The meeting also saw the reorganization of the council, with the nomination and swearing-in of Michael Desena as council president. His appointment was met with unanimous support, and he humorously noted his concerns over signing documentation, jokingly suggesting his wife might assist him due to his imperfect signature. Following Desena’s appointment, Michael Ullman was nominated and confirmed as vice president, also receiving unanimous backing.

Mayor Peter Calamari expressed gratitude to Judge Harry G. Carroll for officiating the swearing-in ceremony and acknowledged Father Tom Norton for leading an inclusive invocation. Mayor Calamari also announced AJ Pakora’s appointment as the new police chief, further emphasizing the leadership transition within the township’s emergency services, with Chief Frank Ayella being sworn in as fire chief.

Among various departmental updates, the Department of Public Works (DPW) announced the commencement of a new facility to better serve employees. Public safety updates included the police department’s ongoing recruitment efforts and the fire department’s successful response to December incidents. The fire department also acknowledged past service from Chief Zach Myros and looked forward to Chief Ayella’s leadership.

Significant discussions arose regarding the reassessment of town properties. The mayor highlighted that the substantial increase in property values would result in a lowered tax rate, providing some fiscal relief to residents. The council underscored the importance of directing all inquiries about new property assessments to Appraisal Systems, Inc., rather than township officials, to streamline the process and address residents’ questions effectively.

In addition to reassessment news, the council addressed various appointments and resolutions. The mayor’s appointments for township administration roles, including Mark D. Carlo as business administrator and Vladimir Bojo Arensky as director of engineering, were presented for council advice and consent. The council approved these appointments following procedural motions and votes, although the appointment of John Corkran as director of finance saw dissent from Councilman Ullman due to perceived conflicts of interest.

The council’s agenda included several resolutions, such as appointing Lurch Vincy and Bliss for accounting services, with mixed support from council members. The appointment of Elena Skinner to the library board of trustees was unanimously approved. Further resolutions involved appointing Susan Witkowski as registrar of vital statistics and awarding auditing services to Suple Clooney and Company LLC, though this latter resolution faced opposition from Councilman Sears.

The consent agenda, typically consisting of non-controversial items, was approved after Councilman Sears requested further discussion on specific items related to mutual aid and cooperative purchasing agreements. After deliberation, the council tabled the resolution supporting the Bergen County Fire and Mutual Aid Plan for additional clarification on its impact on existing agreements.

Councilman Sears and Councilman Cascio both highlighted the need for budget scrutiny, advocating for a closer examination of potential areas for expense reduction to provide taxpayer relief. This sentiment of fiscal responsibility resonated with other council members, although specific strategies were not detailed during the meeting.

Councilman Sears and others acknowledged residents’ support during recent elections and emphasized collaboration with township departments to enhance the community.