Video, Photos: Langert Appointed Mayor of Lakewood at Re-Organizational Meeting

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langert-lakewood[Video and photos below.] This morning, Lakewood Township held its 117th Township Committee Re-Organizational at Town Hall on Third Street. Committeemen Meir Lichtenstein and R’ Menashe Lichtenstein were sworn in to office for new terms after winning reelection in November. Steven Lagert, who had been deputy mayor, was chosen by the Committee to serve as mayor of the town of Lakewood. This is Langert’s second year on the Committee. Menashe Miller was chosen to serve as deputy mayor.

The event drew a tremendous crowd that included Police Chief Rob Lawson and a number of Ocean County Freeholders. Also in attendance were dozens of EMS personnel who came to protest the fact that the Township is considering to do away with the Township EMS and instead use private companies to cover the Township’s emergency needs. The move is expected to save the Township a significant amount of money annually.

At the meeting in Town Hall, the pledge of allegiance was led by Yitzy Langert, son of Steven Langert. Following the invocation, the National Anthem was sung by the well-known baal menagein, Shua Kessin, who is a Lakewood resident. A moving prayer for armed servicemen was said by Chaplain Captain Raphael Berdugo, also a Lakewood resident.

Langert, Lichtenstein and Miller were sworn in to their respective positions.

The governing body remains under a Republican majority. State Senator Bob Singer, who was mayor last year, as well as Steven Langert and Menashe Miller are Republicans. Ray Coles and Meir Lichtenstein are the Democrat members of the Committee.

At the meeting, after the appointment of mayor and deputy mayor, the committee designated Lawrence E. Bathgate II of the firm Bathgate, Wegener and Wolf to once again serve as Township Attorney.

The Committee passed numerous resolutions, announced appointments to municipal boards and committees, and filled a variety of other municipal posts.

Steven Langert spoke, thanking numerous individuals, including his family, for helping him get to this stage. He also pledged to serve the entire Lakewood, devoting his efforts to the betterment of the town. “We are all in this together. We are all one Lakewood,” said Langert.

Langert also stressed that 2010 is going to be a difficult year, with the Township facing unprecedented financial difficulties. With continued cuts in state funding, and rising costs of services, said Langert, there will some tough decisions to  be made in the ensuing months.

The other Committeeman also shared their thoughts and thanked various individuals who have been helpful to them personally and to the Township in general.

The podium was then opened for comments from the public. Remarks were made by various individuals, including Rabbi Yehudah Shain, former Committeeman Charles Cunliffe and others. The audience also heard from an EMS member, who gave an emotional plea to the Township Committee not to disband the Township EMS.

The meeting concluded with the singing of “G-d Bless America” by R’ Avromie Flam.

Click below for a video of the event:

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For photos of the event, see below:

[slideshow id=98]

{Matzav.com Newscenter-Lakewood News Desk}

5 COMMENTS

  1. To the Matzav editor:
    It is very difficult to see the pictures on this site because they are all slideshows and the pictures bounce around between the same few pictures, and not in order. When I try to see them manually, it goes right back to the slideshow- plus there’s no “Pause” button to see it slowly. Can you please change the format?
    Thanking you in advance!

  2. The following was read into the record at the event.

    We in the field of Public life have accepted a fiduciary responsibility on behalf of the Lakewood residents at large. Therefore, we owe our fidelity to the Lakewood residents to uphold and maintain that fiduciary responsibility. Executives who face troubling decisions are often confused about how to arrive at the right, moral and ethical course of action. This is not surprising since by definition a “moral dilemma” is one where there is no clear right and wrong, only positives and negatives.

    We should be guided in our moral reasoning by the insight that comes from respecting the moral rights of the Lakewood residents; justice to colleagues and peers; consequences and outcomes; explaining and defending to others as well as to ourselves the decisions we make. Have I searched for all alternatives? Are there other ways I could look at the situation? Have I listened and considered all points of view of my colleagues and peers, while still maintaining high ethical standards?

    Even if there is sound rational for this decision, and even if I could defend it publicly, does my inner sense tell me this is right? Will my colleagues, peers, and the educated Lakewood residents agree with my rational? Does this decision agree with my moral beliefs and with my personal principles and sense of responsibility to the Lakewood residents? Would I want others in Public office to make the same decision and to take the same action if faced with the same circumstances?

    What are my true motives for this action? Would this action infringe on the moral rights and dignity of others? Would this action involve deceiving others in any way? Would I feel this action was just (ethical or fair) if I were on the other side of the decision? Am I being unduly influenced by others who may not be as sensitive to these ethical standards?

    How would I feel (or how will I feel) if (or when) this action becomes known to the educated Lakewood residents? Would others feel that my action or decision is ethically and morally justifiable to the educated Lakewood residents? Can I justify my action as directly beneficial to the Lakewood residents and to their betterment in general? We can stretch and expand our moral reasoning and ethical judgment, and sharpen our ethical sensitivity and moral awareness by thinking through particular dilemmas in light of the above. If we consider all the questions discussed above with real intent and pure motives, then we can be confident that we will come with the Almighty’s help, to sound and ethical decisions.

    When we achieve clarity as to the issues of the dilemma, we are better prepared to make a decision that is both right and defensible. We must remember that our goal is to achieve an ethical course of action in all areas affecting the public, not to find a way to construct a rational argument in support of an unethical decision. Our daily decisions do (at times indirectly) impact the Lakewood residents. We live in a world where other concerns e.g. profits etc., often come into conflict with the concern for ethics and principles; and where society is demanding a higher standard of transparency, and a higher ethic of social responsibility to the Lakewood residents.

    We must be willing and able to give the Lakewood residents in fact, that which the Lakewood resident believes he / she is getting in theory. We owe it to ourselves…..we are all “Lakewood-residents”.

    Yehuda Shain, – Lakewood resident
    1140 Forest Avenue, Lakewood, NJ 08701

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