FREEHOLD – Democratic Councilwoman Annette Jordan has been elected by her fellow members of the governing body to serve as president of the Borough Council in Freehold Borough for 2021.
The borough’s annual reorganization meeting on Jan. 3 was held in a virtual manner due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Incumbent Democratic councilmen Michael DiBenedetto and George Schnurr, the winning candidates in the November election, were sworn in to begin serving new three-year terms prior the meeting. Video footage of both men taking the oath of office at Borough Hall was shown.
Jordan was elected to serve as council president in an unanimous vote by DiBenedetto, Schnurr, Councilwoman Sharon Shutzer, Councilwoman Margaret Rogers, Councilman Adam Reich and herself. She has served on the governing body since 2019.
Democrats hold all six council seats and the mayor’s office in Freehold Borough.
In separate resolutions, the council accepted Mayor Kevin Kane’s nomination of Robert Cosgrove as municipal prosecutor for 2021 and Jonathan Lomurro as public defender for 2021.
Anthony Vecchio and Pasquale Menna were named substitute/alternate municipal prosecutors and Ray Raya was named conflict public defender for the year.
The council members accepted Kane’s nomination of Scott Basen as Freehold Borough’s municipal judge for a three-year term.
Through one resolution, council members accepted Kane’s nomination and appointment of Business Administrator Stephen Gallo as deputy clerk, Mary Cruz as registrar, Lynn Cannon as deputy registrar, Chief Financial Officer Richard Gartz as treasurer and collector for water and sewer rents, Kathleen Caruso as deputy treasurer, Patricia Berg as tax search officer and Kevin Coyne as borough historian, each for a one-year term (except for Cruz’s and Cannon’s appointments, which are for three years).
Council members made the following appointments to the Planning Board: Paul Ceppi to a three-year term; Michael McCabe to a three-year term; and Garry Jackson to a one-year term.
For legal services, the council authorized a contract with Kerry Higgins of McKenna, DuPont, Higgins & Stone. For engineering services, the council authorized a contract with William Wentzien of Abbington Engineering. For borough auditor services, the council authorized a contract with Suplee, Clooney & Company.
Council members appointed Michael Ricciardi as a full-time Class II special law enforcement officer (SLEO), Niall Centofanti as a part-time Class II SLEO and Ty England as a part-time Class II SLEO, all with the Freehold Borough Police Department.
