By Stephen Appezzato
FAIR HAVEN – The borough’s reorganization meeting was short and bittersweet as new council members were sworn in while the retirement of a key borough employee was announced.
Surrounded by her family, council member Michal DiMiceli took the oath of office administered by U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-6) during a meeting held in person and via Zoom.
Another new face, council member Brian Olson, was sworn in at borough hall also by Pallone. The two were met with applause and enthusiasm.
After being sworn in DiMiceli thanked the residents of Fair Haven and expressed excitement for the year to come.
“I can’t wait to be there in person and be able to really make a difference. I’m so excited to work with Brian and the rest of the council and to work with the administration, and I know this is going to be a great year,” she said.
In November, Fair Haven residents voted for a split ticket, with DiMiceli becoming the sole Democrat on the borough council this year, while Republican Olson joins fellow party members – council members Drew LaBarbera, Kristen Hoey, Tracy Cole and Elizabeth Koch and Mayor Josh Halpern – on the dais. Former Democratic council members Chris Rodriguez and Laline Neff did not run for reelection in 2023.
Following the new council’s first roll call of 2024, Koch was nominated and unanimously approved as council president for another year.
But before the excitement and celebration around reorganization, Halpern shared bittersweet news with the community. Longtime borough administrator Theresa Casagrande will be retiring June 1. Casagrande began her career in municipal government over 20 years ago and proudly served as Fair Haven’s administrator for 13 years.
According to Halpern, throughout Casagrande’s “tenure as the town’s administrator, she has been instrumental in helping to make Fair Haven one of New Jersey’s finest communities.”
Casagrande, who holds an MBA from Monmouth University, “has also been very active in the New Jersey Municipal Management Association,” which is a statewide organization dedicated to improving the quality of local government in New Jersey. Last year Casagrande received the organization’s distinguished service award for “demonstrating a career-long record of outstanding service in local government,” Halpern said.
“I’m sad to hear that Theresa is going but I’m looking forward to what the future brings,” DiMiceli said in her post-swearing-in speech.
Casagrande, who received a standing ovation, will continue her role until June and “will help make certain that the governing body has time to find an effective successor that allows for a seamless transition of this important leadership position,” said Halpern.
After Halpern shared Casagrande’s retirement news, the council recognized the important work of fire company and first aid department officers and approved resolutions appointing borough officials and assigning committee seats.
While the first meeting of 2024 went quickly, Halpern reminded residents of all the hard work that occurs out of the public eye which allows meetings to run smoothly.
“As quickly as that meeting just went, I want to point out that there’s a lot of work that goes into getting to this point. There’s a lot of interviews, a lot of consideration, a lot of volunteering being done by the public, and I just want to say how proud I am” of the community and borough staff that produced the seamless reorganization, Halpern said.
The article originally appeared in the January 4 – January 10, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
