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Montague Township names George Zitone mayor, approves 2026 professional and committee appointments
Summary
At its Jan. 6, 2026 annual reorganization meeting, the Montague Township Committee sworn in George Zitone as mayor, approved a slate of professional-service contracts and annual board and committee appointments, unanimously adopted a multi-item consent agenda and noted Deputy Mayor Richard Innella will be sworn in at a later meeting.
Municipal Clerk Dana Klinger opened the Montague Township Committee’s annual reorganization meeting on Jan. 6, 2026, and read the statement of determination from the Board of County Canvassers certifying the Nov. 4, 2025 election results, including that Richard E. Innella was elected to a three-year committee term but was excused from the meeting.
Fred Merusi nominated George Zitone for mayor; James LeDonne seconded. The nomination carried with Barbara Holstein, James LeDonne and Fred Merusi voting yes, Zitone abstaining and Richard Innella excused. Municipal Clerk Dana Klinger administered the oath of office to Mayor George Zitone, who then led the Pledge of Allegiance.
The committee next nominated Richard Innella as Deputy Mayor; the nomination passed with Holstein, LeDonne, Merusi and Mayor Zitone voting yes. Deputy Mayor Innella was not present and will be sworn into office at a subsequent meeting when he is available to attend.
By Resolution 2026-001, the committee approved the township’s professional-service appointments for 2026. The firms and individuals named in the resolution were township attorney Jeffery S. Frankenburger of Dorsey & Semrau LLC; bond counsel John Draikiwicz of Gibbons PC; township engineer/planner Harold E. Pellow & Associates, Inc.; and township auditor Nisivoccia & Co., LLP. The motion to approve the slate carried; Committee Member Barbara Holstein registered a no vote specifically to Harold E. Pellow & Associates and voted yes for the other three services. Committee Members LeDonne, Merusi and Mayor Zitone voted yes on all four appointments.
The committee approved the annual roster of administrative appointments for 2026, including Lynda Familant as deputy municipal clerk and solid waste/recycling coordinator; David Coss as 911 coordinator; Matthew Kansky as fire prevention officer and fire marshal; Ryan Riegel as NIMS coordinator; Maureen Kaman as township historian; and Terrance Snyder as constable. The appointments carried by unanimous roll call vote.
By Resolution 2026-002 the committee also adopted Land Use Board membership and Recreation Committee appointments and alternates for 2026, listing the mayor as the Class I Land Use Board member and naming Richard Innella as the Class III member (to be sworn later). The Recreation Committee roster and alternates were approved as presented.
A multi-item consent agenda (Resolutions 2026-003 through 2026-014) covering routine administrative matters — official depositories and check signatories, tax-appeal defense, membership in the statewide insurance fund, delinquent tax-interest policies, designation of official newspapers and electronic notice authorization, meeting schedules, holiday schedule, Board of Health meeting schedule, PACO appointment, petty cash re-establishment and adoption of a temporary budget for calendar year 2026 — was approved on a single motion and unanimous roll call.
The meeting opened for public participation; no members of the public spoke. The committee adjourned at 7:27 p.m.
Why this matters: The annual reorganization meeting establishes leadership, key contracts and committee assignments that govern township operations for the year. The committee’s approval of professional-service contracts and the temporary budget set administrative direction for 2026; one dissenting vote on the engineering firm was recorded but did not change outcomes. Deputy Mayor Innella’s swearing-in remains pending.
