Englishtown Fire Dept. President Sworn in as New Councilman

The Englishtown Council chose and swore in a new Republican Council member at their Mayor and Council meeting on Wednesday. Lou Sarti, President of the Englishtown Fire Department, will be filling Jayne Carr's unexpired term until Dec. 31 of this year.

Carr, whose original term expires on December 31, 2013, was from the council meetings. The council passed a resolution vacating Carr's seat, in accordance with New Jersey State law.

Sarti, a resident of Englishtown for 17 years, has been a member of the for 21 years and has served as the department’s President for the past 12 years, being a Lieutenant prior to that.

Sarti told the Council that he has a good grasp of government since he has been President of the fire department and also currently serves as the Vice President of his Homeowner’s Association; he served as president of the association last year.

A retired police officer who served in Spotswood, Sarti currently works as supervisor at a security firm where he has seven people working under him.

“Basically, I’d like to help out the town, is what it comes down to,” Sarti said. “I have a history of helping people. I’ve worked with the Rec Committee for years. I’ve built a stronger relationship between the town and the fire department, which had been strained for a while.”

Englishtown resident Elizabeth Klein was the second candidate for the vacant seat. Klein is a nurse at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital and currently studying at Seton Hall Law School. Klein has lived in Englishtown for eight years and is a lifetime member of the .

Mayor Tom Reynolds said that the Council struggled in choosing between the two candidates. Councilwoman Lori Cooke made a motion to appoint Lou Sarti to the unexpired term and all of the council members voted yes.

Immediately after the Council approved the appointment, Englishtown Borough Attorney Joseph Youssouf swore Sarti in and he joined the rest of the council members on the dais for the rest of the meeting.

Sarti's name will not be on the primary ballot in June because his nomination to fill the Council seat occurred after the petition filing date for the primary election, according to Englishtown Clerk Peter Gorbatuk.

Two Councilwomen are up for reelection this November, Councilwoman Lori Cooke and Councilwoman Marianne Krawiec, Gorbatuk confirmed with the County Board of Elections.