero said Sullivan submitted the new application in regard to his appointment to the zoning board.
“Mr. Sullivan was asked to list three personal references and to list all properties owned in Jackson to ensure no conflict of interest exists,” Calogero said. “I can attest that Mr. Sullivan answered all of the questions satisfactorily.
“Mr Sullivan has an established history of serving Jackson residents as a volunteer on several boards, most notably as vice chairman of the Environmental Commission. He also serves on the Rent Leveling Board. His experience on these boards, coupled with the personal information from the new form, was the basis for my nomination for him to serve on the zoning board,” the councilman said.
