The Township of Union will be hosting its annual reorganization meeting at Town Hall at 12:00 p.m. on January 1, 2017. Among the various installations and appointments taking place at the event, it is expected that Deputy Mayor Suzette Cavadas will be succeeding Manuel Figueiredo as Mayor, and Committeeman Joseph Florio will fill the seat of Deputy Mayor.
“I am extremely proud of the work we have done in my two years as Mayor, and I am confident that Suzette will do an excellent job building on our prior successes and propelling us forward with her progressive thinking,” Figueiredo said.
Cavadas held the position of Deputy Mayor for two years and has been a driving force behind the success of the Department of Recreation and the expansion of programs at the Senior Center. She is a resident of Union for more than 26 years, and is a CCD teacher and parishioner at St. Michael’s Church.
She is a parent who is invested in children and families and as such, seeks to grow the Township of Union for generations to come.
“I am humbled and honored that I am being considered to fill such an important positon. Over the past few months I have been gauging our residents for input on how we can continue to progress, and I believe that I’m ready to hit the ground running.”
Cavadas has been a Board Member of the Union Charter Study Committee and the Union Board of Adjustment. She has also sat on the Prevention of Child Abuse Committee, served as Liaison to the Board of Education, and also as Commissioner of Community Development, Licensing, Recreation, and the Senior Center.
She is a practicing attorney of Real Estate, Family and Municipal Law, with her own practice- the Law Office of Suzette Cavadas, Esq., and also serves as a Municipal Prosecutor.
“I am excited about the energy that Suzette brings to the table,” said Committeeman Florio who is positioned to succeed Cavadas as Deputy Mayor, “she is truly dedicated to the community and offers a dual perspective that is much needed when your goal is solid and transparent governance.”
Florio has served on the Township Committee since 1997. During this time he has served 4 terms as Mayor. A 46-year resident of Union, Joe has a long history of service to his community including as a member of the Planning Board, Board of Adjustment and co-chairman of the Study Commission for the Board of Education Adult Advisory Committee.
Since being first elected to the Township Committee in 1997, his committee assignments have included Commissioner of Police, Fire, DPW, Recreation and Senior Activities. A recipient of the 2003 UNICO Humanitarian Award, Joe is also a member of the Knight's of Columbus and the Columbian Italian American Club of Union.
A strong advocate of youth recreation programs, he was involved for 10 years in the Union Little League and was one of the original founders of the current recreational basketball program.
As a member of the Township Committee, Florio was a leader in the funding and opening of the senior center, and the Union Train Station, and remains a strong supporter of public safety.
For additional information on the Township of Union Reorganization Meeting, please contact Natalie Pineiro, Public Information Officer, at 908-851-5096 or via email at npineiro@uniontownship.com