Council split on SERA appointments, law firm
Two Democrats sworn in to Sayreville council
The Sayreville Borough Council was split during two votes Tuesday concerning the appointments and authorizations of borough officials and their duties during the annual reorganization meeting at the municipal building.
Mayor Kennedy O’Brien had to cast a tie-breaking vote to approve his appointments to the Sayreville Economic and Redevelopment Agency (SERA) after the council voted 3-3, with dissenting votes cast by Republican Councilwoman Phyllis Batko and Democrat councilmen Thomas Marcinczyk and Thomas Pollando.
The appointments included O’Brien, Tom O’Shea and Paul Covella.
Pollando said yesterday that he opposed the appointments because he did not know about the experience of those being appointed, and he learned that Batko had requested that she be appointed to the agency.
The two Democrats and Batko also voted against continuing the authority of the borough attorney and business administrator to settle insurance claims under $10,000. This practice is outdated because the borough is no longer self-insured, officials said yesterday. O’Brien broke the tie, voting against the current insurance practice. The issue may be discussed at future meetings, officials said.
Batko also voted against the reappointment of the borough’s current attorney, the law firm of Decottis, Fitzpatrick, Gluck and Cole, of Teaneck, Bergen County. The firm was approved, however, by a vote of 5-1.
According to Batko, attorney fees totaled about $1 million combined during the years 2000 and 2001, a figure she said is too high. Council President Frank Makransky, however, said yesterday that the attorneys do what the borough asks them to do. He said he is uncertain why there is a debate with the firm’s fees.
Although it has been more than a year since the borough’s former business administrator, Joseph D’Arco, resigned from the position, the council has yet to hire an official replacement. Since that time, Chief Financial Officer Wayne Kronowski has served as the acting business administrator. Batko said that while she believes it is the sentiment of some other council members to continue with the combined position, she would like the CFO and the business administrator to be two distinct jobs, Batko said.
Also at the meeting, Democrats Marcinczyk and Pollando were sworn in to their first three-year terms of service on the council. Marcinczyk and Pollando are the only two Democrats on the council.
The council re-elected Makransky as the council president for 2002. This is the third year Makransky is serving as president.
Committee assignments will remain the same for four council members. Makransky will head the Public Works Committee, while Batko will continue to head the Administration and Finance Committee. Vincent Zarcaro will remain as the Water and Sewer Committee liaison, and John Melillo will continue to work with the Recreation Committee.
Marcinczyk will now head the Public Safety Committee, replacing former Councilman Fred Semoneit, and Pollando will replace former Councilman Jeff Pawlowski on the Planning and Zoning Committee.
The next council meeting will be an agenda session Monday at the municipal building.
Oaths of office were given to Fire Chief Dean Anderson of Morgan Hose and Chemical Co. No. 1; 1st Asst. Chief Michael Zsorey of President Park Fire Co. No. 1; and 2nd Asst. Chief Charles Boyko of Sayreville Engine Co. No. 1. Joseph Zonak of the Melrose Hose Co. No. 1 accepted his oath as past Chief.
Members of the Sayreville Emergency Squad Inc. were also sworn in to their positions at the reorganization meeting, including Capt. Jeffrey Meyer, Asst. Capt. Stanley Pilch, 1st Lt. Michael Sheehan and 2nd Lt. Kevin Lewandowski. The president of the emergency squad will be David Voight, and the vice president will be James D. Smith.