Township Welcomes New Mayor

Former township Deputy Mayor Nicole Hagner was appointed mayor at the municipality's reorganization meeting Thursday as the two top officials in the township's government flip-flopped roles.

Kevin Tubbs, who had been mayor before the meeting, was appointed deputy mayor. He was placed in that position by a committee that had made Hagner mayor only minutes before.

Both appointments were made unanimously.

"I'm very excited about it," Hagner said after the meeting. "And I'm very proud to be able to do it."

In township government, each member of a five person committee has equal power, and the mayor and deputy mayor are appointed by the committee.

Members of a relatively large crowd that included Morris County Freeholder James Murray and Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz, R-Summit, cheered as Hagner stepped forward to take her oath of office. She then shook hands with committee members, jsut as Tubbs did after his appointment.

All five members of the township committee are Republicans.

In remarks to the crowd, Hagner listed some of the township's 2009 accomplishments. She noted that the township passed a budget with only a slight tax increase, an achievement she attributed to the prudent financial stewardship of Township Administrator and Chief Financial Officer Thomas Ciccarone.

It purchased a new pumper truck, is working on construction for a new volunteer fire house and received awards from the state rewarding its sustainable practices.

In 2010, Hagner said, the township will take steps to integrate its recreation department more fully with that of the borough. It will pursue a variety of new grant opportunities and will work to make its building more energy efficient.

"We are Chatham," Hagner said. "Let's continue to shape the place we all call home."

As is tradition at reorganization meetings, the township committee appointed people to a variety of boards and committees at the meeting. It also passed a slew of resolutions approving contracts with different organizations and reappointed officials to their township positions.

Brower was the lone dissenting voice on one of the resolutions, saying he did not approve of hiring the same auditor every year. As such, he voted against a resolution approving the hiring of a township auditor.

"No matter how well the job has been done, it's a situation that needs to be looked at," Brower said.

No other resolutions were voted against at the meeting, which was over in about half an hour.

Looking for more from the township meeting? Check back tomorrow for the full text of Hagner's remarks.