Roth expresses interest in being selected mayor
Manalapan committee will hold reorganization meeting at 5 p.m. Jan. 2
BY KATHY BARATTA Staff Writer

MANALAPAN - In response to a question from Mayor Andrew Lucas as to who among the five members of the Township Committee wants to serve as mayor in 2008, Committeeman Richard Klauber said he thinks Michelle Roth should take that role.

Roth is serving as Manalapan's deputy mayor in 2007.

Committeewoman Susan Cohen and Committeeman Anthony Gennaro passed on the question when Lucas asked it at the final committee meeting of the year held Dec. 19.

The governing body will hold its 2008 reorganization meeting at 5 p.m. Jan. 2 at town hall. Among the business to be conducted that day will be electing a mayor and deputy mayor for the year.

Under Manalapan's form of government the mayor is not directly elected by voters. The five members of the Township Committee vote among themselves as to who will be mayor and deputy mayor. Those two positions do not come with any additional legislative powers.

Cohen said she had not realized that the subject was going to be discussed on Dec. 19.

Gennaro responded to the question from Lucas, saying, "I'll pass."

The seats now held by Roth and Gennaro will be on the election ballot in November 2008.

Explaining why he was suggesting Roth to hold the position of mayor, Klauber said, "I think she has put the time in and has the experience and I think she deserves to be mayor."

Roth acknowledged Klauber's unofficial nomination saying, "I would like to throw my hat into the proverbial ring. I believe I've demonstrated an understanding over the past several years and been proactive with issues."

Roth, who is a Democrat, told Lucas, who is a Republican, that she believes they had worked well together and in doing so she had demonstrated "bipartisan ability."

Addressing Lucas, Roth said, "It's been a pleasure and an honor working with you in this capacity. I would be honored if the governing body were to ask me to serve as mayor."

Of the possibility of naming Roth mayor in 2008, Lucas said, "I think she has worked unbelievably hard this past year. She has demonstrated an ability to work with others who are not in the same political party as she is."

Lucas made that specific comment in a telephone interview with the News Transcript on Dec. 21

There were no names put forth for the position of deputy mayor during the Dec. 19 meeting.

Lucas asked if there were any preferences regarding liaison positions for the coming year.

Cohen said she would like to remain as the committee's liaison to the health department and said she would like to take on the role of police commissioner, a role Klauber presently fills.

Klauber said he would be glad to let Cohen take over the police commissioner's position, offering that he would like to move from the environmental committee to take on the role of arts council liaison as well as serving as the liaison to the Department of Public Works.

Klauber also said he would like to serve on the Planning Board.

Roth, as deputy mayor, and Lucas, as mayor, were the committee's representatives to the Planning Board in 2007.

Roth said she would like to remain on the Planning Board in 2008 and step into the role as the liaison to the environmental committee, a role she said "segues nicely with the Planning Board."

Lucas amiably observed, "I'm happy to serve wherever."

Gennaro did not suggest any liaison role for himself, but did observe that whoever is chosen to serve as mayor in 2008 should "argue issues and not each other."

The members of the governing body also held interviews with numerous professionals who are seeking to serve in various capacities in 2008.

Although all were asked different questions by the Township Committee members, each member of the committee enthusiastically supported Cohen's question to each person who is seeking to serve as township attorney in 2008.

Cohen asked each applicant if they had any political aspirations. It was a reference to Caroline Casagrande, who was Manalapan's township attorney this year. Casagrande ran for and won a seat in the state Assembly and will not return to Manalapan in 2008.

Roth noted over the course of the interviews that the committee members are looking for a person they can rely on having the desire, expertise and tenacity needed to ensure them they were in it for the long haul.

The last few years have seen Manalapan's township attorney change on an annual basis.

All of the professionals responded by saying they held no political office ambitions.

Following the interviews it was announced that construction code official Rick Hogan, who is also Manalapan's fire official, has been named head of the Office of Emergency Management (OEM). Hogan will receive a stipend of no more than $5,000 and will not be granted comp time as he had been requesting.

Noting that the OEM director had never before been a paid position, Roth said she was disappointed Hogan found a suggested stipend of $3,500 not acceptable. She said she would be willing to meet his request for the $5,000 annual stipend, but said she was against his getting comp time.

The Township Committee then went into executive (closed) session and came out to announce that Alan Spector has been named director of the Department of PublicWorks, succeeding John Lewis, who retired. Troy Davis was named superintendent of roads.

In other business, Renee Garrigana was appointed as Manalapan's assistant township administrator.