Towns Shuffle Local Government Boards

The local municipalities reshuffled their government boards Tuesday and swore-in the new elected officials.

The biggest changes happened in as Stacey Altman was sworn-in as a new commissioner and Thomas Castello was elevated to board president by a 5-to-3 vote. Castello beat out Craig Stephens for the position and replaces Pat Caruso as board president.

Meanwhile, Commissioner David Jason was elected board vice president by a 5-to-3.

Castello presented Caruso a gavel for her service the past two years as president.

“I thought she did an excellent job over the past two years,” Castello said.

Caruso thanked the board and said she thought “we accomplished a lot.”

Altman, who replaces Dennis “DJ” Brooks as 3rd Ward commissioner, said she was excited to get to work.

“I’d like to thank my friends, my family and my neighbors for supporting me,” she said.

In , Council President Ray Losego kept the position after Al Kosol asked for his name to be removed from consideration.

“He’s done a good job the last several years and I think he should be president,” Kosol said of Losego.

Kosol also said he was not interested in returning as vice president, adding he would like to “fade away” from municipal government when his term expires in 2014.

“You have contributed a lot to the borough over the past dozen years and I know you won’t just fade out of the picture,” Mayor Ken LaSota said.

The council unanimously elected John Duda as vice president.

In , Nino Petrocelli remained as board president and Joe Colosimo was voted council vice president. Also, Michael Tolmer was sworn-in as a councilman after unseating Michael Chiodo in the November election.

In , Bob Schuler and Kay Downey-Clarke stayed in their respective positions of president and vice president.

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