PLUMSTED — The year may be 2014, but nearly everything in Plumsted’s municipal operation looks similar to 2013 after the Township Committee’s annual reorganization meeting.
Nearly 40 appointments were made during the Jan. 1 meeting, with many of the appointees being individuals who held those same positions last year.
The reason for not changing the township’s staff — both paid and volunteer — stemmed from the performance of those selected, according to Committeeman David Leutwyler, who was re-elected by his fellow members of the governing body to serve another one-year term as mayor.
“I am humbled by the support from my fellow committeemen. They have asked me to serve another year as mayor, and we have a lot of good things that we are looking forward to in 2014,” Leutwyler said. “There are a lot of irons in the fire.”
As to the reason why there are not many personnel changes taking place, Leutwyler said, “We are keeping a lot of our people the same … [because] we could not provide the services in this town without them. A lot of people donate their time, and we are very grateful for them.”
During the meeting, Leutwyler and Herbert Marinari were sworn in to begin serving new terms on the committee.
Marinari was appointed to the governing body on Dec. 7, 2011, to fill a vacant seat. He served as an appointee in 2012 and was elected in November 2012 to serve the remaining year (2013) of the term to which he was appointed. He will now serve a full term from 2014-16.
The members of the governing body reelected Committeeman Eric Sorchik to serve as deputy mayor for 2014.
Appointments include Gilmore and Monahan as township attorney; John J. Mallon of Ernst, Ernst and Lissenden, as township engineer; Mark Tarantino as public defender; and the firm of Citta, Holzapfel and Zabarsky as municipal prosecutor.
Appointments to the Recreation Committee were Sam LeNoble, Harry Miller, Jake Wig, Stephanie Palmer McMahon, Jim Kimmick, Paul Milligan, Bob Kudrick and Larry Witham. Committeeman Jack Trotta and Marinari were appointed to serve as liaisons to the Recreation Committee.
Appointments to the Land Use Board were Leutwyler, Sorchik, Business Administrator
Ron Dancer, Glenn Riccardi, Dominick Cuozzo, Walter Bronson and Jim Dowd. One additional resident will be named to the board.
Bronson and Dowd will serve four-year terms on the Land Use Board and the other individuals who were appointed will serve through 2014.
Leutwyler commended the work of new and returning volunteers, citing their enthusiasm for what he said is the potential for a successful year.
“We like to call [our volunteers] VIPs, which means Volunteers in Plumsted,” he said. “From myself and the entire Township Committee, I want to say ‘thank you’ to everyone who puts in time for their town.”
— Andrew Martins