Independent voted Morristown NJ Council President amid worrying rise in local redistricting

Independent voted Morristown NJ Council President amid worrying rise in local redistricting | Democracy, elections, and voting at Democracy Chronicles

Wednesday’s 275th reorganization meeting in Morristown held a few surprises as a re-elected mayor and council along with a reappointed administration team make for a 2014 roster for the governing body that looks strikingly similar to the squad that ended 2013. The change for 2014 came at the top.

The state’s loss appears to be Morristown’s gain as former assembly candidate Rebecca Feldman, an independent, was unanimously appointed as council president for 2014 and councilman Stefan Armington was similarly approved for the position of vice-president. “I am excited, as an Independent, for the opportunity to work with everybody,” Feldman said.

Feldman said she was particularly looking forward to the new master plan and complimentary zoning ordinance coming this year. Toshiba Foster, Michael Elms and Michelle Dupree-Harris all took their oaths of office and the newly reconfigured governing body took swift action and Michael Rogers was re-upped as business administrator and Vijayant Pawar as director of law and municipal attorney for 2014.

Mayor Tim Dougherty, sworn in for his second term after opening remarks (and jokes) by Assumption Church Pastor John E. Hart, said that he saw 2014 as a year that was going to be a good one for Morristown. The mayor said that continued smarty growth was the key for Morristown and over the last two and a half years over 200 businesses have opened up downtown. “Many businesses are choosing Morristown for their second locations,” Dougherty said, naming  a few like the Cake Boss, Godfather and Cioffi’s Salad House. “People who have been asking for variety in our retail will soon have it.”

See more at: https://morristown.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/morristown-elects-independent-assembly-candidate-council-president