Two Fair Lawn Council Members Make County Exec Transition Team

Fair Lawn Borough Council members Ed Trawinski and Jeanne Baratta have both been appointed to high-level positions on Bergen County Executive-elect Kathleen Donovan's transition team.

Donovan, who on Election Day and will begin her term Jan. 1, announced her 22-member Transition Committee in addition to separate positions for Trawinski and Baratta on Wednesday. Trawinski is the committee's executive director, and Baratta is the director of communications.

Both Republican council members said they were honored to be part of the team.

"Kathe Donovan is a person that shares the same type of values that I have, so I'm thrilled to be part of a new government in Bergen County–an open, honest government for the people of Bergen County," Baratta said.

"My goals are to provide whatever assistance and service the county executive-elect, Kathe Donovan, needs or requires, and make sure to the extent I can have an influence in it that the transition is as smooth as possible," Trawinski said.

While transition teams are usually comprised of mostly "high-end professionals" like accountants and lawyers, Donovan has assembled "a very nice team from a lot of different backgrounds, a diverse team of people," Baratta said.

"We have [high-end professionals] but we also have a lot of really good common-sense folks on the team, and I think that's going to make a difference," she said.

Trawinski said he is expecting a smooth transition period.

"So far, the early indications from the McNerney administration are that it will indeed be smooth, and that's a good thing for the people of the county," Trawinski said. "That way, come January 1st, the new administration can hit the ground running."