Mayor Pasquale Menna swears in Sharon Lee to fill a vacant seat on the Borough Council. Former councilwoman Juanita Lewis holds the Bible. SUZANNE VISCOMI RED BANK — Former council member Sharon Lee was selected by Borough Council members to fill a vacant seat on council for the remainder of the year.
Lee, a Democrat, fills the seat that was left vacant by the resignation of the former Democratic councilman, Arthur Murphy III.
“I’m totally engrossed in Red Bank. It’s my passion,” said Lee at the Sept. 9 council meeting, when the council voted unanimously to appoint her.
Lee, who previously served for nine years on the Borough Council, will also be filling Murphy’s role as police and fire commissioner.
According to Mayor Pasquale Menna, this is the first time in the history of the borough that those roles are being filled by a woman.
“It’s a great era. I think that it sends a visible message of inclusiveness and continued progress in the borough of Red Bank,” said Menna.
“We talked about it years ago that we needed that kind of diversity. Now we have it.”
This is also the first time in the history of the Borough Council that women outnumber men, Councilman Edward Zipprich pointed out. There are four women and two men on the council.
The mayor also appointed Lee as council liaison to Red Bank RiverCenter. She has previously been the citizen representative. She also currently serves as a member of the zoning board. Her term expires in 2018.
Menna also appointed Murphy as the new citizen representative to RiverCenter.
The Red Bank RiverCenter was established in 1991 to help preserve the borough’s historic downtown business district.
Councilwoman Kathy Horgan was previously named to fill Murphy’s role as council president.
Lee was first elected to council in 2004 and served until 2013 when she lost the seat to current Republican Councilwoman Cindy Burnham.
Lee was one of three people considered to fill the vacant seat on council, according to Menna.
Contact Michael Nunes at [email protected].