By Matthew Sockol
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD – Councilman George Schnurr has been elected president of the Borough Council in Freehold Borough for 2017. The governing body held its reorganization meeting as scheduled on the afternoon of Jan. 7 as several inches of snow was falling on western Monmouth County.
Schnurr, who joined the council in 2008, was elected president by his fellow council members Kevin Kane, Jaye Sims, Sharon Shutzer, Michael DiBenedetto and Ron Griffiths. All six members of the council are Democrats.
During the meeting, Kane and Sims, the winning candidates in the Nov. 8 election, were sworn in to begin serving new three-year terms on the governing body.
Kane joined the council in 2002 and was sworn in by state Assemblywoman Joann Downey (D-Monmouth) and Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling (D-Monmouth). Sims joined the council in 2006 and was sworn in by Monmouth County Freeholder John Curley.
In other business, the council members appointed the following professionals for 2017: Kerry Higgins, borough attorney; William Wentzien, borough engineer; Mott MacDonald, consulting engineer; Meghan Bennett Clark, bond counsel; Suplee, Clooney & Company, auditing services; DMR Architects, architectural services; and NW Financial Group, financial adviser services.
Schnurr abstained on the appointment of Suplee, Clooney & Company.
The council accepted and appointed Mayor Nolan Higgins’ nominations of Brian Wilton as municipal prosecutor and Jonathan Lomurro as public defender.
Finally, the council accepted and appointed Higgins’ nominations to municipal boards and commissions in 2017:
• On the Board of Health, Gregory Jewell was appointed to a four-year term.
• In the Office of Emergency Management, Daniel Megill, Police Chief Glenn Roberts, Stephen Pullen, Business Administrator Joseph Bellina, Borough Clerk Traci DiBenedetto, Kenneth Volkmann, Margaret Jahn, Sal DeJesus, Joseph Floudas, Mike Baker and Higgins were appointed to one-year terms. Shutzer will serve as the council representative.
• In the Fire Prevention Bureau, Volkmann was appointed to a one-year term.
• On the Human Relations Committee, Jane Fields, Shauntele Patterson and the Rev. Dirk Reinken were appointed to three-year terms. Annette Jordan was appointed to a one-year term as the Freehold Borough Board of Education liaison. Griffiths will serve as the council representative.
• On the Historic Preservation Committee, Carl Steinberg was appointed to a three-year term. DiBenedetto will serve as the council representative.
• On the Freehold Borough Housing Authority, Reginald Sims was appointed to a three-year term. Jaye Sims, who is Reginald Sims’ brother, abstained from voting on the appointment.
• On the Lake Topanemus Commission, Edward Daley was appointed to a one-year term. Kane will serve as the council representative.
• On the Library Commission, Mary Carey was appointed to a four-year term to fill an unexpired term, Gregory Higgins was appointed to a one-year term and Margaret Rodgers was appointed to a one-year term. Schnurr will serve as the council representative.
• On the Memorial Day Parade Committee, Alice McCobb, Amanda McCobb, Bernard Weinstein, John Mazekien, Ken Pulchlopek, Sidney Blacknall, Walter Kowalski, Nick Gardner, Tim Rohan, Ruth Wall, Steven Gardner, George Karatzia and Michael Steiger were appointed to one-year terms. Schnurr will serve as the council representative.
• On the Municipal Alliance, Jordan was appointed to a two-year term and Freehold Borough Superintendent of Schools Rocco Tomazic and Eva Carella were appointed to one-year terms.
• On the Recreation Commission, Susan Greitz, Lynn Reich and Terrance Custis were appointed to five-year terms.
• On the Planning Board, Jordan and Jamie Bennett were appointed to four-year terms, Garry Jackson was appointed to a one-year term and Alice MacCormack was appointed to a one-year term as an alternate member to fill an unexpired term.