By Sunayana Prabhu
TINTON FALLS – The borough ushered in a new era Tuesday night as Mayor Risa Clay and several newly elected council members were sworn in during the annual reorganization meeting at borough hall.
Several residents, elected officials and state representatives showed up at the ceremony to celebrate after a tight election season last year.
Clay took the oath of office from state Sen. Vin Gopal (D-11) at the Jan. 6 meeting. She was reelected to serve as mayor for her first full four-year term beginning in 2026. She was previously appointed as interim mayor in March 2025 to complete the remainder of the late Mayor Vito Perillo’s term.
“Mayor Clay has given her heart and soul to this town,” said Gopal, praising her “tireless” work and dedication.
“This is both a profound honor and responsibility that I do not take lightly,” Clay told attendees after her swearing in. “I am deeply grateful to our residents, my family and colleagues for their trust. Together, we will continue to build a welcoming, resilient community.”
Gopal also administered the oath of office to council members Greg Alessi, Larry Neis and Kashyap Parikh. While Alessi, Parikh and Clay ran under the “Team Tinton Falls” slate, Dobrin was elected from the “One Future” banner.
Council members Michael Nesci and Tracy Buckley, whose terms end in 2027, reconvened on the dais. Nesci was unanimously elected council president and Alessi was appointed deputy council president. Clay administered both oaths of office.
While the evening focused on welcoming new leadership, borough officials also confronted another major shift in town government – the departure of Tinton Falls’ top administrator Charles Terefenko, who resigned last month to accept a position in another municipality.
In a statement on the borough website, officials said a transition plan is in place to ensure continuity of services. The plan includes a comprehensive search for a permanent borough administrator and the appointment of Thomas Fallon, currently the borough’s chief financial officer, as interim administrator. Fallon previously served in the interim role.
Terefenko was appointed to the position in February 2022. In an official statement Dec. 22, borough officials praised Terefenko’s tenure and his role in modernizing municipal operations in the borough and strengthening day-to-day management.
“During his tenure, Mr. Terefenko provided exemplary service to the Borough. He brought innovation, professionalism, and a strong commitment to efficient and transparent government operations,” borough officials said when announcing his departure. Officials praised Terefenko for his dedication and positive impact. “His leadership helped modernize internal processes, strengthen daily municipal operations, and advance the long-term goals of the community,” officials said.
Terefenko oversaw several infrastructure projects during his short tenure. Some of the projects include the softball fields at Sycamore Recreation Complex; the nearly 60-acre Walz Park transformation into a multifunctional community space, estimated to cost almost $2.4 million; and a road upgrades program estimated to cost $4.1 million that includes paving 16 different roads within the borough, spanning approximately 5 miles, targeting streets like Rutgers Drive, West Park Avenue, Silvercrest Drive, Oakdale Drive, Honey Lane and several others identified as requiring critical maintenance. The road program was in the design phase through 2025, with bidding and construction to begin this year.
“We are fortunate to have a strong, dedicated, and highly talented team already in place at the Borough,” Clay said in the statement posted online.
During the reorganization meeting, Fallon said Tinton Falls is well-positioned to manage the transition after Terefenko. “During this transition period, my focus will be maintaining stability, supporting our staff and ensuring our financial operations and ongoing projects stay on track,” Fallon said. “I am confident that together we can keep the borough moving forward smoothly and responsibly.”
The reorganization meeting also included the approval of several key appointments, including Kevin Starkey as director of law and Mark Shaffrey as director of public works. The council also approved members for the borough’s historic preservation commission, planning board, shade tree commission, environmental commission, and the Green Team Advisory Committee.
The article originally appeared in the January 8 – 14, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
