Mayor, Three Council Members Begin New Terms Wednesday

Written By Daniel Hubbard

Mayor Chris Vergano and three sitting council members will be sworn into new terms Wednesday at the township’s annual reorganization meeting at noon.

Vergano was re-elected to a second four-year term in November. He soundly defeated Democratic challenger Jane Hutchinson by about 4,000. At the center of the election was a plan to redevelop several commercial properties in town. Vergano helped develop it.

The plan was put on hold after dozens of residents, many of whom belong to Wayne Concerned Citizens, a grassroots organization, spoke out against it at meetings and online.

Councilmen at large Joseph Schweighardt and James Jimenez and Councilwoman Lonni Miller Ryan will also be sworn into new four-year terms. A council president will be chosen to serve for the year. He or she will run the council meetings.

It will be Schweighardt’s fourth term. Ryan, a legislative aide to Assemblyman Scott Rumana, was elected in 2010 to serve the final three years of an unexpired term.

It will be Jimenez’s first full term. He was elected to serve the remainder of Lawrence Maron’s seat in 2011.

The council will appoint various individuals to boards and committees, including the Planning Board and Board of Adjustment, at the meeting.

The meeting will be held at noon. It will be broadcast online and on cable channel 77.