By Barbara A. Preston | Posted Jan. 9, 2025
During the early January local government reorganization meetings, School Board President Patrick Todd and Montgomery Mayor Neena Singh were selected by their respective boards to lead for another year.
Another highlight was First Lady Tammy Murphy, who attended the crowded Township Committee re-organization meeting on Jan. 2 to congratulate Singh, Deputy Mayor Vince Barragan, and newly re-elected Committeeman Dennis Ahn.
Montgomery Township Committee selected Vincent Barragan and Neena Singh to each serve a second year as deputy mayor and mayor, respectively, during the Jan. 2 reorganization meeting.
Senator Andrew Zwicker D-16 administered the oath office to Neena Singh, who was re-elected as a Montgomery Township Committee Member for a 3-year term in November. Zwicker and Assemblywoman Mitchelle Drulis D-16 then swore in Township Committee Member Dennis Ahn, who was also re-elected for a 3-year term.
The next order of business was the nomination for the office of mayor. Committeeman Barragan nominated Singh, and Committeewoman Patricia Taylor Todd seconded it. Four of the five Committee members voted in favor of Singh for mayor. Committeewoman Devra Keenan was the sole nay vote. The motion carried. Sen. Zwicker then swore-in Singh for our second year as mayor.
Committeeman Barragan was then unanimously selected as deputy mayor. It is also his second term. Sen. Zwicker administered the oath of office to him.
First Lady of New Jersey Tammy Murphy.
First Lady Murphy congratulated "her friend" Mayor Singh, Deputy Mayor Barragan, and Township Committeeman Ahn at the committee meeting on Jan. 2. She also congratulated Ahn on the recent opening of his new Kasia Korean Market in Belle Mead.
"It is a privilege to witness the swearings in of our public servants. The oaths of office remind us that at its most fundamental level, our government is made up of ... everyday people who are living their lives and just trying to do everything they can to uplift their communities," Murphy said.
"Certainly it is not necessarily an easy time to be a public servant. Many are skeptical about their leaders and the institutions they represent, but the challenge of overcoming that skepticism brings with it the opportunity to truly inspire others to believe again, that government can work to solve the problems of those it represents. More than that, it can create a greater quality of life, expand opportunity, and .... bring us all together. This is something our communities need now, and it is especially powerful at the local level."
From left: Montgomery Township School Board VP Maria Spina, President Patrick Todd, Board member Vanita Nargund, Acting School Business Administrator Andrew Italiano, and newest Board member Ting Wang. Photo by Barbara A. Preston
On January 7, Acting Montgomery School Board Administrator Andrew Italiano swore in the recently elected, and re-elected, board members at its annual re-organization meeting.
Italiano then opened the floor for nominations for the position of board president. Board Member Cookie Franco-Herman nominated Patrick Todd to serve a second year as president. The board members then unanimously voted to approve Todd as president.
"I would like to thank my fellow board members for entrusting me to lead this wonderful board for another year," Todd said. "We have some amazing things to do. But no matter what, we all have to remember that we are here to serve the children. That is our number one goal — to make sure these children are well educated, and that their mental and physical health is well taken care of."
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Next, President Todd opened the floor for nominations for vice president.
Board member Nargund nominated Joanna Filak. Board member Michelle Dowling then nominated Maria Spina to serve for a second year as vice president.
The school board elected Spina as vice president with 7 votes from the 10-member school board. The following members voted for Spina: Todd, Franco-Herman, Wang, Dowling, Spina, Christina Harris.
Filak, Ania Wolenka-Jerginan, and Nargund all voted for Filak.
Montgomery Deputy Mayor Barragan attended the board meeting to congratulate Todd, Spina, Wang, and Nargund on behalf of the entire Township Committee.
"We look forward to continuing our successful collaboration to meet the needs of all of Montgomery's residents," he said.
