MAPLEWOOD — The township held its annual reorganization meeting on New Year’s Day with council members reelecting Nancy Adams as mayor and the township clerk swearing Malia Herman into office for the first time.
The meeting was called to order at 2 p.m. and began with Boy Scout Troop 5 presenting the colors.
Committeewoman Deborah Engel led the Pledge of Allegiance and township resident Kari Capone sang the national anthem. Rabbi Daniel Cohen gave the invocation and said a memorial prayer for those lost during the previous year.
“It is my hope that we will come together to do the work together,” Cohen said in his invocation. The rabbi also prayed that people would have discussions face to face rather than over social media.
“May we lift one another up,” Cohen said. “May we roll up our sleeves and work together to build this community.”
The year was dedicated, by the committee, to YouthNet, which supports students in South Orange and Maplewood with a variety of programs and events.
Maplewood resident Allison Posner sang “Keep Marching On” before a videotaped statement from Sen. Cory Booker was played and the oath of office was administered to Nancy Adams by the township clerk.
Adams, who was elected in November to her fourth, three-year term, spoke after being sworn in.
Adams said her focus has been, and will be in the future, on two topics in particular; environmental stewardship and zoning initiatives.
She said she was pleased with the ban on gas leaf blowers, the ban on one time use plastic bags and would continue to be an advocate for increasing the township’s tree canopy.
Adams said she was pleased with the efforts the committee has made regarding stormwater runoff, including the creation of a Stormwater Utility to address the effects of climate change and escalating stormwater hazards.
“Zoning changes are never simple,” Adams said. “The goal is to maintain the architecture and charm that drew many of us here.”
Adams said she was filled with gratitude for the support she has received and the chance to continue the work.
“Thank you for your trust and support,” Adams said. “Let’s build the future of Maplewood together.”
Malia Herman, who was elected to serve on the committee in November and selected as deputy mayor by her fellow committee members at the reorganization meeting, was sworn in to what will be her first term in office.
Herman said she took particular pride in being the first Latina and the first person with native American heritage to serve on the committee.
“I want to thank my parents, who are here today, for teaching me the value of community service and of public service,” Herman said.
Herman cited her campaign slogan – “Malia for Maplewood” – during her speech and explained how it related to how she will serve.
“It’s pretty simple. Malia. That’s me. And Maplewood, this wonderful place that we are so fortunate to call our home,” Herman said. “And then, there’s that little word in the middle; “for.” That’s why I ran for office, and it’s also how I plan to center my service to you as your elected representative. I didn’t come to this job with any particular agenda or ideology other than working as hard as I can for Maplewood, to find practical, reasonable solutions to the challenges we face.”
Herman said her plans include standing up for accessibility and inclusion at all town events; focusing on public safety, especially on roads; fighting for lower rates at the Maplewood Community Pool and enabling more kids and adults to access swim lessons.
“All of this should be done with an eye on fiscal accountability, making sure that we are spending tax-payer dollars, your dollars, in the most efficient way possible, with an eye to any cost-savings we can achieve through shared services with neighboring towns,” Herman said.
Adams, who was selected by fellow committee members to serve a second term as mayor, gave a state of the township message.
“The state of the township is excellent,” she began, before citing township administrator Patrick Wherry, who recently completed his first full year leading municipal operations and assistant administrator Miriam Perez.
“Thanks to their efforts and the collaboration of our team, we achieved a lot,” Adams said.
Adams talked about the redevelopment plan for the movie theater block.
“Early in the new year, we will engage with new property owners within the movie theater redevelopment area, ensuring that their input also informs the plan,” Adams said. “We are excited about the potential for this beloved and vital area of the village and remain dedicated to seeing its transformation through. Our work continues and we look forward to what’s ahead.”
Among the other things cited by Adams:
• A part-time public information officer has been hired to improve communications with residents;
• The library renovation is nearing completions and the facility should reopen in the spring;
• Maplewood police officers will begin working 12 hour shifts to ensure more consistent staffing levels;
• Robberies, aggravated assaults, and auto thefts were down in 2024 but burglaries increased from 29 in 2023 to 37 this past year;
• Sgt. James DeFazio, Officer Janette Lareau, Officer Robert Smith and Officer Adrian Verdun were honored this year with Valor Awards for their extraordinary bravery in the face of danger, risking their own safety to rescue residents from a residential fire. Additionally, Sergeant Scott Reeves was the inaugural recipient of the Chief Jim DeVaul Award, a new honor recognizing dedicated service and going above and beyond in daily duties to serve our community.
• The South Essex Fire Department responded to nearly 5,000 calls for service in 2024. The department has undergone some significant changes this year, including retirements, the hiring of new firefighter EMTs, and the promotion of individuals to captain and deputy chief roles.
• The township engineering department worked on 11 road improvement projects that resulted in the paving and reconstruction of two and a half miles of town roads.
• Engineering also collaborated with consulting engineers to develop a comprehensive plan for bike lanes throughout the township, and they created detailed plans for bike lanes on Parker Avenue and Dunnell Road.
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