Matawan appoints new rec director
BY ERIN O. STATTEL Staff Writer

MATAWAN - — The newly hired recreation director has ended her short tenure with the borough.

Elizabeth Aguilar stepped down from the part-time position, citing time constraints as her reason for leaving.

"Elizabeth has done a wonderful job; I guess it was just difficult timing with her small children," said Councilman Robert Bunyon, the council's liaison to the recreation commission.

Aguilar's replacement will be Joseph Altomonte, a Jersey City firefighter and Matawan resident.

"This fits nicely with my firefighting career," Altomonte said. "After Bob [Bunyon] approached me, I was thinking about it and I decided that this fits nicely. My schedule as a firefighter is flexible, so I am looking forward to this."

Aguilar had some advice for Altomonte.

"Prioritize what you want to get done," she said. "It is all about prioritizing and organization."

Altomonte said he is looking forward to getting involved with some fire education, such as suiting up as Sparky the Fire Dog.

"I could see myself getting in the Sparky suit, and most of the fire education activities I know about already," he said.

The hiring was made official at the Aug. 6 Borough Council meeting with a vote of four in favor, one opposed and one abstention.

Councilman Kevin Mendes abstained from the vote.

The no vote came from Councilman Joseph "Bud" Mullaney, whose wife, Mary, and son Patrick both serve on the borough's recreation commission.

"I was taking the recommendation from the recreation department," Mullaney said Aug. 7. "They thought that it should have been thought out a little more, and perhaps the borough should have re-advertised for someone who had more experience for this kind of job."

Mullaney said that two candidates had applied for the job three months ago when the borough hired Aguilar.

"Now we know the deficiencies in the department, and recreation feels now they could address those if more people were to apply," Mullaney explained. "They wanted more candidates, to get a better look at what is out there."

Mullaney called Aguilar's leaving a "major loss."

"It is a major loss to lose Liz Aguilar," he said. "She is a fine person and very qualified."

According to the resolution hiring Altomonte as the part-time recreation director, he will be compensated $4,500 annually.