A familiar face returns as mayor to lead Cranbury’s Township Committee.
The five-member Township Committee voted for Committeeman Mike Ferrante to serve as mayor for 2023 at a reorganization meeting on Jan. 3.
“Thank you to my fellow Township Committee members for supporting me to take on the mayor’s role this year,” Ferrante said. “My wife and I have been in town for 24 years and i am honored to play a small role in keeping our town a safe, friendly and a fun place we call home.”
Committeewoman Barbara Rogers, who served as mayor in 2022, nominated Ferrante to serve as mayor. With no other nominations, Township Committee members unanimously voted to elected Ferrante as mayor.
“2023 is and will be an important year for Cranbury and the Township Committee. We have a lot of important projects that we will start thinking about next week,” Ferrante said. “Our goals are to steward taxpayer funds and wisely support our community goals”
Ferrante previously served as mayor in 2021 and deputy mayor in 2020 and 2022.
“My hope for 2023 is that we, Township Committee members, volunteers and members of the public take a step back from the craziness of the last few years and the rancor nationwide,” Ferrante said.
“I hope this year we give each other the benefit of the doubt, we try not to take anything personally and we remember we are all working together to support our community that we love.”
Committee members unanimously voted to elect Eman El-Badawi as deputy mayor for the 2023 year.
During the reorganization meeting, the oath of office was administered for Rogers and Lisa Knierim.
Rogers, who won re-election in the 2022 November general election, began her second term on the Township Committee.
Knierim begins her first term as she becomes the newest member to serve on Township Committee.
She replaces Evelyn Spann, the sole Republican, on the governing body following the general election.
The Township Committee has a 5-0 Democratic majority that consists of Mayor Mike Ferrante, Deputy Mayor Eman El-Badawi, Barbara Rogers, Lisa Knierim, and Matt Scott.