Lucey takes council seat

HOWELL — Wayne Lucey has been selected by a unanimous vote of the Township Council to fill Mayor Joseph M. DiBella’s seat on the governing body.

When DiBella was elected mayor in November he still had two years left on his council term. He vacated the council seat after he was sworn in as mayor on Jan. 1.

Lucey, 46, a home improvement contractor who has lived in Howell for 10 years, was appointed on Jan. 18 to serve the remainder of this year. In November a special election will be held for the final year on DiBella’s term. Lucey or any other eligible resident may run at that time.

Lucey was selected over two other candidates who were presented by the Repub-lican County Committee, Edward Skibicki and Robert Walsh.

Before the council members voted to appoint Lucey, Deputy Mayor Juan Malave concurred with DiBella, who votes as a member of the council and who had observed that the decision had not been an easy one to make.

“It was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do as a councilman,” Malave said of the two-hour private interview session the governing body held with the three candidates that evening, as well as the vote on the appointment itself.

Lucey was starting his second term on the Zoning Board of Adjustment when he was appointed to the council. He will have to step down from the zoning board.

After taking the oath of office, Lucey took his place on the dais. He joins DiBella, Malave, Peter Tobasco and Cynthia Schomaker on the all-Republican governing body.

Lucey’s brief post-inaugural remarks included the promise, “with the help of the council, I’m willing to roll up my sleeves and get the job done.”

DiBella said the character and dedication to work for the town that was apparent in all three candidates was indicative of the “bank of talent” available in Howell.

DiBella said he hoped Walsh, Skibicki and any of the other prospective candidates who had sought to fill his seat on the council would continue their dedication and “maintain their enthusiasm to serve the town.”