STONE HARBOR – Stone Harbor Council’s annual reorganization Jan. 7 witnessed both continuity and change on the governing body.
Reese Moore and Francis Dallahan, both members of the council after being appointed to fill vacancies, won the remainder of the unexpired terms in the November elections.
Moore, an active member of the Stone Harbor Property Owners Association (SHPOA), will serve one remaining year on the unexpired term of Karen Lane. Dallahan will fill the two remaining years of the unexpired term of Robert Levins.
Jennifer Gensemer is the new face on the council. A 20-year resident of the borough, and a licensed real estate broker for Long and Foster Real Estate, Gensemer has also been active in SHPOA, as well as the Yacht and Garden Clubs of Stone Harbor. She was elected to a full three-year term.
Charles Krafczek won re-election to the council for another three years and was chosen to serve as council president.
The meeting made the retirement of longtime Borough Administrator Jill Gougher real. Robert Smith, who served as the administrator in Kearny, was appointed to a contract starting Jan. 21, and running through Dec. 31.
According to Mayor Judith Davies-Dunhour, the one-year period would allow the borough and Smith to decide if this is a “good fit.” Davies-Dunhour said Smith was an administrator in Washington Township for six years before transitioning to Kearny in 2017.
According to Davies-Dunhour, Smith resides in Turnersville, with a second home in Shawcrest.
The business of the meeting was the normal routine of the reorganization – setting up new accounts, putting in place a temporary budget, reappointing service professionals for a new annual contract, and setting council meeting dates for 2020, along with parking meter activation dates, trash collection schedules and the like.
As is normal in these meetings, the myriad actions necessary are based on wide consensus across the council. One bit of dissension came when Joselyn Rich and Dallahan voted against Krafczek as council president. The total vote confirmed Krafczek in the role.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.
