Gill, Richardson Re-Elected To Lead Essex County Freeholders

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Brendan Gill of Montclair and Wayne Richardson of Newark will continue to serve as president and vice president of the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders for the new year.

During the board’s reorganization meeting earlier this week, Gill was re-elected as president and Richardson was re-elected as vice president. The other freeholders joined fellow Democratic Party leaders at the ceremony, including Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. and Essex County Democratic Chairman Leroy Jones.

The freeholder board released the following statement about Gill:

“Freeholder Gill was nominated by Freeholder Johnson, which was second by Freeholders Pomares and Graham and affirmed by the Board. Initially elected as the District 5 Freeholder in November of 2011, Freeholder Gill was re-elected Freeholder At-Large in 2014 and 2017. As a life-long resident of Essex County, he has advocated for the needs of the residents throughout his tenure. Previously, he served as State Director for United States Senator Frank Lautenberg from 2007 until his passing in 2013, District Director for United States Congressmen Bill Pascrell and Steve Rothman, Chief of Staff to Assemblyman Peter Eagler, and Communications Director for the NJ Department of Transportation. He currently chairs the Democratic Committee of Montclair and operates his own public affairs and political consulting firm, the BGill Group, LLC.”

The freeholder board released the following statement about Richardson:

“Freeholder Richardson was nominated for the position of Freeholder Vice President by Freeholder Mercado and second by Freeholders Sebold and Cooper. Freeholder Richardson was first elected as the District 2 Freeholder in November of 2014 and re-elected in 2017. He grew up in Newark, and served as a District Leader and Assistant Ward Chairperson in Newark’s North Ward in the 1980’s. He has worked as a business agent for Laborers Local 108, an organizer for the Laborers Eastern Region Organizing Fund (LEROF), President of Laborers Local 55, and Lead Organizer in New Jersey, Delaware, New York City, and Long Island. In 2010, he was appointed to the Newark Central Planning Board and reappointed and elected Chairman in 2014.”

Father Benny Prado, pastor of Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Montclair, provided an invocation and benediction during Tuesday’s ceremony.

During a speech, Gill noted several positive changes that took place in Essex County during 2019:

• “The creation of an Independent Citizen Oversight Task Force of the Essex County Correctional Facility, the first of its kind in the nation”
• “An unprecedented partnership with the City of Newark and the state of New Jersey to finance the replacement of lead water lines in Newark”
• “The passing of a resolution supporting the advancement and passing of Bill A4743, which will provide driver’s licenses for undocumented residents”
• “An advocate of the implementation of voting machines that require signed paper ballots and calling for federal funding for all states to enhance security measures around the voting process”
• “Addressing the feral cat population issue with support of the Trap, Neuter and Return policy or TNR; initiated to save the lives of cats while preventing future generations”

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