Howell Council Reorganization Set For Tuesday

HOWELL, NJ — The Howell Township Council is scheduled to hold its 2020 reorganization meeting on Tuesday at the township's municipal building.

An executive session is set for 4 p.m. followed by the regular session, which will be held at 5 p.m. in the second-floor meeting room at the municipal building, 4567 Route 9.

Mayor Theresa Berger and the sitting council members all are in the midst of their terms so there will be no swearing in beyond the selection of the deputy mayor. Berger and the 2019 deputy mayor, Evelyn O'Donnell, are in the last year of their four-year terms. The terms of council members John Bonevich, Pamela Richmond and Thomas Russo run through December 2022.

The council reorganization meeting also will include the appointment of township professionals and other business items. The agenda for the meeting has been posted on the township website.

The Howell Township Board of Education initially was scheduled to hold its reorganization the same night. However, the school board in November changed its reorganization meeting to avoid a conflict.

That meeting was held Thursday, board secretary Ronald Sanasac said via email on Saturday.

Cristy Mangano and Mark Bonjavanni were sworn in to new three-year terms on the board, after winning re-election in November. Laurence Gurman, who was defeated in the election, will be sworn in for a one-year term to fill the seat that was won by Joseph Tate.

Tate withdrew from the board days after winning the seat.

"Within a few days of the election a situation arose with my business that will take up much more of my time than I was prepared for when I decided to run for the board," Tate said in a message to Patch. " It became clear that I could not devote my self to the board as was needed of a board member, and decided it was best for the community and my family if I did not serve on the board."

Gurman was chosen by the board at the Dec. 11 meeting to fill the seat for one year, Jersey Shore Online reported. The remainder of Tate's term will be up for election in November.

Mangano was the top vote-getter, receiving 5,128 votes, according to the official results on the Monmouth County clerk's election website. Bonjavanni received 5,044, and Tate received 4,155. Gurman received 3,017.

Editor's note: The date of the reorganization meeting for the school board was reported incorrectly due to a misreading of the school board agenda. Patch sincerely regrets the error.

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