BY SHANNON McLAUGHLIN
OF PASCACK PRESS
WESTWOOD, N.J. —— The Westwood governing body shifted on Tuesday, Jan. 2 with the swearing in of newcomer Erin Collins.
Collins and incumbent Christopher Montana were sworn in to the Westwood Council at the borough’s reorganization meeting, held Jan. 2 at the community center.
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Collins is the only Democratic member of the previously all-Republican council. Mayor John Birkner, Jr. is the only other Democrat on the dais.
Montana ran alongside four-year incumbent Christopher Owens in the election, while Collins ran with newcomer Jodi Murphy. Westwood voters chose one candidate from each major political party in November.
Montana was also unanimously voted to return to the post of council president.
State Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi, who is based out of Westwood, spoke of putting political parties aside to work together in doing what is right for Westwood.
“Both of the people who are sitting up here who represent your community are people who do it with honor and integrity, and will help heal some of the divides that we see in our society,” Schepisi said.
During his remarks toward the end of the meeting, Birkner welcomed the two council members, and acknowledged their service to the community. The mayor said Collins earned her seat on the dais through her “work ethic and commitment to the Borough of Westwood.”
“I look forward to her ideas and hearing her perspectives on improving Westwood’s governing body and our approach to municipal government,” the mayor said.
Birkner also took a moment to acknowledge Owens, who was not at the meeting. Owens was appointed to the council after the resignation of a member, and then was elected the following year.
Birkner said, “He met that challenge admirably, asked questions – he asked all the questions – and it was important to do so because he vetted out answers and sometimes provoked some thought in the rest of the members of the governing body who may have been around the block a couple of times who hadn’t quite seen things the same way.
“His contributions are certainly appreciated by the community, by the staff and by the commissions that he worked with throughout his time. I’m grateful for his work, I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to work with him for four years. I look forward to his continued involvement in the community … Chris Owens deserves all the accolades that we could possibly give him here tonight, and I wanted to make sure that he was acknowledged for his great and selfless work that he did on behalf of the Borough of Westwood.”
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Other positions appointed, honors bestowed
After the swearing in of Collins and Montana, borough professionals were unanimously appointed for 2018.
Russell Huntington, of Huntington Bailey, LLP, was voted to resume his post as borough attorney. Huntington, who has been Westwood’s attorney since 1978, was acknowledged by the mayor and council for his 40 years of service.
Stephen Boswell, of Boswell Engineering, was appointed as borough engineer.
Other appointments were confirmed, including several borough professionals, municipal offices and various boards.
More swearing-in ceremonies were conducted at the meeting for members of the police reserves, and ambulance corps and fire department officials. Each department also awarded a member for the Volunteer Emergency Services Hall of Fame. William Quinn was nominated by the fire department, Kali Spoelstra by the ambulance corps and Sal Grosso by the reserves.
The Westwood Council is next scheduled to meet on Jan. 16.
Photos by Shannon McLaughlin