BY MICHELLE ROSENBERG
Staff Writer
HOLMDEL — Mayor Larry Fink and Deputy Mayor Janet Berk were re-elected to their respective positions, while committee members Serena DiMaso and Terence Wall were sworn in for another term at the Jan. 3 reorganization meeting.
Fink has been on the committee since 2000. This is his third consecutive term as mayor.
“I’m delighted and honored to serve as mayor once again,” Fink said. “I believe we had a very successful 2004 and I am looking forward to working on many projects with my colleagues on the Township Committee in 2005.”
Following his victory, Fink gave a State of the Township address, in which he reflected on numerous 2004 accomplishments and outlined his 2005 goals. He said road improvements, pedestrian safety, recreational facilities, open space preservation and the Sept. 11 Memorial all contributed to making 2004 a success.
He said his goals for 2005 are to keep taxes under control, improve pedestrian and traffic safety, complete the Cross Farm Park Pavilion, continue to preserve open space, and work on the new township library.
Fink was appointed mayor by a 3–2 vote. Wall and DiMaso voted against him.
“I went with what’s in my heart, and that was to not vote for someone that I didn’t think was doing a good job,” DiMaso said. “I don’t feel that his skills as a mayor are as strong as they should be.”
Berk was appointed deputy mayor by a 5–0 vote. This is her third term in the position.
“I’m honored and pleased to be starting my third year as deputy mayor. I hope that we continue all the great work we’ve been doing,” Berk said.
During her acceptance speech, Berk thanked township employees and volunteers for all of their hard work and for making 2004 a success. She said she looks forward to working with everyone again to achieve all of the township’s 2005 goals.
Committeewoman DiMaso took her oath of office and began her second three-year term on the committee.
“I’m very excited to be starting a second term working for the people of Holmdel. I appreciate that they have the confidence in me to put me back in for a second term,” DiMaso said.
DiMaso said that one of her goals for this year is to stabilize taxes. She said one way to do this is to stop spending taxpayer money by second guessing professionals.
Some of her other goals are to make sure each resident understands revaluation, build a better working relationship with the Board of Education, and create more recreational programs for residents of all ages.
Wall is now serving his third three-year term on the committee.
“It’s an honor to be asked to serve the community for a third term,” Wall said.
“I’m hopeful that the Township Committee will work together to build consensus and focus on the needs of the entire community,” he said.
Wall said that his main goal this year is to ensure that the committee works together to reach the broader community. He said that it is important for all residents to have a voice and understand every public issue.
“The public needs to be brought in on page one, not page 21,” he said. “When the people and the committee work together, we get things done.”
Wall also said that he would like to see more diversity on the boards, particularly from Holmdel’s Asian-American community, which represents about 20 percent of the township’s population.
The committee voted to approve a $3,679,603 temporary general budget, along with $578,350 for sewer utility costs and $139,800 for swim utility costs. It also adopted resolutions re-appointing Duane Davison to the position of township attorney and Edward Broberg to the position of township engineer.