Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill today unveiled a 35-member Local Government Advisory Group of elected officials from across New Jersey, assembled to provide expertise and on-the-ground insight to her transition’s Action Teams.
Phil Alagia, the chief of staff to Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, Jr., and an early member of Sherrill’s inner circle, will serve as senior transition advisor to the advisory group. He’ll be involved with the partnership between the elected officials and other Sherrill-Caldwell transition officials.
DiVincenzo is on the panel, along with County Executives Dan Benson of Mercer, Craig Guy of Hudson, and James Tedesco of Bergen. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who sought the Democratic nomination for governor against Sherrill in the June primary, was also named to the advisory group.
“I know that the best ideas come from working closely with local communities on the ground, and that’s why this advisory group is so important,” Sherrill stated. “In Congress, I worked hand-in-hand with our local officials to deliver funding and federal resources for everything from flood mitigation to combating auto thefts to building housing that working families can afford. I intend to have the same collaborative, mission-focused relationship in my administration – and that starts with the transition as we put our agenda together to be ready to deliver on Day One.”
Monmouth County Commissioner Erik Anderson, Chester Borough Mayor Janet Hoven, and Point Pleasant Borough Mayor Robert Sabosik are the Republican elected officials on the list.
The elected officials name to the transition panel include: Cumberland County Commissioner-Elect Yolanda Garcia Balicki; Camden County Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli; Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen; Phillipsburg Councilman Lee Clark; Madison Borough Mayor Robert Conley; Middlesex County Surrogate Claribel Cortes; Brick Township Mayor Lisa Crate; Passaic County Commissioner Orlando Cruz; East Orange Mayor Ted Green; Franklin Borough Council President Rachel Heath; Woodstown Mayor Joe Hiles; Egg Harbor Township Councilman Paul Hodson; Burlington County Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson; Chester Borough Mayor Janet Hoven; Egg Harbor City Mayor Lisa Jiampetti; Mount Laurel Councilwoman Fozia Janjua; Gloucester County Commissioner Jim Jefferson; Lambertville Councilwoman Karen Kominsky; Frenchtown Council President Michele Liebtag; Woodbridge Township Mayor John McCormac; East Windsor Mayor Janice Mironov; Asbury Park Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn; Middlesex County Commissioner Director Ron Rios; Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh; Roselle Park Mayor and Union County Commissioner-elect Joe Signorello; Montgomery Township Mayor Neena Singh; Union County Commissioner Rebecca Williams; and Bergen County Commissioner Tracy Silna Zur.
The advisory group will work with the Jersey Conference of Mayors, the League of Municipalities, the Association of Counties, and the Urban Mayors Association, according to a press release from the Sherrill-Caldwell transition.
“Governor-elect Sherrill has a long track record of working with mayors and local officials to deliver for the people she serves,” said Executive Director Kellie Doucette. “That’s the kind of leadership she is going to bring to Trenton to cut through red tape and the status quo to make New Jersey more affordable.”
Caldwell, the lieutenant governor-elect and Secretary of State-designate, said the new administration will “work collaboratively with local communities on a mission to deliver, whether that is addressing housing costs or improving education outcomes.”
“I’m so excited about all the wonderful public servants who have volunteered to help our transition with their expertise and experience to continue serving the people of New Jersey,” he said.
