Spirig Sworn In Amid Lawsuit Challenge From Mendham Republican

MENDHAM, NJ — The Mendham Township Committee welcomed two new official committee members last week, despite Morris County Republicans' legal challenge to the election.

At the committee's reorganization meeting at Mendham Township Middle School, Republican Tracey Moreen and Democrat Lauren Spirig were both sworn in for three-year terms.

Despite the ongoing legal case that has received significant media coverage, the two committee members pledged bipartisan cooperation in statements they made after taking their oaths of office.

"It's incredibly meaningful to be sworn in after an election in which residents selected one Republican and one Democrat to represent them. Each of whom promised to authentically and honestly represent the needs of their neighbors regardless of political party. I can categorically say that we both meant what we said and that we are here to be thoughtful, collaborative and open to new ideas," Spirig said.

The official inauguration comes just two weeks after former Committee member and deputy mayor Thomas Baio filed a lawsuit challenging Spirig's election.

The lawsuit, which will go to court before Judge Stuart Minkowitz, was filed on the grounds that illegal votes were received, and that the votes received were sufficient to change the result.

On Jan. 19, both sides will appear before Minkowitz to discuss Baio's claim that 33 voters should be disqualified because they didn't meet the residency requirements for Mendham Township voting.

Spirig won the election with 1,473 votes, followed by Baio with 1,471 votes, Moreen with 1,532 votes, and Democrat Martin Slayne with 1,397 votes, according to certified election results from the Morris County Clerk's office.

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"I think that the residents made it clear that they would like to see our township committee be highly collaborative and represent their views versus push thoughts and agendas only held by a few. I intend to use my votes to represent the majority of residents versus having three people decide the future of our town with 3-2 votes based on opinion," Moreen said. "I am confident that this township committee will be bipartisan and will work together in a professional and respectful way."

During the meeting, committee member Amalia Duarte also noted that the committee now has four women serving together on the dais, which she called historic. "It's very unusual, as we all know, in the world of politics, so I feel very confident we're going to get things done."

The Township Committee also appointed Nick Monaghan as mayor and Sarah Neibart as deputy mayor for 2023 at the reorganization meeting.

Spirig chose fellow Democrat Duarte for both positions, but both were defeated in the committee by a 3-2 vote, with Republicans Monaghan, Neibart and Moreen voting against Duarte.

"We also now have a township committee that I think more accurately represents the makeup of our community. We aren't a red town, we aren't a blue town, we are a purple town," Duarte said. "I was looking at the statistics today of registered voters and at the moment, and it's changing of course as new families come to town, but we're about 38% Republican, 34% unaffiliated and 28% Democrat."

The committee wrapped up the meeting by discussing upcoming goals for 2023, which include investing more in township roads, assessing and preserving open space, selecting a new township logo and repurposing the old police station.