HOLMDEL – Republican Rocco Impreveduto has taken his seat on the Holmdel Township Committee and has begun serving a three-year term on the municipality’s governing body.
In the November 2021 election, Impreveduto was elected to his first term as he defeated Democrat Rahul Diddi to win the one available term that was on the ballot. The term will run through Dec. 31, 2024.
The new committeeman joins Greg Buontempo, Cathy Weber, Prakash Santhana and D.J. Luccarelli on the Township Committee.
Impreveduto was sworn in to office during the committee’s 2022 reorganization meeting that was held on Jan. 4. The meeting was conducted in a virtual manner during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Impreveduto said he was pleased to follow in the footsteps of his father, Patrick, who is a former member of the Township Committee and a former mayor. The township’s newest elected official pledged “to do as much as I can for the people of Holmdel.”
When the meeting’s regular business began, Weber nominated Buontempo, who served as mayor during 2021, to serve as mayor during 2022. Santhana seconded the nomination.
On a roll call vote, Buontempo, Weber and Santhana voted “yes” on the nomination, and Luccarelli and Impreveduto voted “no” without comment. Buontempo was elected mayor in a 3-2 vote.
Buontempo then nominated Santhana to serve as deputy mayor in 2022. Weber seconded the nomination.
On a roll call vote, Santhana, Buontempo and Weber voted “yes” on the nomination, and Luccarelli and Impreveduto voted “no” without comment. Santhana was elected deputy mayor in a 3-2 vote.
Luccarelli and Impreveduto did not respond to emails sent to their municipal accounts by the Independent seeking comment on their “no” votes regarding the election of Buontempo and Santhana to the committee’s leadership positions.
In remarks that followed his election as mayor, Buontempo said, in part, “I am especially grateful for your confidence in me to serve as mayor once again.”
He welcomed Impreveduto to the committee and said he appreciates the service of all of the committee members.
Buontempo thanked the members of Holmdel’s volunteer fire department and first aid squad, as well as the police department, municipal staff, Community Emergency Response Team and Office of Emergency Management, all of whom have been tested during the pandemic.
He pledged that Holmdel’s first responders will have the resources they need to stay safe.
The mayor thanked residents who serve as volunteers on Holmdel’s boards, committees and commissions.
“Unfortunately, the pandemic is still with us” as 2022 begins, Buontempo said, adding that service in local government is about working together to improve the quality of life for residents.
“Land acquisition and preservation will be foremost on our minds as we plan for 2022,” the mayor said, noting that open space is important to the physical and mental health of residents. “We will continue to prioritize land acquisition and preservation.”
Buontempo said officials will continue to explore energy aggregation programs and are looking forward to holding recreation programs, gatherings and holiday celebrations this year.
“I look forward with optimism and hope … as we continue to move Holmdel forward in 2022 and beyond,” he said.
In other business, Weber announced Holmdel has received a $114,000 open space grant from Monmouth County. She said the grant would be used to establish a bicycle path between Holmdel High School and Thompson Park, passing through Bell Works and Bayonet Farm.
“The idea (of a bicycle path) is to get more people walking and biking and out of their cars,” Weber said.
Finally, officials announced that Melissa Collins, Jeff Ackerson, Ron Emma, Tom King, William Nikolis, Kristy O’Conner and Luccarelli were appointed to the Holmdel Planning Board.
Gene Luciani, Irfan Lateef, Jason Buerkle, Jill Perez and Gaurav Shah were appointed to the Holmdel Zoning Board of Adjustment.
Ralph Blumenthal, Randy Rauscher and John Galasso were appointed to the Holmdel Environmental Commission and William Kastning was designated as the commission’s chairman for 2022.