Mayor Stephen C. Acropolis says he’s not into “pomp and circumstance” and just wants to get down to work.
“To me, it’s about the work,” he said. “It’s not about the swearingin. I just want to get to the job.”
Acropolis, 50, was sworn in to office at a semiprivate ceremony on Nov. 13 in the Township Council chambers. He was slated to be sworn in again at 7 p.m. at the public Nov. 20 Township Council meeting.
Ocean County Clerk Carl W. Block presented Acropolis with a certification at the first ceremony that he won the Nov. 6 mayoral election over Democrat Daniel J. Kelly.
Township Attorney and Republican county Chairman George R. Gilmore swore Acropolis in to office, with his wife, Wendy, by his side.
The first ceremony was necessary because Acropolis technically became mayor as soon as the Board of Canvassers and Block certified the election results.
“When the election is certified, you have no mayor,” Acropolis said. “We needed to do stuff that day. I had to get sworn in that day. I had to be sworn in, but the public wasn’t invited.
The first ceremony, held at 3:30 p.m., was semiprivate because Acropolis did not want to inconvenience anyone during the day.
“People would have had to take off work,” he said. “I didn’t want people to alter their plans to come to a swearing-in. Everybody can make a 7 p.m. swearing-in ceremony at the meeting.”
State Sen. Andrew W. Ciesla, (R-10th district) was scheduled to swear Acropolis in at the Nov. 20 meeting.
Acropolis, a Republican, won over Kelly by more than 1,800 votes. Acropolis received 10,001 votes, or 54.64 percent, over Kelly’s 8,140 votes (44.47 percent), according to the Ocean County Clerk’s Office.
The election ended almost a year of turmoil that began with former longtime Democratic Mayor Joseph C. Scarpelli’s sudden resignation last Dec. 8 for “personal reasons.” One month later, Scarpelli pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from an unnamed developer. He is slated to be sentenced on Dec. 17.
The GOP-controlled Township Council picked Kelly out of three names submitted by the local Democratic organization to serve until November, until a special mayoral election could be held for the remaining two years of Scarpelli’s term.
Acropolis has selected Debbie Alwin, who previously served as assistant to Township Clerk Virginia Lampman, to be his administrative assistant.
“I have worked with her the past year,” he said. “It just makes for a much smoother transition.”
Alwin will replace longtime mayoral administrative assistant Donna LaBrutto, who has been assigned to another slot in administration, Acropolis said.
Acropolis – who served 12 years on the Township Council and often sparred with Scarpelli – has said residents can expect some changes in town hall with a new administration.