Beachwood council reorganization: new councilors sworn, appointments and 2026 operations set
January 02, 2026 | Beachwood, Ocean County, New Jersey
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Two new councilors were sworn in and the Borough of Beachwood’s governing body adopted a slate of appointments and administrative measures to carry the borough into 2026.
Senator Carmen F. Amato Jr. administered the oath of office to Council‑Elect Edward Zakar and Council‑Elect Gerald LaCrosse, and both received congratulatory remarks from state officials in attendance. Senator Amato and Assemblyman Gregory Myhre each expressed condolences to Mayor William J. Cairns and his family on the recent passing of Mary Cairns.
In a package of consent resolutions the council approved mayoral and council appointments across boards, commissions and public safety posts. Among the appointments recorded in the minutes were Land Use Board members (Res. 2026‑1), the designation of Thomas Prince as Council President (Res. 2026‑2), members of the Environmental Shade Tree Committee and Recreation Committee, the Beachwood Sewerage Authority commissioner, the Municipal Alliance chair, school crossing guards, and line officers for the Beachwood Volunteer Fire Company and Volunteer EMS.
Council also approved professional services contracts through a fair‑and‑open process (Res. 2026‑10). The minutes name Phoenix Financial Advisors LLC as financial advisor (not to exceed $9,500–$13,500, depending on issuance), Suplee, Clooney & Co. as municipal auditor (not to exceed $44,250), Remington & Vernick Engineers for engineering and planning services (hourly rates recorded), Bruno Associates for grant writing (not to exceed $42,000/year or $3,500/month), municipal counsel Michael McKenna (hourly rate recorded) and a roster of other vendors and conflict counsel with not‑to‑exceed amounts or hourly caps as listed in the resolution.
On finance and administration, council adopted a comprehensive Cash Management Plan for 2026 that lists permitted investments, authorized depositories and monthly reporting requirements (Res. 2026‑21). The council also approved rules on tax interest and penalties (Res. 2026‑18, Res. 2026‑19), authorized electronic tax sales (Res. 2026‑22), and delegated the CMFO authority to transmit tax sale redemptions without separate council action (Res. 2026‑24).
The governing body approved a temporary 2026 budget (Res. 2026‑29) to allow municipal operations to continue while the final budget is prepared; the minutes include a detailed list of interim appropriations across current and water operating funds. The recorded interim appropriations were presented line‑by‑line in the minutes to permit continuity of services pending final budget adoption.
The council also confirmed administrative housekeeping matters including authorized check signers (Mayor William J. Cairns, Municipal Clerk Susan A. Minock and CMFO Jennifer A. Martin), official newspapers for legal advertisements (The Asbury Park Press and The Star‑Ledger), the 2026 meeting calendar, and the 2026 employee holiday schedule.
Personnel actions recorded in the minutes include the appointment of Kendra Thompson as full‑time certified tax collector for a four‑year term beginning Jan. 1, 2026, with an annual salary listed in the minutes. The minutes also renewed a court‑administrator backup arrangement with Berkeley Township for 2026 and authorized the municipal clerk to administer games‑of‑chance licenses for the year.
All resolutions recorded in the minutes were shown as approved by the council in the meeting record. The minutes do not identify movers and seconders for each resolution; vote results in the minutes show the council’s recorded affirmative votes on the listed resolutions. The meeting recessed for a refreshment break at 6:21 p.m., reconvened at 6:51 p.m., opened public comment (no public speakers), and adjourned at 7:05 p.m.
Why this matters: the reorganization meeting formalized leadership, staffing and vendor relationships that govern municipal operations through the calendar year — from emergency management and volunteer fire/EMS leadership to who signs checks, which firms provide legal, auditing and engineering services, and the interim budget authority that keeps municipal services running while the final budget is completed.
Senator Carmen F. Amato Jr. administered the oath of office to Council‑Elect Edward Zakar and Council‑Elect Gerald LaCrosse, and both received congratulatory remarks from state officials in attendance. Senator Amato and Assemblyman Gregory Myhre each expressed condolences to Mayor William J. Cairns and his family on the recent passing of Mary Cairns.
In a package of consent resolutions the council approved mayoral and council appointments across boards, commissions and public safety posts. Among the appointments recorded in the minutes were Land Use Board members (Res. 2026‑1), the designation of Thomas Prince as Council President (Res. 2026‑2), members of the Environmental Shade Tree Committee and Recreation Committee, the Beachwood Sewerage Authority commissioner, the Municipal Alliance chair, school crossing guards, and line officers for the Beachwood Volunteer Fire Company and Volunteer EMS.
Council also approved professional services contracts through a fair‑and‑open process (Res. 2026‑10). The minutes name Phoenix Financial Advisors LLC as financial advisor (not to exceed $9,500–$13,500, depending on issuance), Suplee, Clooney & Co. as municipal auditor (not to exceed $44,250), Remington & Vernick Engineers for engineering and planning services (hourly rates recorded), Bruno Associates for grant writing (not to exceed $42,000/year or $3,500/month), municipal counsel Michael McKenna (hourly rate recorded) and a roster of other vendors and conflict counsel with not‑to‑exceed amounts or hourly caps as listed in the resolution.
On finance and administration, council adopted a comprehensive Cash Management Plan for 2026 that lists permitted investments, authorized depositories and monthly reporting requirements (Res. 2026‑21). The council also approved rules on tax interest and penalties (Res. 2026‑18, Res. 2026‑19), authorized electronic tax sales (Res. 2026‑22), and delegated the CMFO authority to transmit tax sale redemptions without separate council action (Res. 2026‑24).
The governing body approved a temporary 2026 budget (Res. 2026‑29) to allow municipal operations to continue while the final budget is prepared; the minutes include a detailed list of interim appropriations across current and water operating funds. The recorded interim appropriations were presented line‑by‑line in the minutes to permit continuity of services pending final budget adoption.
The council also confirmed administrative housekeeping matters including authorized check signers (Mayor William J. Cairns, Municipal Clerk Susan A. Minock and CMFO Jennifer A. Martin), official newspapers for legal advertisements (The Asbury Park Press and The Star‑Ledger), the 2026 meeting calendar, and the 2026 employee holiday schedule.
Personnel actions recorded in the minutes include the appointment of Kendra Thompson as full‑time certified tax collector for a four‑year term beginning Jan. 1, 2026, with an annual salary listed in the minutes. The minutes also renewed a court‑administrator backup arrangement with Berkeley Township for 2026 and authorized the municipal clerk to administer games‑of‑chance licenses for the year.
All resolutions recorded in the minutes were shown as approved by the council in the meeting record. The minutes do not identify movers and seconders for each resolution; vote results in the minutes show the council’s recorded affirmative votes on the listed resolutions. The meeting recessed for a refreshment break at 6:21 p.m., reconvened at 6:51 p.m., opened public comment (no public speakers), and adjourned at 7:05 p.m.
Why this matters: the reorganization meeting formalized leadership, staffing and vendor relationships that govern municipal operations through the calendar year — from emergency management and volunteer fire/EMS leadership to who signs checks, which firms provide legal, auditing and engineering services, and the interim budget authority that keeps municipal services running while the final budget is completed.
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