Reorganization Means Start of a New Era in Avalon

AVALON – Avalon Council held its annual reorganization meeting July 3. The one thing that made this reorganization very different from those of the last three decades was the swearing in of a new mayor.
After 32 years, Martin Pagliughi was not the mayor taking the oath. With Pagliughi’s retirement, John McCorristin took the oath of office as mayor. McCorristin stepped down from a council seat, leaving a vacancy that the council will have to fill until the next election.
There are more reasons why one can talk of a new era in Avalon leadership. With McCorristin removing himself from council, Barbara Juzaitis is the longest serving member of the governing body. She has served since 2018.
In a town in which council members like Charles “Chuck” Covington, Dr. Nancy Hudanich, and Richard Dean all measured their tenure on council in decades, the swearing in of McCorristin, in a sense, represents the final stage in a changing of the guard.
During the brief reorganization meeting, Councilman Jamie McDermott was elected president of the governing body and Councilwoman Maura Coskey was named vice president. Both will serve a term of one year.
Juzaitis and Councilman Sam Wierman were sworn in by McCorristin for new terms on council after winning reelection in May. It was McCorristin’s first formal act as the new mayor.
All department heads were also reappointed for another year, including Business Administrator Scott Wahl.
The Cape May County Herald was designated as the official newspaper of the borough through June 2024.
A standing-room-only crowd turned out to welcome the new mayor and to see Pagliughi off after his long service to the borough.
American Legion Post 331, based in Stone Harbor, presented Pagliughi with a plaque for all he has done for veterans during his tenure. 
Contact the author, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.