Politics & Government

Point Beach Organization Meeting on Jan. 5

Andy Cortes will be sworn in as new council member

 

The Point Beach Council Organization meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. Jan. 5.

The Point Beach Council voted unanimously on Tuesday night for the scheduling of the organization meeting, as part of a vote for a "consent agenda" that contained numerous agenda items.

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However, at least a few council members were not delighted about the date.

Council members Stephen Reid and William Mayer asked Mayor Vincent Barrella why the meeting was not Jan. 1, which has often been the date for the council's organization meeting every year.

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Mayer said, "I was disappointed my schedule wasn't consulted."

Barrella said Council member Michael Corbally, who was absent Tuesday night, will not be back from a vacation by Jan. 1, so he postponed the meeting until Jan. 5.

Reid said that was a shame because the family of Andy Cortes would all be in town on Jan. 1, but not on Jan. 5.

Reid and Cortes were elected to two, three-year council seats in the November general election and will be sworn in at the organization meeting. A municipal organization meeting is when newly elected members of the local governing body are sworn in and other officials, including professionals such as the attorneys and engineer, are appointed.

Republicans Reid and Cortes defeated independent Tom Davis and Democrats Sharon Cadalzo and Barry Moffett.

Barrella said he knew about the scheduling situation for Cortes' family and had talked to Cortes, but he felt the most important consideration needed to be scheduling a date when all council members could be present.

Barrella said that the postponement is not unheard of. For example, he noted, in 2008, a member of council was out of town, so the meeting was postponed until Jan. 5.

Later in the meeting, during the public comment portion, Cortes said, "It's OK, I'll just have to make sure that all of my daughters can be in town in three years."


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