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Fanwood reorganization: Gina Berry chosen council president; shared court with Garwood to start in February
Summary
At its 2026 reorganization meeting, Fanwood swore in reelected council members, elected Gina Berry council president, announced a shared municipal court with Garwood to begin February 2026, and approved a package of routine resolutions including a temporary budget, the council said.
Fanwood’s reorganization meeting opened with Mayor Colleen Maher welcoming residents and swearing in reelected council members, after which the council elected Gina Berry council president and approved a slate of administrative resolutions and appointments.
Mayor Colleen Maher announced the borough will begin a shared municipal court with neighboring Garwood in February 2026, saying the agreement will be housed in Fanwood and intended to “save money, and we will be efficient.” She credited Borough Administrator Jesse Momen with leading the negotiations and framed the move as part of the borough’s broader shared‑services strategy to reduce costs for a small municipality.
The council also approved a package of resolutions covering the official 2026 meeting schedule, official newspapers, bank depositories, professional‑services contracts and appointments. The slate included a temporary budget to carry the borough until a final budget is adopted later in the spring, and formal appointments of municipal officers named during the meeting. A roll‑call vote was held and the motion carried.
Gina Berry, who was sworn in earlier in the evening, was nominated and elected council president for 2026. Berry said she would lead with “integrity, transparency, and compassion” and pledged to “continue to show up, to listen, and to lead with honest and open heart.”
The meeting included ceremonial recognitions from the Fanwood Democratic Committee and remarks from Lieutenant Governor‑elect Dale Caldwell, who commended local volunteers and public service. After routine appointments and the adoption of the resolutions package, the mayor opened the floor for public comment and the meeting closed with a benediction and adjournment.
The slate of resolutions adopted included routine professional‑services approvals (auditor, borough attorney, bond counsel, engineer), appointment of a municipal judge and public defender, approval of a temporary budget and a cash management plan, and a mix of vendor contracts for services such as IT, grant writing and cybersecurity. Details and contract names were read on the record during the meeting.
