Millburn Mayor Handles Government, Downtown Juice Shop

MILLBURN, NJ — At the Millburn Township Committee's reorganization meeting on Jan. 5, Tara Prupis was chosen as the new mayor, and Richard Wasserman as deputy mayor.

Besides having been elected to the committee in 2018, Prupis owns Green Nectar Market in downtown Millburn. (She can sometimes be found working at the store.)

When she ran for committee in 2018, Prupis told Patch, "My focus will be using my business experience to bring a positive change to Millburn through good planning, good budgeting and good customer service."

At the recent meeting, new committee members Maggee Miggins and Sanjeev Vinayak took the oath recently to begin their terms. They won election to the body in November. Rounding out the committee is former Mayor Diane Thall-Eglow.

In Millburn's form of government, candidates run each year for the five-member committee. After the members are elected by the public, the committee members choose a new mayor and deputy mayor from among themselves at a reorganization meeting.

The new mayor can be reached at tprupis@millburntwp.org and through public comment at the Township Committee Meetings (see list of dates at the end of this story).

At the meeting in which she was chosen, Prupis made brief remarks:

<blockquote>

<p>Good evening Millburn Township. Happy new year. Serving you these past two years has been one of my greatest honors. It is a privilege to now be your mayor and I am looking forward to continuing the great work that was started last year under the leadership of Mayor Jackie Benjamin Lieberberg.

2020 has presented significant challenges and heartbreaking losses. Through it all, we have seen how strong, resilient and forward-thinking Millburn residents are. This past year we accomplished so much together.

We are halfway through our visioning process. Our newly formed BID is honing in on an executive director. We are well on our way to arriving at a fair share housing settlement. We will continue to evaluate our zoning codes to make sure we secure clear and intentional developments. We will continue to work closely with our county executive to make sure our residents are safe and have access to up to date information and the Covid vaccine.

We are a fortunate community and have a dedicated and passionate Township Committee. Dianne, Richard, Maggee & Sanjeev, I pledge to work with all of you to represent our Millburn-Short Hills residents. Together, we will maintain the precious character of our town while looking for opportunities for positive growth.

We will govern with transparency and respect. We will be responsive. We will strengthen our community by encouraging engagement, supporting our generous volunteers, listening to our residents and business owners, and working closely with our competent and caring Township employees.

We will continue the conversations around human relations and unity within Millburn Township. We will enhance pedestrian safety, encourage walkability and safe biking, and improve access to our two train stations. We will keep momentum around art installations. We will further evaluate our green spaces to see how we can both protect them and maximize enjoyment within them.

Lastly, and most importantly, we will spend wisely and continue to responsibly steward your tax dollars.

I’d like to thank my fellow committee members for entrusting me with your confidence to perform the job of Mayor in 2021. Thank you for all your support along the way. Together we will continue to succeed in making Millburn the thriving and forward moving community it has always been.

I’d also like to thank my family who love and celebrate me so well. My accomplishments are a testament to your unwavering belief in me.

To the Millburn-Short Hills community, I ask that you will join me in envisioning the future of our town. Reach out. Share your ideas. Voice your concerns. Get involved. With patience and planning we can create the Millburn we want to see for generations to come.

</blockquote>

More information:

• See the committee members' contact information here.
• See the agendas and schedule for future Township Committee meetings by clicking here.

Got a news tip, business opening, or event in Millburn or Short Hills? Email caren.lissner@patch.com.

To be the first to get news alerts with breaking stories in Short Hills/Millburn, or to get a free local newsletter each morning, sign up for Patch breaking news alerts or daily newsletters.