The meeting opened with the ceremonial swearing-in of new council members. Teresa Judge was sworn in and received a certificate of achievement from Gail Artola, representing the Women Empowered Democratic Organization. Jennifer Appice was also sworn in, with commendations from District 38 Senator Joe Lagana and Assemblyman Christopher Tully. The attorney Joseph Bar conducted Jennifer Appice’s swearing-in. Subsequently, Anthony Bessetti was elected as Mayor, and Jennifer Appice was elected as Deputy Mayor, marking a new chapter in the council’s leadership.

Residents expressed concerns about the permit issuance process, especially related to the actions of Verizon workers. A resident named Dean highlighted the aggressive nature of Verizon workers’ approaches to residents’ homes, despite a no-knock ordinance. This sparked a broader conversation on the enforcement of this ordinance and the need for public input on such matters. The council took note of the residents’ concerns and discussed the potential use of Nixel alerts to inform residents about visits from sales representatives.

An discussion on the consent agenda ensued, with Teresa Judge advocating for individual votes on appointments to ensure accountability. Several resolutions were removed for separate consideration, leading to a wider discussion on the bylaws and the need for timely distribution of the agenda to committee members for adequate review prior to meetings.

The council discussed the structure of public sessions during meetings, with suggestions to consolidate them into a single session for clarity and efficiency. The possibility of live streaming council meetings was brought up, aiming to increase accessibility and transparency. A compromise was reached on the timing of uploading meeting videos to YouTube, and it was proposed to add the date and time of the next meeting at the end of the agenda for public convenience.

The appointment of professionals and various positions within the local government sparked a debate. Deputy Mayor Vincent Bessetti expressed confusion over the process, leading to a motion to delay voting on related resolutions until the next meeting. It was decided that a closed session would precede the public meeting to discuss personnel matters, followed by a public vote on the resolutions.

The council also grappled with the scheduling of meetings around the holiday season. A resolution was passed to establish meeting dates and times, with the flexibility to add additional meetings as needed.

The discussion broadened to include the proposal to appoint chairpersons and vice chairpersons to committees, aiming to enhance accessibility and distribute responsibilities. Although some council members were concerned this might dilute individual responsibilities, it was agreed that the appointments would be made for the current term, with bylaws amendments to follow.

Additionally, the council moved to reintroduce committees such as Community Development, Redevelopment, Flood Mitigation, and Personnel Policies and Procedures. The mayor announced appointments to various committees, including the Board of Education, Health, Fire Department, and more.

Confusion arose regarding the appointments to the planning board and zoning board. It was clarified that the committee does not control the zoning board and that the meeting’s appointments were reappointments, not new ones.

Finally, the council made a decision to start the next meeting at 6 p.m. to accommodate a closed session for personnel discussions before the public meeting. This decision was part of a broader commitment to ensure a more informed and transparent decision-making process within the council.