Politics

Millville’s New City Commission

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Counter to many things in my life, I welcome change in government. This evening a new City Commission was seated in the Holly City, including the first female mayor for this town. Tradition has it that the highest vote getter is decided to be mayor, although there is no rule governing that. Congratulations to the commissioners!

  • Lisa M. Orndorf, Mayor: Director of Public Affairs
  • Joseph Sooy, Vice Mayor: Director of Revenue & Finance
  • Benjamin J. Romanik: Director of Parks & Public Property
  • Charles Kirk Hewitt: Director of Public Safety
  • Robert McQuade: Director of Public Works

McQuade was not initially elected to the Commission. Longtime commisioner/recent freeholder Jim Quinn was. He actually placed fourth in the voting. Quinn decided not to sit on this commissionn (receiving anf filing Quinn’s letter was the first action this Commission took.). Speculation is that since he was alone on the other side, he bowed out. Some might categorize that as quitting. Whatever it is deemed, I am just fine with Quinn on the sidelines. There are no Democrat shills on this commission. I think that is an improvement for the city.

Orndorf presents herself well. She has no political experience, but from what little I gleaned from the meeting, it seems like she has connections. She invoked her faith several times. I’d rather one not lead with that, but I’ll give her a pass at the outset.

Sooy served previously. He was the two-punch to Lynne Porecca Compari’s one-punch. Tied at the hip, they were both voted out in favor of Cooper and Pepitone. That was a mistake for the city’s residents. Sooy is back and will be the vice mayor. It’ll be interesting to see how he operates here. I suspect he will attempt to play operator with how the Commission procedes. Is he up for the task?

Ben Romanik is young and inexperienced. We’ll see what he does.

Kirk Hewitt has been around this town for a while. It seems I met him and he tried to recruit me into the Republican Party some time ago. Yeah, I am not your guy. I am not sure of his talents. Time will tell.

With Quinn not taking hs seat, there is an opening. The Commission probably did the best thing it could do: it reached out to the sixth placed candidate. That is McQuade. McQuade has wanted to be on the Commission for years. Consider me unimpressed. He has spent the last nine years on the Millville Board of Education. Like Cooper, he ran for City Commission while serving on the School Board. Now that he takes the commissioner’s seat, the school board is left with a vacancy. I don’t think that puts one in the best light. His seat is only until November when there will be an election for the remaining two years. This gambit could shuffle McQuade out of office in his attempt to “move up the ladder.”

Brock Russell was retained as the attorney for the city. He has served well over the years and does not seem to be connected politically to any one party (perhaps I am wrong about that. I also think he’s a fine attorney as I have been pleased with his representation of me. 🙂

Lynne Porreca Compari’s husband was approved as part-time city administrator. There’s little money in this, but this is where the political favors are handed out. Interestingly, Brendan Kavanagh, a lawyer entrenched in Democrat politics was also retained by this Commission.

An ordinance on first reading was introduced to repeal the former Commission’s ordinance regarding the sewer treatment plant. According to Sooy, that ordinance had a rate hike involved in it for commercial properties. Sooy does not think that is warranted at this time. I’ll take his word on it as I do not know the particulars; in general, government should collect less from taxpayers/service users.

A few of the items detailed that this Commission wants to address:

  • Demolition of old rescue squad
  • Demolition of Wheaton
  • UEZ money is oming, start a new corporation to oversee that money
  • Re-adopt the industrial commission with some structural changes; power to make decisions

Best to this Commission in helping Millville.

Also blogged on this date . . .

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