FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP – A longtime member of the Township Committee will once again serve as mayor of Freehold Township.
Anthony Ammiano was elected mayor for a one-year term by his fellow committee members at the governing body’s reorganization meeting on Jan. 5. Under Freehold Township’s form of government, the mayor is not directly elected by the public and is selected by the members of the committee to serve a one-year term.
After incumbents Lester Preston and David Salkin were sworn in to begin serving new three-year terms, Ammiano was nominated for mayor and sworn in after he, Preston, Salkin and committee members Thomas Cook and Barbara McMorrow voted for his election.
Ammiano has served on the governing body since 2001. He previously served as mayor in 2006 and 2012.
Cook, who has been a member of the committee since 2013, was elected to serve as deputy mayor for 2018. Cook served as mayor in 2015.
Republicans hold a 5-0 majority on the committee.
“It was with great pride and pleasure that my wife, my son and I relocated to Freehold Township more than 22 years ago,” Ammiano said after the meeting. “Maria and I chose to move into Freehold Township because we liked the community and especially the neighborhood feeling from Champions Run.
“I wanted a community in which I could volunteer my time and become an active member of the community. A few years later, I was asked to serve as a member of the Planning Board. Accordingly, my community service mindset led me to fulfill a desire to become a member of the Township Committee.”
Ammiano said that when he joined the governing body, “I made a solemn promise to be dedicated and to perform the role of a committeeman in an exemplary manner. Along with the Township Committee team, we wanted to lead Freehold Township to maintain exceptional community life, safety for our children, services second to none for our residents, while maintaining real estate taxes that were manageable for all of our residents.
“During my years as a committeeman and mayor, Freehold Township expanded its resident base, maintained quality education for our children and grew exponentially, while allowing our residents to enjoy a wonderful quality of life. Likewise, I believe our township employees have been a major asset in accomplishing our community goals, while demonstrating true dedication to the township,” he said.
“In 2018, I welcome the chance, once again, to lead the governing body,” Ammiano said. “Many issues face our township that we, as a team of residents and elected officials, will address, such as continued stabilization of taxes, the legal matter of suburban affordable housing, the zoning challenges of our township nearing build-out and the continued enhancement of the quality of life in our township.
“These are all issues that, if not attended to, can negatively impact the great character of the township. I love serving as mayor in the best town in New Jersey, with the best residents in the state and with the best group of fellow Township Committee members,” he said. “I am really excited and optimistic for 2018. It is truly my honor to serve the residents, business owners and visitors of Freehold Township.”