Lakewood Township officials held their annual reorganization meeting virtually on Friday morning, formally seating elected officials, electing municipal leadership, and approving an extensive list of appointments and resolutions that establish the township’s administrative, legal, financial, and public-safety structure for 2026.
As part of the reorganization, Albert Akerman was sworn in as a member of the Township Committee. The committee then proceeded with nominations and elections for mayor and deputy mayor, followed by the administration of oaths of office to those officials.
Among the first resolutions adopted was the appointment of Secare & Hensel, Esq. as township attorneys. The committee also approved a resolution awarding a contract to Holman Frenia Allison, P.C. as township auditor and designated Dilworth Paxson, LLP as township bond counsel.
Additional legal appointments included:
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Salvatore Alfieri, Esq. of Cleary, Giacobbe, Alfieri, Jacobs as township tax appeal attorney
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Laura Halm, Esq. of Rothstein, Mandell, Strohm & Halm as alternate tax appeal attorney
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Ian Goldman, Esq. as municipal prosecutor, with Matthew Borriello, Esq. as alternate prosecutor
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Martin Buckley, Esq. and Morgan Montano, Esq. as conflict prosecutors
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Leib Klein, Esq. as public defender
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Laura Halm, Esq. and Terrance L. Turnbach, Esq. as conflict public defenders
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Steve Secare, Esq. and Harold Hensel, Esq. as township labor attorneys
Engineering and planning appointments for 2026 included:
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Remington & Vernick Engineers as township engineer
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Colliers Engineering & Design, Morgan Engineering, Remington & Vernick Engineers, T&M Associates, and Newlines Engineering as engineers and planners for special projects
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DY Consultants for engineering and consulting services at Lakewood Airport
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Ted Lamicella of Associated Appraisal Group, Anthony Graziano, and Robert Gagliano for appraisal services
The Township Committee approved a broad slate of public safety appointments, including:
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Israel Bursztyn, Dov Dembitzer, Moshe Ehrman, Moshe Heineman, Meir Lichtenstein, Chief Gregg Meyer, Menashe P. Miller, and Sgt. Frank Work as deputy coordinators to Lakewood Township Emergency Management Services
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Israel Bursztyn and Moshe Ehrman as CERT coordinators
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Anthony Cosentino, Christian Guzman, Vincent Cegile, Justin Yahr, and Nicholas Zbikowski as Special II police officers
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Dr. Hillel Peltz as volunteer physician for the Lakewood Police Department
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Robert Lawson as coordinator of Lakewood Township Emergency Management Services
The committee also authorized a memorandum of understanding with Chaveirim Volunteer Services Inc., Lakewood Civilian Safety Watch, Hatzolah, Lakewood Volunteer First Aid Squad, and Lakewood Search and Rescue to formalize cooperation among emergency response organizations.
Appointments were approved for numerous boards and commissions, including:
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Robert Singer as a member of the Lakewood Township Municipal Utilities Authority
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Members to the Board of Health, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Adjustment, Housing Authority, Industrial Commission, Development Corporation, Shade Tree Commission, Veterans Advisory Committee, Green Team Advisory Board, Heritage Commission, ADA Compliance Committee, Disabilities Commission, and Emergency Planning Council.
The committee also appointed Patrick Donnelly as municipal housing liaison and Ervin Oross as administrative housing agent, while designating Ervin Oross as township representative to several community development and housing-related committees.
Additional resolutions authorized:
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Temporary budget appropriations for 2026
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Designation of official township depositories
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Setting interest rates on tax delinquencies
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Authorization of an electronic tax sale
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Imposition of year-end penalties on tax arrearages
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Appointment of Danielle Peacock and Svetlana Dilone as tax searchers
The meeting concluded with the announcement of mayor’s liaison assignments for 2026, assigning Township Committee members oversight responsibility for various departments, boards, and authorities, including public works, emergency services, housing, planning, finance, utilities, and social service agencies.