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Edward Bethea elected Bridgeton City Council president; council approves consent agenda of professional-service appointments
Summary
At its Jan. 6 meeting the Bridgeton City Council unanimously elected Councilman Edward Bethea as Council President and adopted a consent agenda of 30 resolutions approving procedural designations and professional-service contracts, including city auditor, bond counsel, city engineer and related appointments.
Councilman Edward Bethea was elected City Council President of Bridgeton in a unanimous 5-0 roll call vote at the council’s Jan. 6 meeting.
Councilwoman Marian King nominated Bethea for the 2026 presidency and Councilman J. Curtis Edwards seconded the nomination; the Municipal Clerk announced the 5-0 result. After the election, Bethea presented the Dec. 16, 2025 meeting minutes, which were approved on a motion by Councilman David Gonzalez and seconded by Councilman Edwards.
The council then moved through a consent agenda covering Resolutions 01-26 through 30-26. On a motion by Councilwoman Rosemary DeQuinzio and a second by Councilwoman Marian King, the council adopted the full slate of resolutions by unanimous roll call. The consent agenda included routine designations (meeting schedule, official newspapers and depositories), procedural policies (Robert’s Rules and a cash management plan) and numerous professional-service appointments and contracts.
Notable contract and appointment actions approved under the consent agenda include awarding a city auditor contract to Bowman & Company LLP, designating McManimon, Scotland & Baumann, LLC as bond counsel, appointing Fralinger Engineering, PA as city engineer and floodplain manager, contracting Barbara J. Fegley, AICP, PP LLC as city planner, and naming Acacia Financial Group, Inc. as financial advisor. The council also authorized a Non-Fair and Open contract with Associated Humane Societies, Inc. for animal shelter services and approved Remington & Vernick Engineers for water-system engineering services and other engineering support.
Council President Bethea thanked colleagues for their support after the vote and praised administration for outreach to diversify the pool of professional candidates, saying council had been allowed to participate in the selection process. He also publicly saluted first responders and civil servants for their service.
The meeting adjourned at 6:03 p.m.
