Republican Township Committeeman Anthony S. Perry will serve as Middletown’s mayor and Republican Township Committeeman Anthony P. Fiore will serve as deputy mayor in 2019.
Perry, 28, is believed to be the youngest elected official to ever serve as mayor in Middletown, according to municipal officials.
Perry and Fiore were elected to those positions by their fellow members of the Township Committee during the municipality’s 2019 reorganization meeting on Jan. 6 at the municipal building.
In Middletown’s form of government, residents do not directly elect a mayor. In January, the five members of the governing body select a committee member to serve as mayor for the year. A second committeeman is chosen to serve as deputy mayor.
In remarks to those in attendance, Perry said, “It truly has been the honor of my life to serve this amazing town and I look forward to the next three years. I’m incredibly thankful for my colleagues for entrusting me as mayor in 2019 … I know this team will continue to build on the progress that we and the Township Committees before us have made.”
Perry and Fiore are joined by Kevin M. Settembrino, Rick W. Hibell and Patricia A. Snell on the governing body. Republicans hold a 5-0 majority on the committee.
Settembrino, who became mayor after Stephanie C. Murray left the committee in mid-2018, delivered his outgoing mayoral remarks.
He said “the great accomplishment of 2018” occurred when a proposed Jersey Central Power and Light project was defeated. Settembrino said the $111 million electric transmission line “would have stretched from Aberdeen to Red Bank” and run through Middletown’s historic district.
Residents and municipal officials in Hazlet, Holmdel and Aberdeen, and members of Residents Against Giant Electric (RAGE) spearheaded an effort to stop high voltage power lines that would have spanned areas of several municipalities.
Settembrino said the project was rejected by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.
“It’s something Middletown said ‘no’ to,” he said. “… Hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent to stop this project. I’m proud to say Middletown led the charge of all the municipalities and the township stopped this project.”
Prior to the votes for mayor and deputy mayor, dignitaries administered the oath of office to Perry, Hibell and Snell.
In the November 2018 election, Perry was elected to serve a full three-year term, Snell was elected to serve a two-year unexpired term and Hibell was elected to serve a one-year unexpired term.
State Sen. Joseph M. Kyrillos administered the oath of office to Perry, Monmouth County Freeholder Gerry P. Scharfenberger administered the oath of office to Hibell and Congressman Chris Smith administered the oath of office to Snell as all three began serving their terms.
Perry was appointed to the Township Committee in late 2017 and served through 2018. Snell and Hibell were appointed to the committee when vacancies occurred during 2018.
State Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso welcomed Snell to the National Foundation for Women Legislators.
Following a unanimous “yes” vote to elect Perry as mayor, Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden administered the oath of office to Perry, who was joined by his wife.
After a unanimous vote to elect Fiore as deputy mayor, state Sen. Declan O’Scanlon administered the oath of office to Fiore as his youngest daughter held the Bible. Fiore was also accompanied by his wife and eldest daughter.