January 2016 Reorganization Meeting
Moment of Silence: Please join us in a moment of silence, keeping in mind those we lost in 2015, especially past Fire Chief Doug Apy, former Borough Councilman Henry A. Pope Jr., long-time RBR teacher Anthony F. Trufulo Sr., and all those who were close to us.
Remarks and New Year’s Poem: Thanks everyone for coming out tonight. To our volunteer services, our public works department, our police, and to our professionals who are here, thank you for your service throughout the year. Those of us sitting up here truly appreciate what you all do. The active, vigorous nature of our all-volunteer emergency services is especially impressive at a time when so many other towns are struggling to keep their all-volunteer squads in place, without resorting to paid assistance.
I also want to thank the team I’m privileged to work with: our council members, Mr. O’Hern, Mr. Van Winkel, Mr. Galante, Mr. Talavera, Mr. Mihlon, and Mr. Gilmour; our borough attorney, Mrs. Clark; and our clerk administrator, Mrs. Jungfer. All of you make serving as mayor a special privilege, and I think our residents should know that our council members are second to none in devotion to their town and the hard work they put in to make Little Silver the best possible place to live and raise a family.
So those of you who have been here before know I usually put some amateur poetry together in lieu of the usual recitation of events during the past year, and I’m sorry to say that this year is no different. So here’s this years’ version:
Change does not come easy, to the little burg we love,
But two-zero-fifteen brought its share, and the sky is still above.
It was 1981 in town, and voters here proclaimed,
A liquor license we don’t need. Our bring-your-owns remained.
We changed our minds last year, by vote, a license is to be,
A family style watering hole? Or gourmet faire? We’ll see …
The toughest part of every poem? Remembering those who passed.
Names like Trufolo, Pope, and Apy: we flew our flags half mast.
Amy Hirsch and Diane Ramsey, retired from our ranks,
Between them seven decades served, we offer them our thanks.
Colleen Mayer joined our crew, her smile lights the way,
And Sydney, Liz and Kathryne came to help us through each day.
Na-tion-al Night Out was new, the turnout was immense,
And the library’s powered couches, helped to teach our ‘tween students.
Single stream recycling, joined cardboard, cans, and plastic,
And a winning video, by RBR - our actors were fantastic.
About our trails, we now can read, John Heidema’s dispatches,
Three plus miles, John’s walked them all, with foxes, frogs, nuthatches.
An office building is proposed, Mikes Toys’ old spot renewed,
And the White Road Cup is back at home, Brandt was in a winning mood.
In baseball Cobb and Matthewson, circa 19 zero 9,
Surfaced at the Parker House, Liz Hanson’s winning find.
At RBR the football team spent the season undefeated,
And our local schools sent cyber sleuths, afar where they competed.
We can’t stop rhyming before we thank, our trusty volunteers,
Reiss, Mike and Dan led top notch squads, at our side throughout the years.
In December, our main drag, was lit from pole to pole,
The firehouse was festive too, our tree wished all no stocking coal.
At year’s end puzzle pieces fit, our police took down a thief,
A storage unit held the loot, and victims found relief.
So much still, is left to do,
we’re paving Prospect, Church sidewalks too,
And a grant for our playing fields, the county to thank,
Doug will get moving, take that to the bank.
A Little Silver Day was planned, in our 92nd year,
In our 93rd, ‘twil come to be - a practice hundredth anniversary?
Coming soon, a bridge is out, a main to be repaired,
Updates will come from Two River Alert – so sign up, to be prepared.
If looking back and forward, I’ve missed important stuff,
Forgive me please, I could go on, but methinks you’ve had enough.
So for Dan and Dane and David, and for Stuart, Don, and Glenn,
Happy New Year to all of you, Little Silver now and then.
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