VILLAS – There was a brief swearing-in of the municipal judge, and the standard resolutions to keep Lower Township running smoothly for the next 12 months at Lower Township Council’s reorganization Jan. 6; however, the real reorganization won’t take place until Jan. 22, when a new mayor runs his first meeting and a new council member is seated.
Mayor Erik Simonsen was elected to the state Assembly, and will take the oath of office in Trenton Jan. 14.
“We’ll have a meeting Jan. 13 to tie up some loose ends, and that is when I’ll step down as mayor. I’ll be sworn into the Assembly the next day,” Simonsen said.
Simonsen and Ocean City Councilman Antwan McClellan ousted Democrat incumbents R. Bruce Land and Matthew Milam in a First District Republican sweep in November 2019.
While his fellow council members said their goodbyes and well-wishes at the final meeting in 2019, Simonsen gave his farewell address.
“I’ve been here 10 years, first representing Ward Two and then Ward Three. In those 10 years, township council and township workers have succeeded in putting Lower Township in the greatest state it has ever been in, and I’m proud of that fact,” Simonsen said.
He went on to praise the fiscal responsibility of the government in improving infrastructure and providing decorum at township meetings.
“When I first came on board, if you remember, our meetings were a disgrace. Now, we treat each other with respect. You don’t have to agree, you can have a difference of opinion, but everybody is respectful,” Simonsen explained.
Simonsen, who is also the athletic director at Lower Cape May Regional High School, pointed out accomplishments during his mayoral stint, including retaining the Lower Township Municipal Utilities Authority (LTMUA), keeping and refurbishing the public safety building at the Cape May County Airport, in Erma, and the continuing economic development there.
“We have shared services with the county and just about every municipality in the county. The development at the airport, in conjunction with county government and the Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) and our retaining the (LT)MUA, which I believe is the best one in the state, and all of the other things I talked about, has put Lower Township in its best economic position since its inception,” Simonsen explained.
He said he is taking that mindset to Trenton.
“This area has been forgotten about by Trenton for too long. I’m going to work hard to change that. I’ll just be a short bike ride away, or phone call,” Simonsen said to laughter, as he is an avid bike rider.
The next council meeting is Jan. 22 due to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
To contact Carl Price, email cprice@cmcherald.com.
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