Lakewood's Township Committee held their annual reorganization meeting on Thursday. As is now "business in Lakewood," the meeting was held virtually.
The meeting opened with administration of the oath of office to reelected Committee Members Meir Lichtenstein and Menashe Miller.
The Committee voted Ray Coles for mayor, and Menashe Miller for deputy mayor. This is their 9th consecutive year in these positions.
Secare & Hensel was easily re-awarded their annual $618,000 General Counsel and Labor Counsel contracts. No other legal firm submitted a proposal for the position. "It's an honor and pleasure for us to serve the Township and people of Lakewood," stated Secare.
Remington & Vernick Engineers were reappointed Township Engineer.
Colliers Engineering and Design, along with Morgan Engineering, Remington & Vernick Engineers, and T&M Consultants were awarded planners for special projects.
Ian Goldman and Leib Klein were reappointed Municipal Prosecutor and Public Defender, respectively. Mr. Goldman will earn an annual salary of $105,000. Mr. Klein will earn an annual salary of $89,995.
Laura Halm Esq. of Rothstein, Mandell, Strohm and Halm was reappointed Alternate Township Tax Appeal Attorney. She earns $150 per hour.
Sean Kean Esq of Clearly, Giacobbe, Alfieri, Jacobs; Laura Halm, Esq of Rothstein, Mandell, Strohm and Halm; and Chris Dasti Esq were reappointed Special Township Counsels. They earn $180, $150, and $160 per hour respectively.
The main theme urged by members of the public was for the Township Committee to return to in-person meetings.
A reporter for the Asbury Park Press also questioned why the Committee doesn't return to in-person meetings. Mayor Coles responded that in-person meetings are not necessary as the Committee responds to the public all day long through their phone calls and emails. The reporter shot back "I sent the whole Committee an email asking why you don't return to in-person meetings and you didn't respond to me until I came to this netting meeting!"
The reporter added that eventhough the public may be able to reach the Committee without needing to go to town hall meetings, the public still should be afforded the right to be able to come to an in-person meeting and meet with their elected representatives face to face.
A Lakewood resident called in to the meeting and echoed the exact same sentiment.
The Committee simply returned blank looks.
Mayor Coles later stated that "for the fourth largest municipality in the state, I think we're doing pretty well here."
He added "if I could do anything about the traffic, I would."
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