EMERSON, N.J.—Saying she was moved that her new post as a borough councilmember earned her bipartisan and unanimous approval, Historic Preservation Committee Chair Jill McGuire slid into her seat at the dais, ready to get to work.
“Thank you for all allowing me to join you. I look forward to collaboration. I know this is a good team. I know everyone has the best interest of Emerson at heart,” she said.
Three Republicans were nominated to fill the one-year unexpired term left by Mayor Danielle DiPaola: McGuire, Don Pierro, and Michael Timmerman.
McGuire, a longtime borough volunteer, said she would resign from her Historic Preservation Committee post as she takes up her new responsibilities, which include a seat on the Land Use Board, now chaired by Jeff Bischoff, as well as her council liaison work.
Also at the Jan. 15 meeting, Police Chief Michael Mazzeo delighted in welcoming Justin Schwarz as a probationary member of the Emerson Police Department. The EPD snapped up Schwarz from the Hillsdale Police Department, where he was a dispatcher.
Schwarz, at the center of a large and happy entourage, said he was grateful for the opportunity and looked forward to contributing to the borough’s community policing initiatives.
The council accepted the resignation of Michael DeOrio as a regular member of the Land Use Board and swore in Michael Myers and Bill Loschiavo as Class IV members.
Additionally, the council agreed on a process to review applications for borough administrator, as Robert S. Hoffmann is leaving Jan. 25 for a $175,000-a- year post as Chatham Township administrator, starting Feb. 1.
DiPaola presented Hoffmann with a desk plant, thanking him for his service. Hoffmann jumped into action at the meeting several times to hold the Bible or take official photographs of swearings-in.
(Want his old job? Do you have what it takes to administer a population of 7,900 on 2.2 acres, a $12 million budget, and 44 full time employees? The job description is available at emerson.org.)
The council also welcomed a full bench of borough professionals—and heard new Borough Attorney John McCann’s view on the importance of officials not mingling personal and official communications, given a rise in public records requests statewide.
McGuire looks forward to preserving borough’s history
DiPaola, freshly seated as the borough’s first woman mayor Jan. 2, got a quick second for McGuire at the council’s reorganization meeting, but the vote was tabled.
On Jan. 15, McGuire sailed through, then lauded her fellow nominees and promised to work for all residents.
The council is now balanced by Democrats Chris Knoller, Jim Bayley, and Council President Gerald Falotico, and Republicans McGuire, Kenneth Hoffmann, and Brian Gordon.
DiPaola, often a lone voice of dissent on the previous council, will now get to break ties.
“It’s going to be nice to have another female up here,” DiPaola said after the vote.
McGuire has lived in Emerson since 2006. She’s an educator in the Northern Valley Regional School District’s Valley Program and has served on the Historic Preservation Committee for two years.
After the meeting, McGuire told Pascack Press that she looks forward to getting to work on the municipal complex and emergency services building (Borough Hall) project, which is tied to the Block 419 project.
As a private citizen she was the driving force behind landing a Certification of Eligibility for Borough Hall to join the New Jersey Register of Historic Places.
She said she’s eager to help shepherd the addition of a historic element to the Master Plan, a borough goal set in the recent Master Plan reevaluation.
Coincidentally, McGuire on Jan. 2 was elected president of the Northern Valley Teachers Assistants Association, whose members are alarmed at recent changes to their health benefits and costs.
Borough professionals sworn in
Agreed Jan. 15: Land Use Board attorney is Chris Martin, tax appeal attorney is Robert Mancinelli, special counsel affordable housing attorney is Brian T. Giblin Sr., special counsel redevelopment is Richard Malagiere, borough engineer is Michael J. Neglia, borough engineer for special projects for 90 days is Stephen Boswell, auditor is Gary Higgins, bond counsel is Steve Rogut, architect is Kevin Settimbrino, and planner is Christopher Statile.
Borough attorney to interview Lamatina’s council on redevelopment
Borough Attorney McCann, of Oakland, recently worked as the general counsel for the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office and was a Cresskill councilman.
He said, “I’m an umpire. I call the balls and strikes…I’m here to serve the interests of the taxpayer.”
When a resident took to the public microphone to challenge why borough property was conveyed to the redeveloper despite it having what he alleged is a disproportionate square foot value, McCann said he would need time to get up to speed on the borough’s 2016 redevelopment agreement.
He also said he looked forward to interviewing the 2018 council (led by ousted Democratic Mayor Louis Lamatina), which has agreed to meet with him.