RAHWAY – The city welcomed a new official and said goodbye to another.

Jeffrey Brooks was sworn in as general counsel at Tuesday’s reorganization meeting. Brooks is co-chair of the Rahway Social Justice Commission, according to his LinkedIn page.

“It is a pleasure to be one of such great people who are eager to serve this city day in and day out. Thank you for your vote of confidence and I look forward to serving with you,” he said.

Mayor Raymond Giacobbe congratulated Brooks on joining the council, saying he has worked with Brooks on many projects and it is an honor to continue working with him.

Kevin O’Brien, the city’s Democratic chairman, thanked the board for its swift action in choosing a replacement for James E. Baker Jr., who resigned from the board after being elected to the county commissioners council in November. ‘Union. Baker, who served 16 years on city council, is due to be sworn in to his new post on Thursday.

According to O’Brien, following Baker’s resignation from city council, the city’s Democratic committee met and appointed three people to city council to replace Baker.

City Councilor Joanna Miles was unanimously elected City Council President for 2022 and longtime Councilor David Brown was chosen as this year’s Vice President. City Councilor Joseph Gibilisco was absent from the meeting.

READ:Rahway voters approve $ 38.7 million school spending plan for safety and security improvements

Miles, who was vice-chairman last year, replaces city councilor Danielle “Danni” Newbury who was chairman of the board last year. Miles thanked Newbury for leading the board through a difficult 2021.

City council observed a minute of silence during the meeting in memory of Antonio “Tony” Garay, who died on January 1 at the age of 74.

Garay, a 1966 Rahway High School graduate who captained the football and wrestling teams, played both sports at Hofstra University and was later selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL Draft. After his football career, he mentored many young Rahway athletes and served three terms on the city’s Education Council, according to his obituary.

“Mr. Garay has been a staple of Rahway. He is the very definition of Rahway strong,” said Brooks. “It is a loss that cannot be replaced.”

Garay’s visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Thursday, January 6 at Lehrer-Gibilisco Funeral Home, 275 West Milton Ave., Rahway, followed by a service at 11 a.m.

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Suzanne Russell is a late-breaking reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, the courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please register or activate your digital account today.