JACKSON – Councilman Robert Nixon was unanimously elected president of the Jackson Township Council for 2019 and Councilman Barry Calogero was unanimously elected vice president when the governing body held its annual reorganization meeting on Jan. 1.
In November, residents re-elected Michael Reina to another four-year term as mayor and elected Andrew Kern and Alex Sauickie III to their first four-year terms on the council. All three men took the oath of office during the meeting.
Councilman Ken Bressi, who served as council president in 2018, said he looks forward to working with the new members and continuing to work with the returning members of the council.
He said it was an honor and privilege to serve as president, but said he was ready to turn over the gavel because Nixon is more than capable.
“I am really looking forward to the year and keeping an eye on the quality of life we expect in Jackson. I know everybody (on council) feels the same way. We will get a lot done working together,” Bressi said.
Kern thanked his family and said “without all of your help, I could not be up here today.”
“Thank you to the more than 10,000 residents who put their trust in me in November, and to the 56,000 residents of our town, I am going to work diligently to gain your trust and support,” Kern said.
He said he looks forward to working with the governing body and praised Reina for his leadership.
Sauickie said it was an honor to run for office with Reina and “to be on the same ticket as somebody who has had the success he has had.”
“In my mind I am just a kid from Jackson, that is all I have ever been. I grew up here, got involved in the town early and really, this is a lifelong dream for me to be up here,” Sauickie said.
Calogero congratulated Reina on his election victory, which he said was the result of the mayor’s hard work and dedication. He congratulated Kern and Sauickie and said he is certain they will be great public servants.
“I would like to recognize Councilman Bressi and thank him for his council president leadership the last two years, outstanding job. I would like to congratulate Councilman Nixon as the new council president,” Calogero said.
Nixon thanked his family members and residents who attended the reorganization meeting.
“This service partly belongs to you, but it is the support I know you provide all of us sitting up here that makes this a reality. Sometimes there are long nights, there are meetings when you thought the meetings were over with, but what we do is called service.
“The fact is that we do not do this for six of us, we do this for 56,000 people, everyone who lives in this community, and it is a labor of love because this is our home,” Nixon said.
Nixon said the council members have an obligation to residents to serve and represent them because they were elected to be their voices.
“To Mayor (Reina), I say congratulations again. A victory of that enormity is impressive and I think it speaks to two things. It is a reflection of the amazing work you have done in the several years before (the election) to earn (residents’) respect and trust, and it is a request from them moving forward to keep taking this town in the right direction,” Nixon said.
Reina said he was flattered and very humbled to be re-elected, stating that “a lot of people do not truly understand… how much time we spend out of the house. Away from family, away from friends, and all the things everybody takes for granted, but on the same token this is what we signed up for.”
The mayor said all of Jackson’s elected officials are open to criticism because that is “how we learn.” He thanked everyone who volunteers in the community, as well as the members of Jackson’s police, fire and first aid organizations for their service.
