Elmwood Park’s mayor and council met Jan. 2 for their 2025 reorganization meeting, swearing in two council members, naming Lorraine Pellegreen council president for the year and approving a slate of professional appointments and administrative resolutions.

The meeting opened with borough clerk Shanay Myers certifying the Nov. 5, 2024 election results and Mayor Robert Colletti administering oaths of office to Theresa Sheridan and Eric Sampson. “Thank you to all the residents that came out to vote,” Councilwoman Theresa Sheridan said after being sworn in. Sampson, sworn in the same evening, was welcomed by colleagues and family; councilors and the mayor also noted it was Sampson’s birthday.

The council selected Lorraine Pellegreen as council president by resolution R-01-25. Pellegreen was then sworn in by the mayor.

Why it matters: The reorganization meeting establishes the body’s leadership and the professional contracts and board appointments the borough will rely on throughout the year. The votes also set spending limits for several contracts and identify officials who will represent the borough on boards such as the planning board.

Most of the meeting was taken up by the mayor’s nominations and council confirmations of municipal professionals and board members. Among confirmations by resolution: borough attorney (R-03-25), bond counsel (R-04-25), borough auditor (R-05-25), borough prosecutor (R-06-25), public defender appointments and law-firm contracts (R-07-25 and R-08-25), municipal engineer (R-09-25), borough planner (R-10-25), and labor counsel (R-11-25). Contract ceilings were stated during the roll calls: for example, the borough attorney appointment carried a not-to-exceed amount of $60,000 and the municipal engineer contract a not-to-exceed amount of $85,000; the auditor contract was capped at $50,000 and bond counsel at $15,000. Several resolutions specified the contract term as one year ending Dec. 31, 2025.

Council members also moved and passed an omnibus consent agenda (R-12-25 through R-39-25) that included annual housekeeping items: adoption of the open public meetings act statement, designation of official newspapers, temporary budget appropriations, petty cash and cash-fund authorizations for departments, appointment of water and sewer operators, naming a municipal financial advisor, and the borough’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) FY2025 application endorsement for Durhamis Place roadway improvements, among other routine resolutions.

Noted roll-call exceptions and recusal: the meeting record shows at least one recusal during the auditor appointment (the council member stated the auditing firm audits their employer and recused). Two council members announced they would vote no on R-33-25 (appointment of the borough’s risk manager); both said they would vote yes on the remainder of the consent agenda, and the omnibus motion carried.

Council reports and community items: Councilors used the reorganization meeting to deliver brief reports. Councilwoman Tracy described recreation and youth-sports scheduling for the winter and spring, and Councilwoman Sheridan announced a Jan. 30 deadline to submit names for the Vietnam memorial plaque. Councilors and the mayor also reviewed 2024 highlights such as a renovated ballpark at Burwell Field, new street lighting funded by grant dollars, community-day events and the expansion of a resident assistance program that provides a food pantry and other services.

Public comment: The mayor opened the floor for public comment; no members of the public spoke. The council then adjourned.

Votes at a glance (selected resolutions and outcomes):
- R-01-25 — Selection of council president (Lorraine Pellegreen): approved by roll call.
- R-02-25 — Council representative to the planning board (Eric Sampson): approved by roll call.
- R-03-25 — Appointment of borough attorney (term to 12/31/2025; contract not to exceed $60,000): approved by roll call (one no vote recorded).
- R-04-25 — Appointment of bond counsel (term to 12/31/2025; contract not to exceed $15,000): approved by roll call.
- R-05-25 — Appointment of borough auditor (term to 12/31/2025; contract not to exceed $50,000): approved by roll call (one recusal recorded).
- R-06-25 — Appointment of borough prosecutor (term to 12/31/2025; contract not to exceed $25,000): approved by roll call.
- R-07-25 and R-08-25 — Public defender appointments (terms to 12/31/2025; several firms listed, with a $10,000–$20,000 cap on different appointments): approved by roll call.
- R-09-25 — Municipal engineer appointment (Alamo Group; contract not to exceed $85,000): approved by roll call.
- R-10-25 — Borough planner (DMR Architects; contract not to exceed $40,000): approved by roll call.
- R-11-25 — Labor counsel appointment (McDermott Marshall Murphy; contract not to exceed $115,000): approved by roll call.
- R-12-25 through R-39-25 — Consent agenda (administrative/financial housekeeping and grants, including CDBG FY2025 application endorsement): omnibus motion approved; R-33-25 (risk manager appointment) drew two recorded no votes.
- R-40-25 through R-52-25 — Appointments to boards and commissions (board of health, board of adjustment, recreation advisory, library board, cannabis board, planning board alternates and others): approved by roll call.

The transcript shows councilors used the reorganization meeting both to meet statutory reorganization requirements and to place yearlong contracts and board placements on record. Several appointments included stated dollar ceilings and specified that the mayor and borough clerk are authorized to execute contracts on behalf of the borough.