Hawthorne council reorganizes; Frank Matthews elected council president as mayor outlines water projects and budget pressures

Hawthorne Borough Council held its 2026 reorganization meeting, swearing in newly elected members, approving a slate of routine resolutions and appointments and electing Frank Matthews council president and Michael (Mike) Sciarra vice president.

Mayor John Lane, who was sworn in earlier in the evening, used his annual address to review completed and ongoing infrastructure work and to flag budgetary pressures for the year ahead. "The cost of the PFAS system was $6,800,000," Lane said, and noted the borough has recovered much of that through settlements and financing: "We received $3,345,000 from 3M and DuPont and $1,000,000 in forgiveness from the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank," remarks that the mayor said will keep the borough from having to pass higher water-rate hikes; an anticipated 9% increase for 2026, Lane said, has been reduced to roughly 5%.

The council’s procedural business included the nomination and roll-call election of Frank Matthews as council president after a motion from Councilwoman Anna Marie Sasso and a second; Matthews abstained on his own vote and the motion carried. Members then elected Mike Sciarra as vice president. The council also approved a consent agenda that bundled routine resolutions and contracts — including temporary budget measures, designation of official depositories and several 2026 professional-service contracts — after a brief discussion about what qualifies as an accepted legal-publication outlet under the new state rules for posting municipal legal notices.

Appointments and oaths were a central part of the meeting. The council approved the mayor’s nominees for municipal posts, and Vincent J. Caruso was sworn in as the borough’s business administrator. The mayor also read a long list of board and commission appointments that were recorded and approved by roll call.

Lane highlighted public-safety and municipal improvements: he said traffic officers increased from three to six, the borough has entered a vehicle-leasing partnership with Enterprise Fleet Services projected to save about $1,000,000 over 10 years, and recreational and streetscape improvements are underway. He also recapped recent redevelopment the borough negotiated on Waggoner Road — a project he said now totals 117 units with 17 designated affordable units and is expected to generate about $42,000,000 in ratables and roughly $1,300,000 in annual taxes.

Public comment was brief and largely congratulatory; speakers thanked elected officials and wished the council well entering the year. The meeting closed with a benediction and adjournment; the next council meeting was set for Wednesday, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m.

Votes at a glance: Council president — Frank Matthews (motion carried; roll call recorded a majority of "yes" votes with Matthews abstaining on his own nomination). Council vice president — Michael (Mike) Sciarra (motion carried). Consent agenda R1–R26 and associated professional-service contracts — approved by roll call. Approval of bills — carried (one abstention on a fire department line item). Appointments including business administrator Vincent J. Caruso — approved by roll call.

The meeting record shows the council focusing on implementing state-mandated water and housing requirements while trying to limit tax and rate increases; members flagged the fiscal impact of state mandates as an ongoing constraint on the 2026 budget.