Rich Rockwell at the Monday, Jan. 22, council meeting.
BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Rich Rockwell, 64, the vice-president of the Historical Society of Bloomfield, has been appointed to the township council. He was sworn-in Monday evening, Jan. 22, as an at-large member.
Rockwell fills the vacancy left by Carlos Pomares who was elected Essex County freeholder, District 5, in November. There are two years left in Pomares’ term. Should Rockwell want to remain a councilman, he would be required to run in the June 2018 primary and, if successful, a special election for council in November 2018. He is a registered Democrat.
Rockwell was born in Monongahela, Pa., which is part of the greater Pittsburgh area. He is currently employed in NYC as a business analyst in compliance for JP Morgan Chase.
Together with Pomares, he helped create the Morris Canal Greenway Committee, serving as its chairman. He resigned that post because of his council appointment. He was also required to resign from the Bloomfield Zoning Board and the Bloomfield Historic Preservation Commission. He ran unsuccessfully for an at-large council seat in 2010.
In a telephone interview earlier this week, Rockwell said there will be liaison appointments to the greenway committee and the preservation commission.
“I may be appointed to these,” he said. “That’s what I considered: Can I accomplish more on these committees or the council?”
A published author on Bloomfield history, Rockwell has had an impact on a citizen’s appreciation for the Morris Canal. This included his advocacy for preserving the Collins House, the early-1700s dwelling that is an integral part of canal history in Bloomfield. The structure is currently being rehabilitated into a proposed community meeting place and museum.
Rockwell assisted in the creation of a “pocket park” on the former canal bed, and in establishing signposts along the canal route. With his knowledge of canal history, Rockwell and Pomares were able to salvage iron fencing when the Berkeley Avenue bridge was replaced. The bridge crossed a section of the former route.
“I have a passion for history,” he said. “I would like to carry on these initiatives.”
But Rockwell brings to the council more than an appreciation for the past.
“I’ve been on the zoning board for 10 years,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of exposure to the understanding of projects and the need of ordinances.” He said that the council requires a different “knowledge-set” and different decisions than the kind he made on the zoning board.
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