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Virginia Lampman Serving As Acting Mayor Until Replacement Found
By Catherine Snipe
The reins of the township, at least temporarily, are in the hands of Virginia Lampman, the township clerk.
Lampman will serve as mayor for several weeks until Democrats nominate a replacement for Joseph C. Scarpelli, Brick Township’s longtime mayor who resigned last week, effective midnight last Friday.
Lampman was sworn in on Tuesday as mayor while surrounded by family. She will assume all the duties of the mayor’s office until a full-time replacement is found.
“I’m honored and proud that
they asked me to assume the role
during the transition,” she said. “There is continuity for our form
of government, to provide the service to our township.”
Scarpelli picked Lampman as the acting mayor when he resigned Friday. Council President Anthony Matthews said he and Scarpelli talked the day before and discussed who should be acting mayor.
“Originally he said to appoint the police chief as mayor,” Matthews indicated. “I suggested Ginny, because she knows the routine. We’d notice no difference.”
Lampman will be acting mayor for a maximum of 30 days, as of December 9. Within 15 days of her appointment, Democrats, the party to which Scarpelli belonged, must present the names of three nominees to assume the mayor’s role. While the deadline to submit the names is December 23, Matthews said Democratic Municipal Chairman Mike Blandina may provide the names as early as Friday. Matthews said he and Blandina spoke yesterday and the Democrats were interviewing candidates this week, narrowing down their choices to the three required by law.
Whose names they are, however, no one knows yet. Or at least, no one is willing to go on record.
“I haven’t been privy to any names,” Lampman said.
Blandina told The Brick Times on Wednesday,
some 11 candidates are in the running,
but that indicating who is on the short list “would be a disserve to those individuals.”
“I’m quite frankly ecstatic that we have such qualified candidates willing to serve Brick Township,” Blandina said.
In the meantime, Lampman will have about a month of fulfilling the duties of the mayor.
“I’m attending some holiday parties, things a mayor is usually responsible for making appearances at. I’m responsible for the execution of contracts,” she said. “I can perform marriages.”
She’s also the registrar of vital statistics. And, she’ll sit in the mayor’s spot during council meetings, including at this week’s meeting, and next. The seat is across the room from where she’d sit previously, and is now next to the township attorney.
“Basically, it’s for the 30 days,” Lampman said. “I’m reading the mail, responding to people.”
Lampman has been a township employee since 1981. In 2004, she became township clerk, and does not abandon the position by temporarily becoming mayor. She will return to her clerk duties after a new mayor is nominated and sworn in.
The move has several changes for Lampman, but many of the duties are similar to her ongoing role as clerk. For example, while Lampman can now sign ordinances as mayor, ordinances already bear her signature as clerk.
Other examples of the transition are more obvious. Mention of Joseph Scarpelli as mayor on the township Web site found a smiling Lampman where Scarpelli’s picture had been last week.
What does this mean for the clerk’s office, now that she’s acting as mayor?
“My assistant, Lynnette Iannarone, she’s taking over as township clerk and its duties,” Lampman said. “The offices are running
very smoothly.”
“The township is not in turmoil,” she said. “Absolutely not. It’s Christmas season, everybody is busy doing their job.”
Matthews agreed. “Our main concern is not
to let anything slip and it hasn’t,” he said. “We’re at 100 percent. The town continues to operate.”
Matthews and residents at the council meeting offered praise of Lampman and acting township Administrator Scott Pezzares.
“I give a lot of credit to the administration and staff,” Matthews said. “There have been no slowdowns, and that’s a credit to Mr. Pezzares.”
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