FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP – Committeeman Lester A. Preston Jr. has been elected by his colleagues on the Township Committee to lead Freehold Township as mayor for 2020.
Preston joined the governing body in 2015 and will serve as mayor for the second time, having previously held the position in 2017.
Committeeman Thomas Cook was elected by his colleagues to serve as deputy mayor for the year.
Cook has been a member of the governing body since 2013. He previously served as deputy mayor in 2018 and was mayor in 2015.
Under Freehold Township’s form of government, the mayor and deputy mayor are not directly elected by voters. The mayor and deputy mayor are elected each January by the members of the governing body to serve a one-year term.
The committee held its annual reorganization meeting on Jan. 3 at the municipal building. Maureen Fasano was sworn in to beginning serving her first three-year term.
Republicans hold a 5-0 majority on the committee.
The meeting was the final one on the dais for Committeeman David Salkin, who announced his resignation effective that day. Salkin joined the Township Committee in 1994 and served in office for 25 years.
Salkin was recently hired as Monmouth County’s consumer affairs director and is not permitted to hold elected office.
With an open seat on the governing body, representatives of the Freehold Township Republican Party will provide the names of candidates for the position to the Township Committee. Preston, Cook Fasano and Committeeman Anthony Ammiano will select an individual to succeed Salkin.
The person who is appointed to the committee will serve through 2020 and may seek election to a three-year term in November.
After the meeting, Preston said, “It is an honor to be elected by my fellow committee members to serve as mayor for 2020, and I look forward to working with our residents in the upcoming year.
“I want to congratulate former Township Committee members Barbara McMorrow and David Salkin on their retirements and I look forward to working with our newest committee member, Maureen Fasano.
“We have started the process to identify a replacement for Mr. Salkin and we look forward to making that announcement later this month.
“We have a very active and important year as the township moves forward with our affordable housing obligations, including required zoning changes to accommodate the new affordable units. Stay tuned, because we also anticipate some future official announcements on a few long-awaited projects in the township,” Preston said.
