On Friday afternoon, the reorganization meeting of the Somerset County Board of Freeholders took place in the Historic Courthouse on East Main Street in Somerville. It was an occasion for a festive celebration, and the renovated courthouse was packed with family, friends and well-wishers.
Not having attended one of these meetings before, it did not escape my attention that some of the heavy guns of the New Jersey State Legislature and of the U.S. Congress which represent the various districts of Somerset County were in attendance, as well as the majors of some Somerset County cities and towns. Bridgewater’s own Mayor Patricia Flannery was there, representing the township.
What was probably the best aspect of this meeting, though, were the families and friends of the public servants who were being sworn into office. An especially human touch made its presence felt in the form of all the kids who were there to see their moms, pops, grandmoms, and grandpops sworn in. Instead of merely adult voices breaking the room’s silence, the cries and antics of kids who will not be denied were heard throughout the event.
For about an hour and fifteen minutes, all politics were put aside (they really were!!), and elected officials got to enjoy a brief period of celebration. I don’t want to get too mushy about this but, sometimes, we do need to pause and to acknowledge people whom we’ve elected and who do their best to serve us – at least most do.
Here are a few vignettes: Judge Thomas Dilts swore in all of the new and re-elected officials, beginning with Sheriff Frank Provenzano. When Brett Radi, the Somerset County Clerk took his oath, he said, referring to his re-election, “You don’t do this alone. You don’t do anything alone in life.” Amen to that. Patricia Walsh (a new face on the board replacing Denise Coyle) garnered laughter when, about halfway through her swearing-in by Judge Dilts, she just took off and recited by heart the last two-thirds or so of the oath. No flies on her.
Denise Coyle, former freeholder who is moving on to the State Legislature, was present to accept formal recognition of her 12 years of service on the Freeholder Board. Expressing her views on speaking publicly she said, “Don’t talk unless it improves the silence,” but quickly followed up with, “but not today.” In her new position, she expressed her intent to “use the power of government to improve people’s lives.”
Peter Palmer was installed as the new Director of the Board of Freeholders, replacing Robert Zaborowski, while Rick Fontana was sworn in as its Deputy Director. Fontana removed several dollar bills from his wallet, held them up, and claimed that a few bucks a day per citizen – what it “takes to buy coffee at Starbucks” – is what Somerset County runs on. He commented that the County provides the “best quality of services for the best price,” and that it is “the model (county) for the state.”
True to character, Freeholder Jack Ciattarelli commented that, “My remarks reflect my beliefs,” that he would “provide oversight of our agencies,” and that he would look into a “senior citizen property tax relief program.” He also spoke about creating “a model for municipal services," and mentioned “the (potential) consolidation of agencies.”
Robert Zaborowski devoted most of his comments to lauding the accumulated achievements of Somerset County’s Park system. If you listened carefully when Peter Palmer spoke, you would have found out that his family roots in Somerset County date back to 1908 and, interestingly enough, that he played clarinet while in high school and at Cornell. At one point towards the end, there was a mass swearing-in of dozens of people who serve on various councils, commissions, and advisory boards.
Well, that’s the kind of meeting that it was – light, yet serious enough. Everyone had to go through a security check to enter the building, and uniformed officers were prominently in sight everywhere.
See the county web site at http://www.co.somerset.nj.us/
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