Local news- Press Release
Leonia New Jersey - Mayor Ziegler s Update January 18th 18 January 2024 ( news )
Leonia , state New Jersey ( By Press Release office)
Jan 18,2024
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At last night’s Mayor and Council meeting , Scott Fisher was unanimously appointed to fill my vacated seat on Leonia’s Council .
Council positions are very important to the success of our borough . Filling Council spots with qualified people is in all of our best interest . There is no doubt in my mind Scott is extremely well qualified and will add substantial value thereby increasing the success of our governing body and our borough .
Let me briefly share some of his impressive credentials . Scott is a Captain in the U . S . Army ( Active Reserves ) recently serving in Iraq , Somalia and Germany , he holds a Ph . D . and is a tenured college professor , he is one of our Leonia volunteer firefighters , and Scott speaks and writes fluent Korean . The last skill was a result of spending nearly 20 years living in South Korea . I don’t have to tell you how valuable it is to speak and write Korean as a member of the Borough Council where over 30% of our population is Korean . It will dramatically assist our outreach efforts with this all important community . When you see Scott next , you should ask him to tell you about his stint as a TV personality in South Korea!
I supported Scott 100% for this appointment . And did so for the reasons outlined above .
At the same time , I grappled with the fact Scott is a neighbor , friend and the husband of our new Borough Administrator . All things considered , I believe having Scott as a member of the Borough Council is a clear overall positive and , as you get to know this upstanding guy too , I have no doubt you will agree . My promise to you is to always do what I think is best for Leonia . I believe my decision to support Scott is clearly what is best for Leonia .
When Scott’s name first surfaced , I checked with our Borough Attorney because of his relationship with the Borough Administrator . The Borough Attorney informed me this is NOT a violation of our new nepotism ordinance ( which I voted for and stand by ) . We discussed the possibility that a future conflict of interest might arise . Out of an abundance of caution , I decided not to appoint Scott to either the Finance or HR Committees . Both of these committees work closely with our Administrator , and I just didn’t think that seemed right . Working with our Borough Attorney , I will also be sure to identify any potential conflicts of interest that might arise and determine , at that time , whether Scott must recuse himself accordingly . The Borough Attorney believes this is NOT very likely and will be the occasional exception– no more than that . As a military officer , you can also be assured Scott knows how to follow the rules .
I encourage you to get to know Scott as I encourage you to get to know all of your representatives on the governing body . Engage each in discussions about what is important to you as a Leonian . I have no doubt you will be impressed with who they are and their commitment to serve . I believe this is an exceptionally capable and diverse group of people willing to serve Leonia and look forward to what will be accomplished during 2024 . Our success as a governing body is your success too so whatever support you can offer in terms of volunteering to be part of the solution to any of our borough’s challenges is , of course , always appreciated . Check out the Volunteer Page on the website to indicate your interest ( s ) .
We are now in the homestretch of completing the new Police and Court building . Leonia has received delivery of the long awaited panels which will complete the west side of the building facing the library . You’ll recall these were delayed due to significant supply chain problems and high demand . Now that we have them on site , they will be hoisted and put in place . Signage will then be completed . Furnishings are being moved in as we speak and IT connectivity is next .
The plan is to celebrate the opening of this new municipal center with an art show in keeping with Leonia’s historical traditions . Stay alert for more information about this event sponsored by Leonia Arts and the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Arts .
A shout out and big thank you to County Executive Jim Tedesco for calling together a very good Mayor’s meeting featuring presentations relating to bringing TV and movie productions to municipalities . I found the session incredibly informative and have committed to taking steps to have Leonia certified to receive this kind of business and recognition . At our reorganization meeting , I announced the formation of a new Mayor’s Advisory Committee on TV and Movie productions . On this committee , I appointed several Leonians including a major motion picture cinematographer and a President of the Screen Writers Guild . I never cease to be amazed by the number of accomplished and talented residents who are willing to volunteer on behalf of Leonia . Their knowledge of the industry on this advisory board will prove invaluable as we take steps to position Leonia to benefit from the economic and marketing opportunities presented by TV and Movie productions . Stay tuned…More to come about this in the future .
Finally , a big congratulations to our three most recent Leonia Troop 71 Eagle Scouts–Kyle Springob , Robby Slater and Sophia Perri . We now have , over the last 100 years , 142 Eagle Scouts from Leonia . Sophia is the first female Eagle and well deserving of this honor . Leonia is proud!
Remember the official channel for communicating with your borough officials is through the website not a listserve . Listserves are not official communication vehicles , are not always monitored but are used to help distribute news so Leonians can be more aware and more informed participation in the official process can be promoted . Please do not make the mistake of posting a query on any one of the borough’s several listserves and expecting action or an official response .
Bill Ziegler
Mayor , Borough of Leonia
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