Highlands Council Names Former Chester Mayor As Executive Director

CHESTER, NJ — Ben Spinelli, a former Highlands Council Member and Chester Township Mayor, was recently appointed Executive Director of the New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council.

According to the Highlands Council, Spinelli, a founding member, brings an exceptional background in public policy and land use management to the role.

The Highlands Council was established by the state Legislature to protect the environmental integrity of the New Jersey Highlands Region, which provides drinking water to more than 5 million people, primarily in North Jersey. The 800,000-acre region includes 88 municipalities in seven counties: Bergen, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex and Warren, according to officials.

Spinelli, who first served on the council board from 2004 to 2006, believes that everything he has done over the last two decades has prepared him for this position.

Spinelli began his career as a county prosecutor and trial attorney before entering public service as an elected official, serving three terms as Mayor of Chester Township in Morris County from 1998 to 2007.

During his tenure as Mayor, Spinelli worked for the New Jersey Office of Smart Growth as Chief Counsel and Director of Policy, later becoming Executive Director before transitioning to the nonprofit sector and, eventually, private consulting.

“I’ve dedicated a significant portion of my professional career to sustainable planning issues, and in particular protection of the resources of the Highlands region. From being the mayor of a Highlands community to advocating for the protection of the Highlands and sitting as a Highlands Council member, I have been deeply involved in the important issues facing this region. This is an incredible opportunity for me to continue to ensure that the Highlands will meet the needs of New Jersey’s residents for generations to come,” Spinelli said.

Spinelli will take over as Executive Director in August, succeeding Lisa J. Plevin, who has held the position since 2018. Under her leadership, the Council completed a number of significant regional projects, including the completion of trail signage and a digital mapping project for the New Jersey portion of the long-distance Highlands Trail.

“Lisa’s contributions to the Highlands Council during the past four years have been tremendous and will have a lasting impact not only on the agency but on the region as a whole,” Richko said.

“When we began this search, we were committed to finding someone with meaningful experience in the Highlands region,” said Highlands Council Chairman Carl Richko, a former West Milford mayor. “Ben’s tenure on the Highlands Council certainly set him apart, but he also brings deep expertise in environmental policy, municipal land-use law, sustainable local, regional and statewide land-use practices, land preservation, agricultural retention and strategic planning. His experience and ties to the region are just excellent.”

Spinelli will lead a 23-person staff starting next month and report directly to Richko. The position comes with an annual salary of $135,000.