MANCHESTER – A familiar face returned to the dais during a recent Township Council meeting – Craig Wallis was sworn in by Mayor Robert Arace.
Wallis, who chose not to run for reelection last fall, was chosen by the Council to fill the unexpired term of retiring Councilman Sam Fusaro. Fusaro resigned last month after having served on the governing body since 1990. He and his wife moved to Toms River.
Joined by members of his family, Wallis took the oath of office. “I want to thank everyone here. My whole family is here, especially my wife. As long as I have been doing this, except for my little break of a month and a half, she has always been there backing me up. I couldn’t do this without her.”
“My daughter, the first time I was sworn in, she was 12 years old. I have my brother in-law here, who has been in the town here for 50 years almost, my other brother-in-law has served as a councilman. We’ve been taught to service your community and do things for them. I also want to thank the council. They allowed me to come back and do this,” Wallis said.
Wallis said, “I think this will be an exciting year, especially with the council president (Roxanne Conniff), Councilman (Joseph) Hankins, it brings new freshness to this whole organization. I’ve seen the town since Mayor Arace has been elected, those people who work in this building, they are just a different crowd now. He has given them the respect that they have always needed to do what they are supposed to do.”
The township’s political organizations have no say in the choice of who might submit their application letter or who is selected to fill a council position, that is decided by the rest of the Council. In Manchester’s form of government, those of any political affiliation or none at all, can present a letter of interest with their background that is reviewed by the Council.
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