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Clementon council swears in members, approves first-read ordinances and slate of 2026 appointments
Summary
At its Jan. 5 reorganization meeting, the Borough of Clementon swore in three council members, elected a council president, introduced two ordinances for first reading and approved more than 30 administrative resolutions appointing municipal professionals and adopting governance rules. All measures passed on roll call votes with Councilman Dorsey absent.
Mayor Thomas Weaver opened the Borough of Clementon’s annual reorganization meeting at 6 p.m. on Jan. 5, 2026, read the Open Public Meetings Act notice and led the salute to the flag. "This meeting has been properly advertised and posted pursuant to N.J.S.A. 10:4-6, the Open Public Meetings Act," Weaver said, noting the meeting had been posted on the borough website and advertised in the Courier-Post and Central Record.
Weaver administered oaths to three council members: Thomas Shaw took the oath to serve a three-year term; Gwen Cantwell was sworn to a three-year term; and Greg D’Amato was sworn to an unexpired term running through Dec. 31, 2026. Municipal Clerk Jenai Johnson called the roll; Councilmembers Gwen Cantwell, Christopher McKelvey, Christine Nucera, Thomas Shaw and Greg D’Amato were recorded as present; Councilman Dorsey was absent.
Councilman Thomas Shaw nominated Councilwoman Christine Nucera as council president for 2026; the nomination, seconded by Councilman Christopher McKelvey, carried on a roll call vote of the five members present. Lieutenant Shaun McCann was sworn in as lieutenant of the Clementon Police Department; McCann thanked officials and attendees for their support.
On the business agenda the council read two ordinances by title and approved them for introduction on first reading: Ordinance 2026-01, authorizing salaries and wages for employees and officials retroactive to Jan. 1, 2026; and Ordinance 2026-02, amending Chapter 281 of the borough code (Vehicles and Traffic). Both ordinances were introduced and approved for first reading on roll call votes.
The council also approved a slate of administrative resolutions (R26-01 through R26-34) to appoint municipal professionals and adopt governance and administrative measures for 2026. Appointments approved included municipal attorney George J. Botcheos Jr.; municipal accountant Todd Saler of PKF O'Connor Davies LLP; municipal engineer/planner Bach Associates; bond counsel Parker McCay; municipal prosecutor Cheryl Cohen; labor counsel Brown & Connery; public defender Charles Wigginton; Phoenix Advisors as continuing disclosure agent; Hardenbergh Insurance Agency as insurance broker; and Environmental Resolutions Inc. as special municipal engineer. The council adopted procedural items including Robert’s Rules of Order, designated The Central Record and Courier-Post as legal newspapers, named authorized depositories and check signers, and affirmed an earlier open-space referendum (R00-92).
Votes at a glance: each introduced ordinance and resolution was approved on the call of the roll with the same five council members recorded as voting "aye" (Cantwell, McKelvey, Nucera, Shaw, D’Amato). Councilman Dorsey was recorded as absent for the meeting; the transcript does not specify any "no" or "abstain" votes or the temporary budget dollar amounts.
There were no public comments during privilege of the floor. Mayor Weaver adjourned the meeting at 6:34 p.m.
Minutes were recorded by the municipal clerk and will be filed with the borough clerk's office.
