Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Southampton Committee elects William Raftery mayor; Elizabeth Rossell named deputy mayor
Summary
At its Jan. 6 organizational meeting, the Southampton Township Committee elected Committeeman William Raftery as mayor and Committeewoman Elizabeth Rossell as deputy mayor; both took oaths of office and the committee observed a moment of silence for resident Evie Doherty.
The Southampton Township Committee elected William Raftery as mayor and Elizabeth Rossell as deputy mayor during its organizational meeting on Jan. 6, 2026 at the Robert L. Thompson Building.
Melanie L. Brown, township clerk, called the meeting to order at 5:39 p.m., read the required Open Public Meetings Act notice and opened nominations. Committeewoman Elizabeth Rossell nominated Raftery for mayor; Committeeman Arnold Harrison seconded the nomination, and a roll-call vote recorded all five committee members voting in the affirmative for Raftery. The Honorable Michael Mikulski administered the oath of office to William Raftery, who then assumed the chair.
Mayor Raftery asked for nominations for deputy mayor. Committeeman Arnold Harrison nominated Elizabeth Rossell; Committeeman James F. Young, Sr. seconded the nomination. The roll call produced four affirmative votes (Harrison, Ronald Heston, Young and Mayor Raftery) and one abstention (Rossell). Judge Mikulski administered the oath of office to Deputy Mayor Elizabeth Rossell.
During the meeting Mayor Raftery requested a moment of silence to recognize the recent passing of Southampton resident Evie Doherty; committee members offered condolences.
The committee’s leadership votes were formal motions recorded by roll call and the oaths were administered by the Hon. Michael Mikulski in the meeting room. The newly seated mayor and deputy mayor will serve to lead the committee’s 2026 business under the township’s usual organizational rules.
