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ROBBINSVILLE: Witt selected as new Township Council leader

Vince Calcagno chosen as council vice president

By Joanne Degnan, Managing Editor
   ROBBINSVILLE — Ron Witt Jr. was unanimously chosen by his colleagues to serve as council president for 2012-13 at the Township Council’s annual reorganization meeting Monday evening.
   Mr. Witt, 44, a first-term councilman who was elected to the governing body in 2011, succeeds Christine Ciaccio as council president. Vince Calcagno, a former mayor under the old Township Committee form of government, was selected to serve as council vice president, replacing Sheree McGowan in that role.
   ”I hope to make everybody proud,” Mr. Witt told his colleagues as he took the council president’s seat on the dais. “I’ll work hard, that’s for sure.”
   Mr. Witt, the executive vice president of a Cranbury-based construction management company, said economic development would be his priority. He cited the development of Town Center South, the proposal to purchase municipal office space in a planned commercial condominium building on Route 33 and the plans for improvements to Community Park on West Manor Way that include indoor restrooms and a field house that will have storage and meeting space.
   ”I intend to work closely with the administration on these and other economic development projects. I have the expertise in construction to move these projects forward,” he said.
   Mayor Dave Fried administered the oath of office to Mr. Witt. Township Clerk Michele Seigfried administered the oath to Mr. Calcagno. Both council leadership terms are for one year, expiring June 30, 2013.
   The council voted unanimously to approve three professional service contracts Monday: Christopher K. Koutsouris, of Dasti, Murphy, McGuckin, Ulaky, Cherkos & Connors, as prosecutor ($375 a session, not to exceed $41,250 annually); Michael Holt, of Holmes & Frenia, as township auditor (not to exceed $48,000 annually); and Mark Roselli, of Roselli Griegel Lozier & Lazzaro, as the township attorney ($12,000 a month not to exceed $144,000 annually).
   One-year council liaison appointments also were approved. These included Councilman Rich Levesque to the Planning Board; Councilwoman McGowan to Citizens Energy Conservation, Economic Development and Rent Leveling; Mr. Calcagno to Library and Senior Citizens; Ms. Ciaccio to Historic Preservation, Municipal Alliance and Open Space; and Mr. Witt to Recreation.
   The council voted 4-0 with one abstention to reappoint the following residents to the Zoning Board of Adjustment: Debra Rogers (four-year term); Dennis Shennard (four-year term); Kristen Appleget (two-year term as the Alternate 1 member); and DL Daniel (two-year term as the Alternate 2 member). Ms. McGowan, who had earlier expressed reservations about the reappointment of a candidate whom she felt had missed too many meetings, abstained from the vote.
   The council voted 5-0 to appoint the following volunteers to the Economic Development Advisory Committee: John Gardner, Dru Damico and Vito Galluccio to three-year terms; and Barry Peterson, Rolf Michael Silvestrov and Danielle Huddleston to two-year terms.
   Frank D’Amico and Peter Chamberlin were appointed to three-year terms on the Open Space Advisory Committee. Lori Taylor, Betty O’Donnell, Ray Bruker, Joe Consiglio, Scott Veisz and Craig Heilman were appointed to three-year terms on the Recreation and Cultural Arts Advisory Committee.
   Maryellen Nelson, Ms. McGowan, Jimmy Matt and Angela Nix were appointed to two-year terms on the Rent Leveling Board.
   Renee Burns, Dave Williams, Thomas Action, Carolyn Jaquinto, Peggy Boni, Jack Osvart and Mary Thederahn were appointed to one-year terms on the Senior Citizens Advisory Committee.
   Anthony Ciaccio, Ken Diehl, Keith Motusesky, Tom Rust and Patrick Jaquinto were appointed to one-year terms on the Citizens Energy Conservation Advisory Committee.
   The following people were appointed to one-year terms on the Library Advisory Committee: Ann Marie Ehrenberg, Phyllis Heller, Marianne Canavesio, Christina Bergin, Clara Schlottman, Jane Hutchison, Jackie Shapiro, Carla Schwartz, Rosemarie McGlew and Alfia Schulz.
   The following people were appointed to three-year terms on the Municipal Alliance Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse: Matthew Schaible, Dawn Ciaccio and Robert Lieberman.