DiMaso unanimously chosen Holmdel mayor
BY TOM CAIAZZA
Staff Writer

HOLMDEL — Dozens of residents came out to welcome the newest members of the Township Committee on Jan. 2 at the annual reorganization meeting.

Alan Bateman and Rocco Pascucci took the oath of office surrounded by family and friends, pledging to conduct their civic duties as representatives of Holmdel.

Holmdel’s style of government allows for the five committee members to choose among themselves who will be mayor. That person is in charge of conducting the meetings and is given the final vote during roll call.

Serena DiMaso, the frontrunner for mayor with the new Republican majority, took the seat unopposed with a unanimous 4-0 vote.

The freshman committee member Pascucci was appointed deputy mayor by the same vote.

Committeeman Terence Wall was absent from the meeting.

“I don’t know where Mr. Wall is,” DiMaso said in response to a question in the public forum portion of the meeting. “We were expecting him.”

In the traditional remarks from the newly appointed mayor, DiMaso emphasized the need for communication between residents and the committee, and that everyone in Holmdel be heard. She said her task was “to give a voice to all Holmdel residents,” and later reiterated the same sentiment.

“You have a voice,” she said of the people, “and we will listen.”

Deputy Mayor Pascucci said that he plans to work hard for Holmdel.

“I came as a worker for the residents of the township,” Pascucci said.

Pascucci thanked the members of the committee, and plans on working with new and veteran committee members to do his best job as committeeman and deputy mayor.

“A mix of fresh ideas and practical knowledge will be good for Holmdel,” Pascucci said.

Former Mayor Larry Fink, the lone remaining Democrat, said that he looks forward to working with the new team of committee members and hopes that they will continue at the level of previous groups.

“We’ve made strides over the last three years to keep taxes down. I hope the new team can keep that tradition alive,” he said.

The rest of the meeting consisted of appointing township professionals and volunteers to the various committees.

Duane Davison was reappointed to a one-year term as the township attorney. Edward Broberg was reappointed to a three-year term as the township engineer, despite Fink’s objection to any professional receiving more than a one-year term.

The 2006 committee took the opportunity to lay out the direction of the township for the coming year.

Pascucci proposed, among other things, the creation of a youth center to keep Holmdel children from loitering near shopping centers. He expressed the need to provide a place for them to socialize under some sort of supervision, similar to what he had growing up in Newark.

“We have a senior center for seniors,” Pascucci said. “Why not a youth center?”

Mayor DiMaso said she hopes Holmdel can remain “one unified voice moving forward.”

“We’ve got big ideas,” DiMaso said. “We’ll take it one step at a time.”