In an unprecedented move, the Township Committee has voted to appoint Democratic Committeeman Ray Coles as the 2017 Mayor of Lakewood.
Unlike in previous years where the decision was made weeks in advance, the decision for the 2017 mayoral position was finalized today.
Only Akerman voted against the move.
The Township Committee majority is Republican, and the Mayor is typically chosen from the party majority. The position is voted between the Committee member themselves.
The Republicans have had the majority in Lakewood (3-2) for nearly 10 years, and the Mayoral position has rotated between the three Republicans.
Coles, who has served on the Committee since 2001, served as Mayor in 2008, when the Democrats had the majority.
Serving as Mayor since, were Committeeman Miller, Committeeman Akerman, and then Committeeman Steven Langert.
2016 Mayor, Menashe Miller, was voted in as Deputy Mayor.
Wow.
[Moderated] (but I doubt this will get posted….)
(moderated)
What’s Ackerman’s function know?
Why didn’t D’Elia get chosen??
Why all of the moderation? Is this a news sight or a controlled propaganda machine??
What is the shtick here? Why did Akerman vote no? Is this a hostile move?
No. He knows what the right thing to do is.
Obviously since it’ll help to have a Democrat mayor when the next (Democrat) governor of NJ comes around.
To # 5. This is why:
https://thelakewoodscoop.com/2015/11/tls-if-youre-looking-for-lashon-hara-shmutz-you-came-to-the-wrong-place.html
I don’t live in Lakewood but I was under the impression that all US cities are a democracy and we the people vote for Mayor. Is that not the case in Lakewood? And why not?
Ray Coles is a real ehrliche mentch and someone who genuinely cares about doing what’s right for Lakewood as a whole. I and many other will be very proud to call him my Mayor.
To Moshe- in Lakewood the governmental system is a Township committee of 5 members. The public votes for the committee members directly and then each year the committee votes among themselves as to which of the 5 will act as mayor and deputy mayor for that year. It is officialy a part time job (although occupies much, if not all, of their day). Aside from setting the overall agenda and goals for the committee and signing any legal documents, the mayor has no real added powers over the other members.
Glad Mr Coles is finally getting his chance to be mayor again. I hope that Meir Lichtenstein will soon serve as mayor as well.
To Truth: Thank you for explaining that to me. Very interesting.