MIDDLETOWN – Three officers in the Middletown Township Police Department have been promoted.
During the Jan. 18 meeting of the Township Committee, Sgt. Anthony J. Gigante was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, Police Officer Stephen G. Greenwood was promoted to the rank of sergeant and Police Officer Brady M. Carr was promoted to the rank of sergeant. Mayor Tony Perry administered the oath of office to each officer.
Municipal officials said the promotions are the result of retirements in the police department.
Committeeman Ryan Clarke congratulated the three officers on their promotions and said, “One of the great things we get to do up here (on the dais) is recognizing public service.”
Committeeman Kevin Settembrino said, “It makes me proud to sit up here and realize we have such great officers.”
Perry said that “putting a badge on an officer who is being promoted or on an officer who is joining the police department is not just for themselves, but for their family.”
In other business, Perry, Clarke, Settembrino, Deputy Mayor Rick Hibell and Committeewoman Kimberly Kratz voted “yes” on a motion to introduce a bond ordinance providing an appropriation of $340,000 for park acquisitions and improvements. The ordinance authorizes the issuance of $255,000 in bonds or notes to finance part of the appropriation.
“The bond ordinance is for capital improvements to the playground at McMahon Park in north Middletown. The funds will be used to give the playground a complete overhaul, so it offers something different for all members of our community,” Perry said.
“It will be the township’s second fully inclusive playground, the other is at Croydon Hall, and will include rubber surfacing, as opposed to the more common wood chip surface, creating even greater accessibility,” the mayor said.
A public hearing on the bond ordinance has been scheduled for the committee’s Feb. 7 meeting.