By Andrew Martins, Managing Editor
Optimism and congratulations were abound earlier this week, as officials elected Carl Suraci and Gloria McCauley to serve as Hillsborough’s new Mayor and Deputy Mayor, respectively., The two incumbent members were elected by their peers on the Township Committee at the 2017 Township Committee reorganization meeting on Tuesday., Hillsborough resident and Republican state Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli was on hand during the proceedings to swear both Mayor Suraci and Deputy Mayor McCauley into their new roles., He also swore in Committeman Frank DelCore, who won his bid for re-election to the governing body back in November., Mr. Ciattarelli, who announced his 2017 Gubernatorial last October, heaped praise on the Township Committee after the proceedings., “It’s great to have five such qualified people serving on a township committee. Great things are happening here in Hillsborough and it’s not by accident,” Mr. Ciattarelli said. “Each and every one of these folks is a very capable mayor.”, Ms. McCauley, who began her third term on the committee back in 2015, said she was proud of the work over the years, further stating that she looked forward to the year ahead., “I promise to maintain the standards that the public expects from their local government and I’m looking forward to supporting the mayor this year,” she said., Mayor Suraci, who previously served as the township’s mayor in 2006 and 2012, as well as its deputy mayor in 2005 and 2011, called this year’s term “an honor” before laying out what he considered his priorities for the coming year., “This township committee will continue to maintain a watchful eye over the fiscal operations of the township,” he said. “Fiscal prudence will remain a top priority for this township.”, To drive his point home, the mayor pointed to the last six consecutive budgets that remained under the state mandated two percent cap and a contention that the municipal budget had “never taken advantage of the allowable legal loopholes to exceed that cap.”, He also pledged to keep residents “apprised of any new information” regarding the state’s affordable housing requirements and their impact on Hillsborough., Another priority on Mayor Suraci’s list was a larger effort to improve the municipality’s parks, roadways and other aspects of its infrastructure., “Going forward in 2017, infrastructure improvements to our parks and roads will continue to be a priority,” he said after referencing the upcoming opening of Mountain View Park Complex later this year., Mayor Suraci also pointed to the importance of transparency between the municipality and its residents. To that end, he said the township will be looking into further social media integration for more immediate methods of communication., “One of the biggest changes that took place from the last time I was mayor was the increase of social media,” he said. “I don’t think people are going to websites as much…but I understand that people are into social media.”, While most of the focus was on the township’s new mayor and deputy mayor, Committeeman DelCore was also thanked by his peers for his service as mayor last year., “It is always a privilege to be able to stand up here and be sworn in to represent the town,” Mr. DelCore said, who has been sworn in to elected office four times. “You may think the thrill and privilege would wane over time, but I can assure that it does not.”, On Nov. 8, Mr. DelCore was re-elected to the committee for a three year-term after defeating his Democrat opponent, Lauren Poppe by a vote of 11,640 to 7,796., “I believe elections are a validation of the work that’s done,” Mr. DelCore said. “I really appreciate all the work that people have done to really move the township forward in a way we can all be proud of.”, The Township Committee will continue to meet on the second and fourth Tuesday nights of any month, with its next meeting scheduled for Jan. 10.
