The Hillsborough Township Committee held its annual Reorganization Meeting on Jan. 4, where both Doug Tomson and Janine Erickson were sworn into office after being officially elected to the committee last month.
Their fellow Republican colleagues, Shawn Lipani and Frank DelCore, were also both sworn into their respective leadership positions to head up the committee in 2021.
Lipani was selected mayor and DelCore earned the honor of being appointed deputy mayor for this year.
This will be the first term as mayor for Lipani, who joined the committee in 2018 and served as deputy mayor this past year.
“Thank you to the committee for the nomination of mayor,” Lipani said to open his address. “I assume this office humbly and with the acceptance of its responsibilities and requirements to the residents of Hillsborough.”
Lipani is a lifelong resident of Hillsborough. Before his time on the committee, the co-manager of Central Jersey Nurseries had spent time on various committee boards and commissions around the township, serving as chairman of the Planning Board, Economic and Business Development Commission and the Board of Adjustment.
As a council member, Lipani has been a liaison to the Board of Fire Commissioners, Credit Card Advisory, Ethical Standards Board, and Veterans Committee.
He is also an active member of the Rotary Club in Hillsborough.
During his address at the meeting, Lipani went out of his way to make sure that Doug Tomson, who served as mayor during 2020, and the rest of the Hillsborough Township employees received gratitude for their hard work last year in handing the coronavirus pandemic.
“I feel like greatness is not defined until it’s required. It was not only required, but it was delivered,” Lipani said. “In my opinion, the exceptional performance of our staff not only kept the township open for business, but continued to provide vital services to our residents throughout the year.”
Lipani cautioned Hillsborough residents that 2021 will still require a lot of vigilance in regards to COVID-19.
Areas of emphasis that Lipani mentioned he will be focusing on to start his term were the Opioid Task Force, the senior and wellness study, monitoring the anticipated completion of the Route 206 bypass, and maintaining the fiscally responsible budget and the road paving plan.
DelCore, who is currently serving his fifth term on the committee and entering his 14th year in township office, was last deputy mayor in 2018.
He has served five times as mayor of Hillsborough, last being in 2019. Former Hillsborough Mayor and Committeewoman, Mary McCauley, performed the oath of office to swear in DelCore.
“I am looking forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on the Township Committee and am honored to serve as deputy mayor for Hillsborough,” said DelCore.
DelCore added that he was “never prouder” during his time on the committee to serve Hillsborough than during the height of the coronavirus pandemic last year, saying that all staff members, including Tomson, rose to the challenge to make sure the residents had everything they needed to survive.
“When you run to serve, you commit to making the right decisions for Hillsborough and providing good government to its residents,” DelCore said. “It was a year last year that I was very proud to represent our community. This year will continue to call for us to provide good government to our residents and I am confident that this group sitting up here will rise to that challenge.”
Tomson will be entering his fourth term on the committee, while this will be Erickson’s first term as a committeewoman for the township.
Lipani, Tomson and Erickson were sworn into their respective roles by Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli.