Woodbridge Councilman Resigns

Woodbridge, NJ - James Major, a longtime member of the Woodbridge Township Council, has resigned and he has been replaced by the first Indian-American to serve on the Woodbridge Council.

Major will start a new job this month with the Middlesex County Utilities Authority, and he said he is leaving his Council position after 12 years to avoid any potential conflicts of interest, according to MyCentralJersey.com. The Middlesex County Utilities Authority handles Woodbridge's sewers and solid waste.

The 4th Ward includes Iselin and Menlo Park. On Tuesday, the Council voted to approve Virbhadra "Viru" Patel to fill the vacancy, the paper reported.

Patel is reportedly very active in Woodbridge's thriving Indian business community and he will be the first Indian-American to serve on the council. He will be sworn in Sunday following the India Day Parade on Oak Tree Road. Patel will serve until the Nov. 8 general election, at which point Woodbridge residents will get to vote for who gets to fill out the remaining term, which runs through Dec. 31, 2017. Anyone can file a petition to run for the seat, and the deadline is Sept. 14.