KEYPORT – Councilman Matthew Goode has been elected by his fellow members of the governing body to serve as president of the Borough Council in Keyport for 2021.
The borough’s annual reorganization meeting on Jan. 1 was held in a virtual manner due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
As the meeting began, new council members Lori Davidson, a Republican, and Kathleen McNamara, a Democrat, were sworn in to begin serving their first three-year terms on the council.
Davidson was sworn in by Republican state Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso (R-Monmouth) and McNamara was sworn in by Democratic Mayor Collette Kennedy.
After all of the members were seated, Goode was elected to serve as council president for the year. He has served on the council since 2016.
Goode succeeds the departing council president, Joseph Sheridan, who, along with departing councilman Isaiah Cooper, did not seek re-election in 2020. Both former officials were recognized with presentations during the reorganization meeting.
Democrats hold five council seats and the mayor’s office in Keyport. Davidson is the sole Republican member of the governing body. She, Goode and McNamara are joined by Victoria Pacheco, Dennis Fotopoulos and Delia McDermott.
In separate resolutions, council members appointed Joseph Baumann as borough attorney; Gregory Valesi as borough engineer; Oliwa & Company as borough auditor; Marmero Law, LLC, as tax counsel; JP Capizzi, LLC, as bond counsel; McManimon, Scotland & Baumann, LLC, as special labor counsel and special redevelopment counsel;
Also, Frank LaRocca was appointed municipal court judge; Raymond Santiago as municipal public defender; Gregory Cannon as municipal prosecutor; Anthony Vecchio as smoke/carbon monoxide inspector;
And, Jay Delaney and Michele Clark were appointed as Monmouth County Community Development representatives; Jay Delaney as designate public agency compliance officer; and Michael Mulcahy and Chris Sanborn as Keyport Bayfront Business Cooperative members.
Kennedy appointed Nicholas Vecchio, Mark Sessa and Juan Carlos Oviedo to four-year terms on the Planning Board that will expire on Dec. 31, 2024; Joanne Royster to an unexpired term on the Planning Board that will end on Dec. 31, 2023; William McDermott to an unexpired term as an alternate member on the Planning Board that will end on Dec. 31, 2021; and Gregory Kotzas to an unexpired term as an alternate member on the Planning Board that will end on Dec. 31, 2022.