KEYPORT – Councilwoman Kathleen McNamara has been elected by her fellow members of the governing body to serve as president of the Keyport Borough Council during 2022.
The borough’s annual reorganization meeting on Jan. 1 was held in a virtual manner due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
As the meeting began, new Republican council members Rose Araneo and Ronald Peperoni, who were the winners in the November 2021 election, were sworn in to begin serving their first three-year terms on the council.
Araneo was sworn in to office by Republican state Sen. Declan O’Scanlon, who represents a portion of Monmouth County, and Peperoni was sworn in to office by Republican Monmouth County Commissioner Sue Kiley.
Prior to the 2021 election, Democrats held a 5-1 majority on the Borough Council. The council is now split 3-3 among party lines. Democrat Collette Kennedy holds the mayor’s office.
McNamara, Delia McDermott and Victoria Pacheco are the Democratic members of the governing body. Araneo and Peperoni joined Lori Davidson as the Republican members.
After all of the council members were seated, McNamara was elected to serve as council president for the year. She has served on the council since 2021.
McNamara succeeds the departing council president, Democrat Matthew Goode, who lost his bid for re-election alongside Democrat Dennis Fotopoulos.
In separate resolutions, council members appointed Leslie London of McManimon, Scotland & Baumann, LLC, as borough attorney and special labor counsel; Gregory Valesi as borough engineer; Oliwa & Company as borough auditor; Cleary, Giacobbe, Alfieri, Jacobs, LLC, as tax counsel; JP Capizzi, LLC, as bond counsel; and Joseph Bauman of McManimon, Scotland & Baumann as special redevelopment counsel.
Raymond Santiago was named Keyport’s municipal public defender; Gregory Cannon was appointed as municipal prosecutor; and Anthony Vecchio was named the smoke/carbon monoxide inspector.
Jay Delaney and Michele Clark were appointed as Monmouth County Community Development representatives; Delaney was also named the public agency compliance officer; and Michael Mulcahy and Chris Sanborn were appointed as Keyport Bayfront Business Cooperative members.
Kennedy appointed Nicholas Vecchio to a one-year term on the Planning Board; Donald Pacheco and William McDermott to four-year terms on the Planning Board; Gregory Kotzas to a two-year term as an alternate member on the Planning Board; and Cheryl Dickerson to an one-year term as an alternate member on the Planning Board.
