Sena steps down
from Boro Council
BY SANDI CARPELLO
Staff Writer
FAIR HAVEN — After two years, Councilwoman Beatrice Sena has resigned her post on the borough’s governing body.
Her announcement, in the form of a letter, was sent to Borough Administrator Julie Keizer, Mayor Joseph Szostak, Borough Attorney Martin Barger, Republican Municipal Chairman Andrew Trocchia, and other council members on Sept. 9.
"Throughout my years of public service, I have always given 110 percent of myself," she wrote. "I can serve no other way, it is simply my nature. My ‘agenda’ has always been only to follow my conscience and do what’s right for the borough, and my ‘ambition’ has only been to serve the people to that end. But time waits for no one, and since I have last been at our council table, situations have arisen which must make my family my number one and only priority. … Both of my parents are elderly, both have recently had major surgeries, and they cannot live alone any longer. I apologize to everyone for the suddenness of this announcement, which I intended to deliver upon my 8:40 p.m. arrival at last night’s canceled council workshop, having made this decision while visiting my father in the nursing home where he is rehabilitating."
Sena is the second council member to resign from Fair Haven’s governing body in the past year. Dr. Jeffrey Dobken resigned from the council in March — only three months after his first term began.
As borough procedure goes, the Fair Haven Republican Committee will recommend three people from which the council will select Sena’s replacement.
"After the council accepts her resignation, the committee has 15 days to present the [council] with three names," said Republican Committee Chairman Andy Trocchia.
Mayor Joseph Szostak, who would not comment on the specifics of Sena’s resignation, said she was an asset to the council.
"She’s a very devoted public servant and she’ll be missed dearly," the mayor said.
Sena did not return phone calls seeking further comment.