Mayor Le Grice Begins Term in Atlantic Highlands

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By Muriel J. Smith
ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS – Democrat Rhonda C. Le Grice was sworn in as mayor by Borough Clerk Dwayne M. Harris at the Jan. 1 reorganization meeting, taking over from Republican Fred Rast, who declined to seek another term after serving eight years as mayor.
Democratic Councilman Roy Dellosso was sworn in to his second three-year term by Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr., and newly elected Democratic Councilman Charles Lero, former chair of the Chamber of Commerce, was sworn in by Rast to a three-year term.
Mayor and council presented outgoing Councilman Robert Sutton with a resolution for his years on council. Sutton, who chose not to seek another term, said he always tried to do his best and “I hope I did.”
Power still remains with the four Republicans on the council, with the mayor only voting in the case of a tie. However, there appears to be a division within the GOP, as Councilmen Peter Doyle and John Archibald voted against two of the appointments, and Republicans Lou Fligor and Jake Hoffman voted with the Democrats to replace the firm of Peter Carton with Andrew Pannella for bond counsel and naming James Butler and John Lane as prosecutors, with Butler the chief prosecutor, each for one-year terms.
Doyle and Archibald also voted against Dellosso as council president.
There were few changes in other appointments as council unanimously continued Adam Hubeny as borough administrator, Bernard M. Reilly as municipal attorney, Andrew Sabine as municipal auditor, Henry Wolff III, and Douglas Widman as public defender and alternate defender, respectively, and Richard C. Leahey Jr. as municipal court judge. Gregory Valesi, PE of Consulting Municipal Engineers Associates (CME) was named municipal engineer for a three-year term.
In continuing Hubeny as borough administrator, councilmen and mayor alike praised his record and recognized he is sought after in many other communities for his excellence and noted they appreciate his dedication to the borough.
Le Grice also thanked Congressman Pallone for attending the meeting, the first time a Democrat has been elected mayor in many years, and expressed pleasure he was there to swear in Dellosso. She explained she asked Harris to swear her in, however, because he was so helpful keeping her informed during her election campaign, and because she felt he represents all the people of the borough, “and that’s whom I’m here to serve.”
The new mayor said she is honored to serve as the borough’s mayor, and to work with such highly competent employees in all the borough offices, as well as the volunteers, notably in the fire department and first aid squad. She set goals for herself for this year, noting she is putting First Avenue first and seeking input for strategies for marketing the borough as a place to live, shop, and visit. She is also seeking more effective means of communication with residents and is inviting help to revamp the borough’s website. Le Grice said that while there will always be differences of opinions and politics involved in government, “we can disagree without being disagreeable.”
She also asked borough residents to make their own resolution to attend municipal meetings, share ideas, become involved, and always be respectful. There are great things in store for the borough, she said, and bipartisanship is necessary to achieve them all.
Rast said after the meeting he felt confident Le Grice will serve the community well, will be an excellent mayor and will continue progress which has been made during his tenure. The former mayor said his greatest pleasure in serving as mayor has been the completion of so many goals and aims for the borough, including the dissolution of the regional sewerage authority, installation of a water well, construction of the expanded borough hall, recovery after Super Storm Sandy and other accomplishments. One of Le Grice’s first actions as mayor was to name Jan. 4 Fred J. Rast Day to honor his accomplishments and tenure.
Fligor and Hoffmann were named council representatives to the harbor commission, and Sutton was named to a five-year term on the commission. Patrick McGrainer was sworn in as fire chief, Brian Sheehan as deputy chief, and Martin Hawley Jr. as fire captain.
Le Grice named Dellosso chairman of the police, finance and personnel committees, Hoffmann, chairman of emergency services, and Fligor chairman of public works. Fligor will also serve on the police committee with Dellosso, Doyle and Lero on finance and personnel, Archibald on emergency services, and Doyle and Hoffman on public works.
Council representative to the planning board will be made at the Jan. 13 meeting of the governing body, after Archibald declined the position at the reorganization meeting. Edward Kelly was named the mayor’s designee to the board, Martin Hawley was named to a one-year term as Class II member and Edward Cetron, named to a four-year term as Class IV member. Alternates are David Ottignon and Richard Colangelo.
Other mayoral appointments include Wanda Kelly to the environmental commission, Marilyn Scherfen, Kathleen Wigginton and William Thorne, Shade Tree Commission, and Kim Spatola chairman of the Beautification and Public Relations Committee.
There are still vacancies on the Sustainable Green Team Advisory Committee and the Recreation Committee. The Two River Times was named an official newspaper for municipal advertising.