By Walter Elliott
NEWARK – Those here and in eight other “Local Talk” area communities are experiencing what Essex County Clerk Christopher Durkin calls “The peaceful transition of power here and across the country” – and may not be as aware of it as in previous years.
This edition is being published and posted in the midst of a week of 12 county, municipal and boards of education reorganizations that began on Jan. 1 and is to end Jan. 7. Those who have been elected by a majority of participating registered voters Nov. 3 are, by state law, to formally take their offices on Jan.1 or at least during Jan.1 – 7.
Durkin (D-Roseland), who himself was sworn-in again here Jan. 6, has frequently added that reorganization meeting days “are the most political days of the year.” The newly-sworn-in panel determines who will be their president or chairperson, who will sit in which committees, who will represent the panel to other entities and on down to passing temporary budgets and who will be their official publications.
This calendar year reorganizations, as in the past seven, include those of eight public boards of education among seven towns. These supposedly apolitical entities carry out similar tasks except for their mid-year-set budgets.
The reorganizations, in the year of the COVID pandemic, are being mutedly performed.
Inaugurations, whenever not done remotely on Zoom, are being held before restricted audiences instead of packed houses. Durkin and other dignitaries, observing social distancing, are making fewer events.
“First times” and other milestones still mark Reorganization 2021 as they have with previous editions.
Wayne Richardson, of Newark, and Carlos Pomares, of Bloomfield, for example, will have been named the ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS president and vice president when you read this.
Richardson, who was this panel’s vice president the last three years, is to succeed Brendan Gill, of Montclair. The commissioners have been rotating their president by mutual agreement. Pomares is to follow as vice president.
Although the Richardson-Pomares selections and the swearing-in of all nine commissioners were to start here in the Hall of Records 5 p.m. Jan. 6, Richardson himself made the sneak preview. His face covers an on-line invitation posted Jan. 4.
“Commissioners,” as of Jan. 1, replaces “Board of Chosen Freeholders” here and in New Jersey’s 20 other counties.
There was enough support on the counties and state levels to change the name with a mid-2020 law. “Chosen Freeholders,” since 1800, originally referred to land-owning Caucasian men.
The MAPLEWOOD TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE, once again, holds their reorganization noon Jan. 1. Victor De Luca and Dean Dafis, who ran unopposed, were sworn into their eighth and second TC terms. Maplewood’s elders also kept colleagues Frank McGehee and Dafis as their Committee President and Vice President.
The BELLEVILLE BOARD OF EDUCATION TRUSTEES swore in Frank Velez III and Erika Jacho to their first and second terms 6 p.m. Jan. 4.
Velez, 18, is the youngest Belleville BOT member in its 181-year-old history. Jacho dispelled notions that she would resign due to an Oct. 20-21 DWI arrest by taking her oath of office again.
Velez and Jacho unanimously retained Christine Lamparello and selected Gabrielle V. Bennett-Murphy as their president and vice president.
The EAST ORANGE CITY COUNCIL held its annual reorganizational meeting, although 2020 was a non-election year there, 6 p.m. that Monday. First Ward Councilman Christopher J. James, for the third straight year, was elected as Council President.
The BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP COUNCIL’s returning three ward members – Jenny Mundell, Nick Joanow and Sarah Cruz – were sworn-in 6:30 p.m. that night.
The GLEN RIDGE BOROUGH COUNCIL saw the swearing-in of Deborah Mans to her second straight term and David Lefkovits to his second non-consecutive term. Former mayor David Hughes was named Council President.
The ORANGE BOE reorganization meeting 7 p.m. Jan. 5 saw newcomers Fatimah Turner, Samantha Crockett and former Vice President Jeffery Wingfield sworn in at its headquarters.
History was meanwhile made in the WEST ORANGE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL meeting 5:30 p.m. that Tuesday. First-time Council Members-Elect Tammy Williams and Rev. William “Bill” Rutherford joined 2020 returning incumbent and 2020 Council President Michelle Casalino were sworn in at 5:30 p.m.
Williams is West Orange’s first African-American woman council member. She, Casalino, Susan McCartney and Cindy Matute-Brown make up a four-to-one female majority to Rutherford. Matute-Brown is the panel’s new council president.
The BLOOMFIELD BOE that night first saw incumbent Jessica Salinas and newcomers Nadeisha Greene and Kasey Dudley take their oaths at the Bloomfield High School Media Center.
Board President Jill Fischmann was retained by five members versus four abstentions. Ralph Walker was made vice president by six members against three abstentions.
All three NUTLEY BOE members who were elected unopposed – incumbents Lisa Danchak-Martin and Salvatore Ferraro plus Salvatore Balsamo – were sworn in at 6:30 p.m.
Charles W. Kucinski and Danchak-Martin were re-elected president and vice president.
All three SOUTH ORANGE-MAPLEWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT BOE newcomers – Susan Lewis Bergin, Courtney Winkfield and Ellen Malespina – are to be sworn into their full three-year terms 6:30 p.m. Jan. 6. Incumbent and former appointee Kamal Zubieta is to also be sworn into the last two years of an unexpired term.
Incumbent Tracey St. Auburn, and newcomers Jocelyn Gottlieb and Duval Graham are to be sworn onto the GLEN RIDGE BOE 6:30 p.m. Jan. 6.
Newcomer Melinda C. Huerta is to be inaugurated at the WEST ORANGE BOE 7:30 p.m. Jan. 7.
