The Point Borough Mayor and Council honored Mitch Remig for his service on council as he trains for a new job.

Remig is now in training at the police academy in Sea Girt for a job as an investigator for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, which prohibits its officers from holding elected or appointed political office.

Remig resigned from council on June 30.

At the Tuesday night council meeting at Borough Hall, Mayor William Schroeder presented Remig with a plaque honoring his "leadership and unselfish efforts" and each member of council offered kind words about Remig's contributions to council.

Councilmember Antoinette DePaola remembered that when she first ran for council, the Republican party informed her they had already picked her running mate.

"They said he was 19 and I was a little apprehensive at first," she recalled. However, she said, Remig's "sincerity" and dedication to service won her over. Remig is now 23.

Remig thanked them and recalled how he had given out crayons at his first council meeting and former member John "Jack" McHugh Jr. had drawn a picture with them.

"I wish Jack was still here," Remig said last night, recalling the joke and laughing.

On Wednesday, McHugh, reached by telephone, recalled how Remig had given a box of crayons to each council member.

"During the campaign, Mitch had been getting a lot of heat" for running for office at such a young age, McHugh remembered. So, after Remig was sworn in, he gave a box of crayons to each council member.

"I drew a picture and gave it to him as a gift," McHugh said, laughing.

When told that Remig said he still has the picture, McHugh replied, "Well, I still have the crayons."

On a more serious note, McHugh said, "During my time serving with Mitch, he proved himself so much more mature than a lot of people thought. There were people who said he was too young. He proved them wrong. He was a great councilman and a great friend. And he's going to do great things in his life."

At the Tuesday night meeting, Remig said, "I greatly appreciate all of the interaction we've had, whether good, bad or indifferent. I'm going to miss it."

To Councilman Bill Borowsky, who was appointed to fill Remig's seat, and who is also running in November to keep it, Remig offered the following advice:

"Bill, my advice is to do the right thing, think with your heart," Remig said. He said he, himself, was thinking with his heart when he pushed in vain to continue twice weekly summer trash collections.

"I still wish I had been able to have us continue the twice weekly pick-ups in the summer," he said, joking, making the mayor and council laugh.

He said that although it's unfortunate his new job prohibits him from holding his elected seat any longer, resigning and handing over his Borough Hall keys to Borough Administrator David Maffei was a bit of a relief.

"It's a lot of weight off my shoulders," he said. "But I miss it."