Politics & Government

Amato Wants To Be Sworn in at Berkeley Township Elementary School, Not Town Hall

Large crowd expected, Mayor-Elect says

 

New Years Day will mark the first time in more than twenty years that Berkeley Township will turn from a Democratic administration to one solidly under Republican control.

Township Council Vice-President and Mayor-Elect Carmen F. Amato is waiting for permission from Berkeley Board of Education and Township Council members to move the 2012 reorganization meeting from Town Hall to the Berkeley Township Elementary School.

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Amato said today he plans to ask council members to approve the change at the Dec. 13 Township Council meeting.

"The four of us have pretty large families and since I'm the first Republican mayor in 20 years, we anticipate a larger than normal turnout," Amato said today.

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Amato, 43, won the four-year mayor's term on Nov. 8, beating longtime Democratic Mayor by a narrow margin of 248 votes. Amato will be the township's first Republican mayor in 20 years.

"Obviously, after 20 years, there will be some major changes and without being specific, I will be bringing in like-minded people with me," he said after the election.

Amato said today that longtime Township Administrator Leonard W. Roeber had announced his retirement, effective on Dec. 31.

There will also be changes in some of the township professionals, although Amato declined to discuss specifics today.

Varano, 39, has served as 's mayor since he was 26. He was first appointed to fill out the remainder of the late Democratic 's term in 1998, after Zimmermann died unexpectedly. Varano went on to win three full terms before his defeat on Nov. 8.

All three Republican council candidates easily defeated their Democratic challengers. was the top vote-getter, with 6,895 votes, followed by running mates and , with 6,568 votes and 6,469 votes, respectively.

The Township Council will be all-Republican on Jan. 1.

Amato said he is still working on the details about who will swear him and his running mates in. Longtime Freeholder and Berkeley schools Superintendent Joseph H. Vicari will be involved in a portion of the ceremony, Amato said.


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