Clark's John Laezza Wins Business Administrator of the Year at 2011 Mayors Dinner

“Doing more with less” was the overriding theme at the 2011 Annual Mayors Dinner hosted by the Gateway Regional Chamber of Commerce at the Newark Airport Marriot Hotel Monday, March 28.

For his work to "deliver more services while capping property tax increases," Gateway chose Clark Business Adminstrator, John Laezza, to receive the honor of Business Administrator of the Year.

Clark Mayor Sal Bonaccorso was also in the running for this year's Mayor of the Year, an award he has won previously. 

“The mayors, councils and other leaders in municipalities throughout New Jersey are facing the biggest challenges of their careers right now, with less state aid, reduced tax income due to the struggling economy and new state mandates to hold property taxes,” said James Coyle, Gateway president.  “Yet they are finding creative and in some cases ingenious ways to meet these challenges while avoiding cuts in services and lay offs.  While only one of our nominees was named Mayor of the Year, the residents of all 21 municipalities in Union County are the real winners.”

In providing the audience of 350 with a state of their town recap, nearly every mayor or council person talked about maintaining services and avoiding layoffs despite reduced operating budgets in the past and coming year.

Also in attendance was Rep. Leonard Lance (NJ-7), who presented Coyle with a flag that flew over the Capital building in honor the chamber’s 100th anniversary being celebrated in 2011.

The Gateway Regional Chamber of Commerce is the largest business association in the New York/Northern New Jersey Region, comprising 13 regional and local chambers. With 1,500 members, the Gateway Regional Chamber of Commerce has a 95 percent retention rate, the highest in the country.  

The winners were: 

Mayor of the Year – Kathi Fiamingo, KenilworthFor promoting open government

Business Administrator of the Year – John Laezza, Clark
For his work to deliver more services while capping property tax increases

Public Safety Official of the Year – Robert Lucid, Summit
For initiating shared services with other towns

School Superintendent of the Year – Patrick Martin, Union
For introducing Saturday Academy