Republicans Iorio and Niederer sworn in Monday.
By John Tredrea
Arlene Kemp is the new mayor of Hopewell Township.
Ms. Kemp, a Republican in the last year of her first three-year term on the Township Committee, was elected mayor by a 3-2 committee vote at Monday night’s reorganization meeting.
The vote to make Ms. Kemp mayor for 2005 was on straight party lines. Voting in favor of Ms. Kemp were the three Republicans, Ms. Kemp herself and Mark Iorio and Judy Niederer. Voting no were Democrats Vanessa Sandom and David Sandahl, mayor and deputy mayor respectively in 2004.
Ms. Kemp was nominated for mayor by Ms. Niederer, who said Ms. Kemp has "the leadership qualities" a mayor needs. Ms. Sandom subsequently was nominated for mayor by Mr. Sandahl, who said Ms. Sandom brought open-mindedness to the office of mayor in 2004. "She listened to all sides before making a decision," he said.
Since Ms. Kemp was elected mayor on the first roll-call vote, a roll-call vote on Mr. Sandahl’s nomination of Ms. Sandom was never taken.
After Ms. Kemp was chosen, Ms. Sandom, who ran as an interparty team with Ms. Kemp in the 2002 election, said, "I pledge Arlene my full cooperation. It was a pleasure to work with her and Mr. Sandahl in a spirit of nonpartisanship last year."
In a brief mayoral address, Ms. Kemp predicted the committee, which has two new members in Mr. Iorio and Ms. Niederer, who were sworn in Monday night, will work well together. "I’m sure we will disagree at times, but those disagreements will lead to good decisions," she said.
"Balancing the needs of the community is really what the Township Committee’s job is." The new mayor numbered "fiscal restraint, protecting our resources and controlling development" as key issues involved in that balancing effort.
Mr. Iorio was elected deputy mayor in a 3-2 vote identical to that which made Ms. Kemp mayor. Because Mr. Iorio, who was nominated by Ms. Niederer, was chosen deputy mayor on the first roll-call vote, a vote was never taken on Ms. Sandom’s nomination of Mr. Sandahl as deputy mayor.
Mr. Iorio said "it will be a privilege to serve our great community" as deputy mayor. He said the committee must be vigilant in its effort to "control spending" and cautioned that "recreational facilities have not kept pace with our population changes and growth."
Protection of groundwater resources and the safety of roadways, particularly routes 29 and 31, were other issues he cited as being of key importance.

