Essex County Commissioner President Wayne L. Richardson, center, is sworn in.
NEWARK, NJ — On Wednesday, Jan. 4, District 2 Commissioner Wayne L. Richardson, of Newark, and District 5 Commissioner Carlos M. Pomares, of Bloomfield, were unanimously reelected president and vice president, respectively, of the Essex County Board of County Commissioners during the board’s 2023 reorganization meeting. All members of the board were in attendance as Richardson and Pomares were sworn in by N.J. Superior Court Judge James R. Paganelli.
Richardson, who will serve as president for the third consecutive year, is also president of Laborers Local 55. In addition, he is a lead organizer for the Laborers Eastern Region Organizing Fund and chairs the Newark Central Planning Board.
Upon being sworn in, Richardson thanked his colleagues on the board for having confidence in his leadership.
“I appreciate your vote of confidence and look forward to your support as we continue to work together to move this county forward. So, thank you very much,” Richardson said.
Pomares, who became the first Latino to be elected to a leadership role on the ECBCC, will serve his third consecutive year as vice president of the board. He previously served as councilman at-large in Bloomfield, and currently serves as the executive director of the Cuban Artists Fund. He is also a history and political science lecturer at Hudson County Community College.
Pomares congratulated Richardson and wished him well on his third year as president, while also thanking the board and the leadership of the county administration for their efforts. He recounted the fact that his father was a political prisoner in Cuba for having an opinion.
“I will never forget how impactful and important it is that we serve,” he said, quoting Gov. Phil Murphy, who said “Essex is the county to envy” because of the great ground work that has been laid for decades.
Prior to the swearing in, congratulatory remarks were offered by Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. and New Jersey Democratic State Committee Chairperson LeRoy J. Jones Jr., who both spoke to the intrinsic worth of good governance, positive fiscal direction and service demonstrated by the board under the leadership of Richardson and Pomares.
Photos Courtesy of Lloyd Holmes
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